Do you remember your first "ah-ha" moment? The first time you ever encountered an openly LGBTQ+ person in the wild? Just an everyday human, passing by on the street, ordering a coffee, or walking their dog. 

For me, it was my manager at a steakhouse I worked at post-college. Growing up in Oklahoma, it never quite felt safe to admit my sexuality even to myself, let alone to let it show externally. 

And yet there she was. 

Openly queer, wife, baby on the way... living as confidently as can be. 

Working with her, I heard countless conversations about day-to-day life, how excited she and her partner were to pick out nursery room items, how she and her wife had met, career goals, etc. 

These conversations may have seemed insignificant to everyone else but to me, they were the evidence I didn't know I had been looking for. I realized if she could be herself, live a full and authentic life... so could I. 

So I came out. 

I stood...

A 90-Minute Workshop That Saves Young LGBTQ+ Lives

COVID-19 has had a profound impact on mental health in the United States. Although the last year has been a shared trauma, the data shows that these times have been especially detrimental for young adults. 

According to the CDC, young adults experienced an almost 15% increase in suicidal ideation during 2020. 

 

The data and events of the last year have made it clear that it’s more important than ever to equip our youth with suicide prevention tactics and skills to intervene when it’s needed most.  While suicide lifelines are helpful, people are more likely to reach out to their peers before they ask a stranger for help.

As part of our mission to reduce the rate of suicide in the LGBTQ+ community, the Pride and Joy Foundation regularly holds Ask. Listen. Plan. (ALP) workshops for college-aged individuals. These workshops are geared toward all young adults and provide tools, resources, and tactics...