Every day in communities worldwide, countless young people seek to find their place in society. This is a struggle of growth and rebirth that everyone must endure as they reach adulthood and beyond.
That struggle can be exponentially harder for those struggling with their sexuality and gender identity, since society in general—and families and friends in particular—may not understand or accept when those young people “come out.”
That is the spirit behind the Fall 2024 Rainbow Conference, an event that at once gives these young people a place to connect with their peers, and their families and caregivers a place to learn about the issues their loved ones face.
The event includes the Queer, Trans & Allied Student Summit for middle and high school students, Rainbow Glitter Kids for elementary school students, and Understanding Gender for parents, guardians, educators, and adult allies, and typically draws hundreds.
“This event has been growing every year, and I think it’s because there is a hunger in the community to really understand what’s happening for young people,” said Andrea Damon, group facilitator for TransFamilies of Santa Cruz and co-organizer of the Understanding Gender conference.
The event is scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 28 at Watsonville High School.
It includes sessions on understanding gender issues, and legal rights of trans and non-binary kids.
There is also a session on how religious families can navigate their loved ones’ struggles.
“Those two things do not need to be in conflict,” Damon said. “Parents shouldn’t be having to make a choice between their child and their religious connections.”
In addition, there will be a panel of trans and non-binary adults speaking about their personal journeys and experiences, which in part is geared toward parents looking to understand how others have navigated the issues.
“I know that parents are really hungry for a deeper understanding and sometimes asking one’s own child can be touchy,” Damon said.
“It really makes a difference when it’s someone in your own life who’s sharing their trans and non-binary identity, it makes it so much easier to have an open heart and desire to really listen deeply and understand deeply.”
Sponsored by the Safe Schools Project, the event is now called the Rainbow Conference. It is described as “a day of celebration, community, and learning for young people and the adults who support them.”
The event was created to keep the issue in the spotlight, and is particularly important as dozens of bills make their way through the legislative process that would affect the rights of the LGBTQ community.
“In a time when on social media and national news, the attacks on the queer and trans community have been intensive,” said Queer Youth Task Force Chair Stuart Rosenstein. “So bringing queer and trans youth together from three counties is an important value in building solidarity, support and visibility.”
The Fall 2024 Rainbow Conference is hosted by the Safe Schools Project, a program of the Queer Youth Task Force. It is sponsored in part by the Santa Cruz County Office of Education.
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Established by The Safe Schools Project of Santa Cruz County, The Queer, Trans, & Allied Students Summit is available to all students grades 6th-12th from Santa Cruz, Monterey, San Benito Counties
The event is scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 28 from 9:30am – 2pm at Watsonville High School. Breakfast and lunch is included. For information and to register, click here or visit bit.ly/3XFonGb.
