It has been almost three decades since local organizers launched the Queer Youth Leadership Awards, an event created to highlight young people whose work has benefitted the LGBTQ community, as well as the people and organizations that help them.
This happened in the early days of the AIDS crisis, when leaders went to school districts to offer HIV prevention education. The schools rejected the offer, reasoning—incorrectly—that they had no gay students, and therefore had no use for it.
That was the catalyst for the Queer Youth Task Force, and the annual ceremony, which draws hundreds to the event, which is hosted in different locations every year.
This year’s QYLA ceremony will be held at Soquel High School.
Despite societal gains through the intervening decades, movements to undo that progress are gaining momentum are growing.
The American Civil Liberties Union is currently tracking 575 bills that would reduce the rights of LGBTQ people.
“I think that their theme of reaching for the sky is quite timely when you consider what’s happening nationally to queer and trans youth and the community in general,” said Stuart Rosenstein, who has chaired the (QYTF) of Santa Cruz County since 2000. “And I have to say I admire the students from the Soquel Queer-Straight Alliance that in spite of the attacks, they are still very aspirational and very hopeful.”
Pajaro Valley High School senior Izabella Leon, one of four awardees this year of the Queer Youth Leadership Award, said that she has felt rising tensions among the students. It is important to hold events like the ceremony, she said, in a time when rising homophobia still threatens young people.
“QYLA is a celebration of our queer and trans youth, allies, and community organizations throughout the county that are doing great work to uplift our queer community here,” Leon said.
The ceremony is Saturday, May 10 at Soquel High School at 5:30pm. Click here for information.
•••
For information, visit qyla.org/
2025 QYLA Awardee & Nominee Names & Titles
______________________________________
Awardees
Enalayah Rivera Neese
Delta Charter High School
•
Alex Trask
Delta Charter High School
•
Izabella Leon
Pajaro Valley High School
Carlos Joel González
Watsonville High School
______________________________________
Nominees
Alice Soldate
Harbor High School
•
Evan Jacques-Maynes
Aptos High School
•
Hex Bailey
Harbor High School
•
Mark, Adel Mendoza Luengas
Pajaro Valley High School
•
Sadie Bell
San Lorenzo Valley High School
______________________________________
Ally to Queer Youth Award
Deyanira Matsuo-Albor
Lead Custodian, Lakeview Middle School
______________________________________
Ally to Queer Youth Award
Cybele Lolley, LMFT
Clinical Program Director, The Diversity Center
•
Desi Salinas-Holz
Watsonville High School
•
Em Whitwell
Teacher, New Brighton Middle School
•
Jen Salinas-Holz
QSA Advisor, Lakeview Middle School
•
Jessica Hassani
School Counselor, Soquel Elementary School
•
Meggie Pina
Director of Well-being Programs, The Diversity Center
•
Nancy Willard, MPH
Health Services Manager, Santa Cruz County HSA
•
Rayna “Ray” Terry
Jr. Staff, Food What?!
•
Rex Olivieri
Teacher, San Lorenzo Valley Middle School
•
Ricardo Yerena
Agro-Engineer, Farmer & Community Health Worker
•
Tobin W. Keller
Faculty, Cabrillo College Art Department
•
Zak Keith
Advisor, Staff & Peer Group Facilitator, The Diversity Center
______________________________________
Organizational Ally to Queer Youth Award
Raíces y Cariño Family Center (RC Fam)
______________________________________
Organizational Ally to Queer Youth Award
Cabrillo College Rainbow Council
•
Queer Intersectional Alliance (QIA) of Pacific Collegiate School (PCS) Leadership Team
•
Renegade Theater Co.
•
San Lorenzo Valley Middle School (SLVMS) Gender and Sexuality Alliance (GSA) Club
•
Santa Cruz Museum of Art and History (MAH)
