“Queer Youth Leadership Award Winners Announced” Santa Cruz Sentinel Thursday, May 13, 2010
CAPITOLA -- The Santa Cruz County Task Force for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Intersex and Questioning Youth is inviting the community to attend the 13th annual Queer Youth Leadership Awards Saturday at New Brighton Middle School in Capitola. The program includes a community resource fair, a buffet dinner catered by Village Caterers, performances by local youth, an awards ceremony and a community dance. Award winners in three categories were announced this week. They are: Continue Reading.
“Honoring the Strength of Youth Leaders”
Thursday, May 6, 2010 United Way Community Matters Register Pajaronian, Page 3 By Mary Lou Goeke, Executive Director of the United Way of Santa Cruz County
This year I had the honor of being a judge for the 13th annual Queer Youth Leadership Awards. Every year, queer youth and their allies are honored from all over Santa Cruz County, including here in South County, where a number of this year’s nominees call home. The Queer Youth Leadership Awards (QYLA) are designed to bring together families, elected officials, community members, and young leaders to celebrate and honor the diversity of talent, leadership, and dedication in our community. Continue Reading.
Thursday, May 14th, 2009 United Way Community Matters Register Pajaronian Mary Lou Goeke
Once a year I get the opportunity to invite my readers to a Santa Cruz County event that is designed to celebrate and recognize our local young people who are making our schools and community spaces safer... Continue Reading.
"Editor's Note and Letters to Good Times" Good Times Written by Greg Archer Wednesday, May 13 2009
...It’s the Queer Youth Leadership Awards. Expect some great surprises—and a lot of hope and pride, no doubt—when The Santa Cruz County Task Force for LGBTIQ Youth presents the 12th annual awards show, which begins with a community resource fair at 5 p.m. Saturday. Continue Reading.
QYLA Interviewed on KZSC Closet Free Radio Monday, May 11th, 2009
Closet Free Radio, KZSC 88.1 FM interviewed Charlie McNeill, a student at Santa Cruz High School, and Sarah Gray, a Watsonville High School Student, along with QYLA Coordinator Jacob Breslow. Click play to listen.
"Students, Allies Feted for Raising Awareness of Gay Youth"
Santa Cruz Sentinel by J.M. Brown Monday, May 11th, 2009
To be 14 and open with classmates about being bisexual is hard enough, but Aptos Junior High eighth-grader Maddie Smith has called on her courage to do more than just come out. After the Proposition 8 campaign battle got under way in California last summer, Maddie started wearing T-shirts opposing the controversial ballot measure banning same sex-marriage. Continue Reading.
QYLA Interviewed on KZSC Closet Free Radio Monday, May 2nd, 2009
Closet Free Radio, KZSC 88.1 FM, hosted an interview with Jasmine Schlafke and QYLA Coordinator Jacob Breslow about the nominations for the 2009 QYLA. Click play to listen.
“Recognizing LGBT Youth Achievements"
Santa Cruz Sentinel Sunday, March 1st, 2009
Thinking back to my high school experience, one of my proudest moments was when I was standing on stage at the San Francisco Human Rights Campaign dinner, being applauded by a couple hundred people who were thanking me for my activism and my courage. At fifteen, I had never been so warmly received and validated by a large community. Continue Reading
“Thank You” Ad Published in Santa Cruz Sentinel Santa Cruz Sentinel Sunday, September 28th, 2008
Congratulations 2008 Queer Youth Leaders: This Year’s 11th annual Queer Youth Leadership Awards, held at new Brighton Middle School Performing Arts Center in Capitola on April 26th, honored queer youth for their work in improving the quality of life in their peers. Congratulations to these leaders and their families. Continue Reading
Hundreds March in Watsonville’s First Ever Gay Pride Parade Santa Cruz Sentinel Monday, August 25th, 2008
“WATSONVILLE -- Watsonville High alumna Rachel Gomez smiled as she watched the colorful parade of gays, lesbians and straight allies march up Main Street on Sunday, proudly waving rainbow flags and eliciting honks of support from passing cars. "I never thought the day would come," she said, standing next to her girlfriend of 15 months..." Continue Reading
Rally Brings Attention to Challenges Faced by Gay Teens Santa Cruz Sentinel Saturday, April 26th, 2008
“You might be able to talk, but can you really speak? ...Several dozen youth and their allies came together Friday at the Town Clock to rally for ending the silence that society has long demanded of people who love differently than others... The rally is a jump-start for today’s 11th Annual Queer youth leadership Awards, which honor efforts to keep schools safe from sexual orientation and gender identity discrimination...” Continue Reading
Teens Honored with Queer Youth Awards Santa Cruz Sentinel Friday, April 25th, 2008
“Watsonville - As a young lesbian, Watsonville High School senior Danielle Elizalde has been a leader in creating a culture of tolerance and respect at her campus and others. The Stereotypes and hatred Omar Fuentes said he confronts nearly every day didn’t stop him from being a founder of the Gay Straight Alliance at Pajaro Valley High School this year. Sarananda Osheim, a Harbor High School student...” Continue Reading
QYLA on KUSP 88.9 Central Coast Public Radio Tuesday, April 22nd, 2008
Host Deanna Zachary hosts a discussion with gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender youth who are part of the 2008 Queer Youth Leadership Awards. Hear the stories of Sarananda Osheim, Carla Gonzalez, Stuart Rosenstein and Jacob Breslow. The show discusses coming out in middle school, high school and college, and talks about the National Day of Silence, April 25th 2008. We also discuss the use of the word “queer” and the ways that our communities can start supporting queer youth. Continue Reading
Community Matters: In Support of Family and Community Mary Lou Goeke, United Way Thursday, April 17th, 2008
“I was driving to work a few weeks ago, listening in and out to the KZSC Closet Free Radio broadcast, thinking more about the week ahead of me than the show. As I approached a traffic light, an articulate young woman came on the air talking about her relationship with her father. It was difficult, she said, when she first told her father that she was gay. Although he loved her, it was hard for him to accept...” Continue Reading
High Praise for the Queer Youth Leadership Awards Mary Lou Goeke, United Way Saturday, March 15th, 2008
Emily Reilly: City Council Member and former Mayor, City of Santa Cruz, and candidate for State Assembly “I was a judge this year for the QYLA, I have been able to do that a couple of times and its just the best event of the year, its fabulous, but there is a young [person] here [Hayden Stern] who is one of the winners, and I thought, imagine being in high school and having this day happen. Its going to be a different life...” Watch Video
QYLA Interviewed on KZSC Closet Free Radio Monday, March 3rd, 2008
Closet Free Radio, KZSC 88.1 FM, hosted an interview about the Queer Youth Leadership Awards (QYLA) on 7:00pm Monday March 3rd. Harbor High School student Sarananda Osheim and Aptos High School student Dieter Schmidtmeier, along with QYLA Coordinator Jacob Breslow, shared updates on QYLA nominations, auditions, and the Awards Ceremony.
"Raise High the Rainbow" Good Times Written by Kara Ford-Martinez Wednesday, April 13 2005
Santa Cruz sends a positive message to its queer youth How many young boys have you seen wearing pink shirts and lavender colored sneakers? Probably not many. That’s because other children would tease them if they donned these colors. “That’s so gay” is a commonly heard taunt in schools nationwide where children face homophobia regularly. Contine Reading.
