SMYAL

Whether you're approaching your birthday or aiming to make a more meaningful contribution to the well-being of LGBTQ+ youth, rally your community to support a cause close to your heart by creating a Facebook fundraiser!

Check out this simple toolkit to assist you in getting started:

[http://bit.ly/FBFundSMYAL](https://bit.ly/FBFundSMYAL?fbclid=IwAR1MzkEzRn9k1nrHXeG291GcODdLhRFN0lt7K_z0lBGORaR3xEFGD85rXrI)

"I came out in the 80's and was terrified. I soon found SMYAL and met other young people who became part of my support system, and also found the adults to be role models. I made friends and that made all the difference. I'm still very thankful for everything SMYAL provided me during those days. Happy 40th Anniversary, SMYAL!"
-Raymond, (he/him), Age 56, SMYAL Alumni
Do you have a story of how SMYAL has impacted your life? We want to feature you in our campaign! Share yours today at SMYAL.org/shareyourstory or click the link in our bio

We are thrilled to announce two of this year's SMYAL Fall Brunch hosts will be:

🏁 , Winner of Season 12
👑 , Local DC Drag Queen

Join these legends on Saturday, September 21st at the Marriott Marquis in Washington, DC to show your support and raise critical funds for LGBTQ+ youth.

PLUS tomorrow is your last chance to get discounted tickets to SMYAL's 40th Anniversary Fall Brunch! Get your tickets TODAY at SMYAL.org/Brunch

We'll be announcing two of our Brunch hosts tomorrow...👀 any guesses???

Still waiting to get your tickets for SMYAL's 40th Anniversary Fall Brunch? Early bird ticket pricing ends Wednesday, July 31st. Purchase yours TODAY at SMYAL.org/Brunch

Join us TONIGHT at Franklin Hall as we gather to award LGBTQ+ young leaders with scholarships🏆 🏳️‍🌈

SMYAL's scholarships recognize outstanding and unapologetic LGBTQ+ student leaders who have demonstrated personal growth and a commitment to creating change in their school or community. We know that you'll be as inspired by them as we are!

Haven't gotten your tickets yet? No worries, head on over to SMYAL.org/Summer

📣 It's almost here! 🌟 Don't miss out on a marvelous celebration of LGBTQ+ youth leaders at SMYAL for Summer in just TWO DAYS ☀️

Join us at Franklin Hall as we unveil the winners of this year's SMYAL Scholarships Prepare to be inspired by their incredible achievements! ✨ Plus, enjoy a special performance by Mia Vanderbilt!

The clock is ticking! Get your tickets at bit.ly/3RDMent

SMYAL for Summer is just one week away! Join SMYAL and special performer Mia Vanderbilt on July 25th as we celebrate LGBTQ+ youth leaders at SMYAL for Summer! ☀️

We're meeting at Franklin Hall for the highly-anticipated announcement of this year's SMYAL Scholarship Awardees, including winners of the Youth Leadership Awards and Sophie's Live Out Loud Award✨

Don't miss out on this empowering event. Mark your calendars, and get your tickets at SMYAL.org/summer. See you there! 🎉

July 16th is International Drag Day!

We at SMYAL want to express our love and appreciation for all the drag performers who have graced our community with their incredible presence. We cannot thank you enough for the work that you do!

Drag is art. Drag is expression. Drag is revolutionary. Drag is FUN!

Check out some of the drag performers we've had at our events in the last year including , , , , .xx, and ! Support your local drag artists!

Photos by: and

"The SMYAL community means a lot to me. From found family to open expression to endless support — I am beyond grateful to be a part of this experience."- Lion Burney, Recipient of a 2024 SMYAL Scholarship

Come celebrate our incredible cohort of scholarship winners at this year's SMYAL for Summer on July 25th!

SMYAL for Summer returns July 25 ‘Their hard work, resilience, and identities are valued and celebrated’

💛🤍💜🖤

"I found SMYAL, then called the Sexual Minority Youth Assistance League, and began to regularly attend its drop-in sessions each Saturday. I made friends and met my high school boyfriend there. My new friends and I would often go out after SMYAL meetings to Lambda Rising, an LGBT bookstore in the heart of what was then the “gayborhood.” Afterwards, we would go to a coffee shop and talk and hang out until the evening. My Saturdays were filled with joy and wonder, but every Monday, I would return to school."
-Michael Key, (he/him), Age 46, SMYAL Alumni & Donor
Do you have a story of how SMYAL has impacted your life? We want to feature you in our campaign! Share yours today at SMYAL.org/shareyourstory or click the link in our bio

🌞 Celebrate and support LGBTQ+ youth leaders at SMYAL for Summer!☀️

Purchase your tickets at SMYAL.org/summer!

SMYAL for Summer Come celebrate the outstanding 2024 winners of SMYAL's Youth Leadership Award and Sophie's Live Out Loud Award who will be presented with their scholarships. To learn more about SMYAL's scholarship programs, please visit SMYAL.org/Scholarship.

✨SMYAL is thrilled to announce that the one and only Mia Vanderbilt will join us for a special performance at this year's SMYAL for Summer!✨

Join us as we celebrate the 2024 SMYAL Scholarship awardees at Franklin Hall, these amazing LGBTQ+ leaders are sure to inspire you. Save the date, spread the word, and get ready for a wonderful evening of celebration and empowerment.

Purchase your tickets at bit.ly/3RDMent!

We 💛 and !

From her recent blogpost:

“Community has always been at the forefront of the LGBTQIA+ movement and I believe that is where our true power lies. So, whether you identify as LGBTQIA+ or are an amazing ally, I encourage you at Spirit games and moving forward, to open yourself up to the possibility of a new reality – one where we all lead with love and are able to exist in harmony. How can you play a role in helping us get there?
For now, enjoy the game and celebrate yourself. You are special!”

Thank you Anna for your inspiring words and commitment to community! We’re proud to partner with Anna and the Spirit who continually uplift and invest in the LGBTQ+ community and organizations like SMYAL, , and .

See you at the Pride Game!

"SMYAL was an important support to me as a q***r teen dipping her toes into activism and organizing. I was a leader in my school's GSA in high school. SMYAL supported us in connecting with other q***r youth (and activism) in the city through the Leading with Pride GSA conferences. SMYAL also visited and did trainings with our GSA, providing physical resources for tabling at school, as well as tips for improving our organization. On the personal side of things, I attended SMYAL social events with my friends (like ice cream socials and dances after pride). Those spaces were so important because they gave us a space to be q***r and young and safe.

I work as a middle school teacher now, and I think that youth in general need spaces where they can be supported, but not coddled, and molded into the leaders/community members that they want to be. This support is particularly needed for q***r youth, and I'm so grateful, especially now as someone who works with youth, that SMYAL was and is there to support me and so many others."
-Maija KW, (she/her), Age 26, SMYAL Alumni
Do you have a story of how SMYAL has impacted your life? We want to feature you in our campaign! Share yours today at SMYAL.org/shareyourstory or click the link in our bio

We are proud to announce that SMYAL has been selected as a trusted and critical small nonprofit in the Greater Washington region! Congratulations to our peer nonprofits, who we’re excited to meet and partner with alongside Spur Local

✊🏿Rise Up!, SMYAL's national q***r + trans youth organizing conference is back! ✊🏾

📆 Mark your calendars for July 27th and 28th as we bring you a weekend filled with inspiration, motivation, and activation!

💻 Saturday, July 27th will be open to youth anywhere in the world through a virtual platform

🎨 Sunday, July 28th will feature in-person programming in Washington, DC

Registration is FREE!!!

Register today at SMYAL.org/Rise

This year's conference theme is "Art in Activism: Igniting Change Through Art + Organizing." Our lineup of speakers, workshops, and performances will inspire and empower you to make a difference through your art and activism.

Get ready to ignite change through art and organizing, as we come together to fight for equality and justice. From zine-making to theater workshops, our lineup of activities will inspire and empower you to take action like never before. Rub shoulders with inspiring leaders, connect with fellow activists, and make your voice heard in our exclusive digital and print zine.

It’s time to rise up and make a difference – are you ready?

Rise Up! A National Conference for Q***r and Trans Youth Organizers - SMYAL Rise Up! Youth Organizing Conference 2024 Dates: July 27 + 28 Join us at SMYAL’s 2024 Rise Up! Youth Organizing Conference! Rise Up! is a free conference that explores what it… Continue reading Rise Up! A National Conference for Q***r and Trans Youth Organizers

SMYAL's School Engagement Specialist Janeé Nealey joined Rockville to celebrate the intersection of and with a conversation exploring the intersection of the LGBTQIA+ and Black communities on June 20 at Rockville Memorial Library.

Watch a clip from the panel here:

Conversations with Pride PRIDE IN OUR CITY’S CULTURE … Rockville celebrated the intersection of Juneteenth and Pride with a conversation exploring the intersection of the LGBTQIA+ an...

Did you catch SMYAL's Director of Clinical Services, Brittni Dash on WAMU 88.5 - American University Radio this morning?

Brittni spoke with WAMU Morning Edition host Esther Ciammachilli about how SMYAL supports LGBTQ+ mental health and calls for further investment into affirming services and programs for q***r and trans youth.

You can listen to the whole interview here:

D.C. nonprofit raises awareness around LBGTQ mental health during Pride month One in 10 LGBTQ youth attempted su***de last year -- SMYAL explains how to best support those in need.

🌞 Join SMYAL's Young Donors Committee on July 25th as we celebrate LGBTQ+ youth leaders at SMYAL for Summer! ☀️

Gather with us at Franklin Hall for the exciting announcement of this year's SMYAL Scholarship Awardees, including winners of the Youth Leadership Awards and Sophie's Live Out Loud Award. We're inspired by their incredible leadership, and we know you will be too! ✨

Purchase your tickets at bit.ly/3RDMent!

The Washington Spirit Pride Game is this Saturday, June 29 @ 7:30 PM, and The Spirit would love for you to join the Halftime Pride Parade! If you are interested please register at https://bit.ly/4cChZp5 or click the link in our bio!

Bring banners and wear your most gorgeous, colorful costumes--there will be prizes for the best dressed AND the best banner! We can't wait to see you there!

"SMYAL was a lifesaver, an outlet, and a safe space. I was born in raised in SE, Washington DC. I became aware of my q***rness at a very young age. I was also aware of the hatred, the lack of acceptance and the harm that was committed towards q***r folks. So I navigated my sexuality in secrecy. When I overheard a group of my q***r peers talking about SMYAL, I immediately knew that I needed to check it out.

I would sneak to that colorfully decorated house some afternoons when school let out. And I would deeply exhale during every visit because everything about it aligned with me. The staff was kind and inclusive, the group of teens was so diverse, and the language used was different yet accepting. SMYAL was everything that I needed to own my identity, even if it was just for 1 evening a week after school.

Thank you for saving lives! This organization is a tremendous part of my healing journey. "
-Tiarra Abu-Bakr, (she/her), Age 39, SMYAL Alumni
Do you have a story of how SMYAL has impacted your life? We want to feature you in our campaign! Share yours today at SMYAL.org/shareyourstory or click the link in our bio

TODAY!

Supporting LGBTQ+ youth is more important now than ever. Join SMYAL Executive Director and Washington Area Women's Foundation as we discuss challenges affecting youth and explore ways we can all contribute to a safer and more inclusive environment for them.

Register to join us today: https://wawf.org/askherloveinaction

You may not know exactly what to say to your child when they come out to you, but reaffirming your love and support can make a world of difference.

SMYAL's Play Therapist, Matresa, recently went on Living Local DMV to provide advice for parents and caregivers of LGBTQ+ youth. Check it out here:

Creating Opportunities for Parents & LGBTQ+ Youth with SMYAL Creating Opportunities for Parents & LGBTQ+ Youth with SMYAL

SMYAL was honored to participate in NBC Washington's Pride Celebration hosted by longtime SMYAL friend and NBC4 anchor Jim Handly. We were grateful for the generous support received from our partners at M&T Bank to support our housing program. It was also great to join our friends at CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield whose partnership has had a significant impact on improving the mental health of LGBTQ+ youth. Thank you NBC4 for including us in your wonderful event and for your long standing support of the LGBTQ+ community!

"I came out when I was 16 and discovered a q***r youth organization in Portland, Oregon, called Windfire. It was a weekly drop-in group, where I met other LGBTQ teenagers who became my friends.

Many years later, as an adult living in Washington, DC, I went looking for an organization that I could give back to; a place providing the kinds of services that had been so vital to me when I was just out of the closet. SMYAL's range of services is much broader than Windfire...from housing to clinical services to after school drop-in groups. Supporting the organization and the youth it serves is my way of paying it forward."
-Ari Shapiro, (he/him), Age 45, SMYAL Board Member
Do you have a story of how SMYAL has impacted your life? We want to feature you in our campaign! Share yours today at SMYAL.org/shareyourstory or click the link in our bio

Today's the day! Tune into P&G iHeartRadio tonight at 8pm ET / 5pm PT on iHeartRadio's Facebook & YouTube, Hulu , Revry , and Advocate Channel. It will be raising funds for some incredible LGBTQ+ organizations including SMYAL! Don't forget to watch & DONATE!