March 31 is Transgender Day of Visibility (TDOV), an international event celebrating the resilience of transgender and gender-nonconforming people and raising awareness for transgender rights. This month, Equality NC is honoring trans and nonbinary folks through a Women's History Month Panel on March 18, an Art and Expression Night on March 31.
In 2020, transgender and nonbinary youth alongside their LGBTQ peers experienced big shifts in virtual learning which, unfortunately, included the loss of major social supports and supportive environments. It is up to us to work together to create spaces for LGBTQ youth to thrive and engage in their learning and social development.
We are here for you. We've got your back.
Be well,
Rebby
PowerSchool -- Chosen Name
This week PowerSchool announced that it will now include a field for students to add their chosen name. This update will help support the efforts of creating an equitable space for transgender and gender-nonconforming students to learn.
If you are a student or educator interested in learning more about changing your name in PowerSchool or supporting transgender students on campus, we'd like to hear from you.
TDOV: Art & Expressions Night
March 31 at 5:00 PM
ENC's TDOV Art & Expression Night is an event for transgender, nonbinary and gender-nonconforming people and their allies to honor trans lives and celebrate gender diversity and expression. During the event participants will engage in art expression while hearing the stories of gender journeys, navigating mental health, and building community. This virtual event is free to the public and open to all. We encourage you to have art supplies available during the event or open your favorite creation app online.
Friendly LGBTQ Caller Program
Are you an LGBTQ person who is interested in forging intergenerational connections and community?
Join the next cohort of callers for the Friendly LGBTQ Caller Program, a program of The WISE Project and Equality NC which brings intergenerational communities together to offer social support through weekly calls. Folks who sign up will be matched with an older or younger LGBTQ person for weekly calls through an app called Mon Ami. Privacy is important to us - your information will not be shared with anyone and kept confidential.
North Carolina Collegiate Week of Action 2021
April 12-16, 2021
Equality NC is joined by 2021 NC Campus Voter Coalition members to encourage on-campus student civic engagement and advocacy. This year the Collegiate Week of Action will take place April 12-16 and campuses are encouraged to sign up to participate with Equality NC. Our activities will include reaching out to local and state legislators and policymakers to advocate for LGBTQ youth.
Early Access to 2022 Rural Youth Empowerment Fellowship Applications
Are you a person aged 28 or younger who is interested in directing resources to rural communities? Do you know a change-maker in rural NC making a difference for LGBTQ youth?
The Rural Youth Empowerment Fellowship is designed for you. The Rural Youth Empowerment (RYE) Fellowship is a year-long mentorship and training program for LGBTQ young people in rural areas of North Carolina. The program supports RYE Fellows to successfully execute a social justice project serving rural communities while developing leadership skills.
Organization Highlight
Take a moment to support our friends at Transcend Charlotte, a nonprofit in Charlotte, NC pursuing equity and social justice for transgender and gender-expansive communities through education, advocacy, mental health and social support services.
Chapel Hill Nonprofit Working Towards LGBTQ-Inclusive Sex Ed
The Compass Center for Women and Families provides career and financial education, domestic violence crisis and prevention programs, assistance with legal resources and youth health programs. The center currently provides two school-based youth empowerment programs in Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools – one of which is Teens Climb High.
LGBTQ Archive grows out of Western North Carolina
Western Carolina University, UNC Asheville and Blue Ridge Pride Center are working together to document the stories and lives of the rural LGBTQ community 2020 RYE Fellow Asher Warg engaged in an LGBTQ archive as part of his fellowship, Queer Life Appalachia.
If you are interested in growing LGBTQ support for rural communities please email fellowship@equa​litync.org
