Join the ONE NATION march for jobs, justice and peace in DC on October 2nd

The National Youth Advocacy Coalition, the NAACP, SEIU, the AFL-CIO and a number of other progressive organizations invite you to join us in Washington, DC on October 2nd to march for jobs, justice and peace!

Initiated by SEIU Local 1199 and the NAACP, ONE NATION participants will be demanding "jobs, economic security, comprehensive immigration reform, a safe and renewable energy policy and a reversal of national priorities from making wars to meeting human needs."

Here is an official excerpt explaining more about ONE NATION:

We believe everyone deserves the opportunity to achieve the American Dream — a secure job, a safe home, and a quality education — but banksters and corporate lobbyists have made off with trillions of public dollars while small businesses can’t get loans and cities are laying off teachers, police, and firefighters.

In this time of economic crisis, it is easy for fear-mongerers to pit groups against each other and to find convenient scapegoats for the problems that plague us.

ONE NATION seeks to transcend our superficial differences and bring us together in a common quest for equal opportunity and justice for all.

Click here for more information on the march and ONE NATION's objectives.

Coming Out about Smoking: A Report from the National LGBTQ Young Adult Tobacco Project

This week NYAC released Coming Out about Smoking: A Report from the National LGBTQ Young Adult Tobacco Project. This 12 page report explores the reasons why sexual minority youth smoke and suggests strategies for prevention.

The report and an accompanying opinion editorial were featured on Pam's House Blend. Here is a snippet from that post:

Many of my peers in the LGBTQ community have asked: "We have come so far to reach the point where we can be proud of our identities, to make our own choices and rally for our rights - who are we to tell anyone not to smoke? What happened to freedom of choice and determination?" While gay marriage, ENDA, and bullying have become the "sexy" issues of the day, our community seemingly cannot slow down enough to talk about taking care of the health of our bodies.

But fighting tobacco use is also about freedom: the freedom to have healthy bodies and lungs, and the right to get the services we need. That's what NYAC is fighting for as it releases this report, which is a call to action and attention for all in the community to serve the health and well-being of LGBTQ young adults

To find other press on the report, follow the links below:

Bay Windows: New England's Largest GLBT Newspaper- Click here

Orlando Sentinel - Click here

Advocate.com - Click Here

Sirius OutQ - Coming soon

Join the "Reclaim the Dream Rally" and March on August 28 in DC

The National Youth Advocacy Coalition joins our friends at the NAACP and National Action Network (NAN) in encouraging you to attend and help spread the word about this weekend's "Reclaim the Dream Rally" and March!  The event takes place this Saturday at 11AM starting at Dunbar High School located at 1301 New jersey Avenue NW in Washington, DC.

Rev. Al Sharpton and fellow civil rights leaders have organized this event in response to a hostile event being hosted by Fox News' Glenn Beck on the anniversary of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s "I Have a Dream" speech at the Lincoln Monument.

Here is a press release from NAN with more information on this exciting event:

Saturday, August 28, 2010 | 11:00 a.m. | Dunbar High School | 1301 New Jersey Avenue NW | Washington, DC | Rally and March to the King Memorial

Forty-seven years after the historic March on Washington, Reverend Al Sharpton, President of National Action Network and leaders from his over 47 National Action Network chapters across the country, along with heads of progressive organizations, unions and clergy, will lead a mass rally and march in Washington, DC on Saturday, August 28, 2010 to RECLAIM THE DREAM.

The rally will start at 11:00 a.m. at Dunbar High School, followed by a march to the King Memorial. Joining NAN will be a cross-section of organizations and principals including, but not limited to: National Action Network (NAN); United States Education Secretary, Arne Duncan, Martin Luther King, III, President, Center for Nonviolent Social Change, Inc.; Ed Schultz, Television and radio show host; Tom Joyner, The Tom Joyner Morning Show & Reach Media; Marc Morial, President of the National Urban League; Benjamin Todd Jealous, President of NAACP; Melanie L. Campbell, President of National Coalition on Black Civic Participation and Convener of the Black Women's Roundtable; representatives from Media Matters, and many other religious groups, labor unions, and organizations. While across town at the steps of the Lincoln Memorial the conservative tea party members and TV host Glenn Beck will attempt to hijack the dream, at the same time civil rights activists will convene at Dunbar High School to shed light upon key issues that have diminished the dream. 

As we prepare to mark the 47th anniversary of his "I Have a Dream" speech on this date, Glenn Beck and others are expected to push for the expansion of states' rights - the exact antithesis of the civil rights movement and Dr. King's legacy.

According to Rev. Al Sharpton and NAN, when we study the intense struggle for civil rights in this nation, we quickly - and rightfully - find ourselves analyzing the life and legacy of the great Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. We learn of his tireless efforts to achieve equality and justice for all of humanity, as we pass on legends of sit-ins, marches and boycotts to our children. But what we as a collective sometimes forget to impress upon the next generation is the depth to which Dr. King was an advocate the position that the federal government as he knew it was the only effective tool to ensure a unified system of equality in every state.

Today, the Tea Party and allied conservatives are trying to break that national stance on justice and, in turn, break the crux of what the civil rights movement symbolized and what Dr. King fought and literally died for. No one day was more important than that day forty-seven years ago when world stood still and heard the dream eloquently spoken by Dr. King. Event participants will Reclaim the Dream on Saturday, August 28th 2010.

Call for Submissions: Queer the Midterm Election!

NYAC's Queer the Vote campaign is being re-launched for the midterm election and we want to get young people engaged and empowered. We want to hear YOUR voices. This is a chance for you to record a short video that can be posted on our Queer the Vote website to encourage other LGBTQ youth to get involved in the midterm election!

Here are the directions:

Step 1: If you do not have a YouTube account, click here to create one. This will be used to upload your video!

Step 2: Use a camera, webcam, or phone to record a video of yourself. Start with your name and age and where you're from. In 45 seconds or less explain or describe how voting has been important in your life! This can be a local issue that affected you personally or the simple way that voting empowers you as an LGBTQ young person. Tell us how you're going to queer the vote!

Step 3: Upload your video to your personal YouTube account.

Step 4: Email the link to your YouTube video to nyac@nyacyouth.org and make sure to write Queer the Vote in the subject!

Below is an example of the type of video submissions we're looking for! You can read more about the importance of this year's election over at Bilerico. Are you going to queer the vote in November? Let us know how! Visit our Queer the Vote website for more information!

NYAC Responds to Prop 8 Ruling

As many in our community are already aware - we had a great advancement for marriage equality when a federal judge overturned Prop 8 last week.

As this case moves through the process - an important discussion on how our movement invests in marriage will no doubt continue. It's been an ongoing conversation for us.

After some internal discussion and contemplation we released a statement with our initial reactions. Below is a snippet from that statement and a link to read the full statement.

"Our nation experienced a wonderful victory in our battle for true equality last week when Chief US District Judge Vaughn R. Walker stated in his ruling what so many of us already knew in our hearts to be true. California's attempts to use Proposition 8 to deny loving same-sex couples the right to have their relationship recognized by our government violates one of the founding principles of this nation - that all shall be treated equal under the law."

Click here to read the complete statement.

NYAC Supports Nomination of Elena Kagan to Supreme Court

Image via Wikipedia

The National Youth Advocacy Coalition is proud to join the Alliance for Justice and other progressive organizations in supporting the appointment of Elena Kagan to the US Supreme Court.  Here is a letter sent by NYAC and a coalition of organizations to Senators Reid and McConnell.

The Honorable Harry Reid
522 Hart Senate Office Bldg
Washington, DC 20510

The Honorable Mitch McConnell
361-A Russell Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510

Dear Senators Reid and McConnell:

We write to urge the Senate to quickly confirm Elena Kagan as an Associate Justice of the United States Supreme Court. Ms. Kagan is a brilliant and accomplished attorney who respects the rule of law. She is exceedingly well-qualified and ready to serve on the Court.

Ms. Kagan’s distinguished academic and professional background suggests that she will be a thoughtful, impartial, and highly-respected addition to the Court. After graduating with distinction from Princeton University and Harvard Law School, Kagan served as a law clerk for two giants of the 20th century judiciary, D.C. Circuit Judge Abner Mikva and Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall. Since that time, she has devoted her career largely to academia and public service, excelling in both areas. Her career also marked several historic “firsts” for women: she was the first female Dean of Harvard Law School and is currently the first female U.S. Solicitor General.

We urge Senators not to be swayed by a small number of ideological extremists who stand at odds with the mainstream legal community, in trying to characterize Kagan as having a partisan agenda. A review of Ms. Kagan’s record shows that she will be an impartial adjudicator committed to equal justice for all.

General Kagan has garnered broad support across partisan and ideological lines, earning glowing praise from colleagues in the judiciary, academia, and legal profession who know her best. Jack Goldsmith, former head of the U.S. Department of Justice Office of Legal Counsel during the Bush Administration, noted her reputation for “listening to all sides, engaging colleagues frankly and empathetically, patiently seeking consensus and exercising judgment openly and with good reasons.” He went on to explain that “these qualities will serve the nation well on a court that adjudicates our most contentious and divisive legal issues.” Former Judge Abner Mikva described her as “one of the best clerks I ever had.” He added that her not previously serving as a judge is “a real plus” because she will bring “an important viewpoint to the United States Supreme Court that unfortunately is missing when you have nine judges,” a point echoed by Justice Antonin Scalia and former Justice Sandra Day O’Connor. Ten former Solicitors General from both parties, among them Kenneth W. Starr and Drew S. Days, have praised her “breadth of experience and a history of great accomplishment in the law,” adding that her “most recent experience as Solicitor General will serve her well as she wrestles with the difficult questions that come before the Court.”

We believe Elena Kagan will develop into a Justice who will put her remarkable intellect, legal acumen, and skills of persuasion to good use in the service of justice. We support her nomination, and urge the Senate to promptly confirm her to the Supreme Court.

Little gay says goodbye to bigDCity

So…today is my last day as an intern at NYAC. This will also be the final blog post in my intern series. How do I feel about this?

Bittersweet. I have thoroughly enjoyed my time in DC and doing work I feel passionate about. I had an excellent internship experience (and no I am not just saying that). If you’re considering applying for an internship in DC working with queer youth…seriously consider applying here! However, I am eager to go back and teach others what I’ve learned and apply this knowledge to my commitments at Ithaca College.

My first blog entry was way back in June…and in that blog I said things that I felt were very important to me. To refresh your memory:

• Equality
• Bisexuality and transgender acceptance within the LGBT community
• “Femme” acceptance within the actual LGBTQ community
• Positive portrayals of the community both within it and outside of it
• The correct use of transgender vs. “TransgenderED"
• BREAKING THE MOLD!

Today…we’re days away from the beginning of August and obviously at the end of my internship. Has my list changed?

No. However, I have gained new insight, which has now been added to my personal list:

• Advocating for queer people of color because they truly are a marginalized community within the LGBT movement.
• Advocating for the cessation of tobacco amongst the LGBT community, especially when it pertains to LGBT youth.
• Helping to create a positive body image for those who identify as LGBT
• Talking about things that are stigmatized and not addressed-HIV/AIDS, Bisexuality, youth, race, gender expression…and believe me the list could go on.

I would still highlight: BREAKING THE MOLD and put it at the top of my list. Society (within the LGBTQ community as well) enjoys categorizing things upon things and you’re often left with whatever label they choose. Brush it off. You're you.

Well, I said it once and I’ll say it again: Be who you are and walk proud-it’s sexy. I also urge you (yes-you) to challenge yourself in stepping outside of your comfort zone. There is a great deal to be learned within the LGBTQ movement (there’s also a great deal of work to be done) and within society in general.

I came to NYAC thinking I had a decent amount of knowledge regarding the LGBTQ community and I’ve had the rug pulled out from underneath me. I enjoyed the fall. NYAC never informed me that I’d need a helmet for this position because I truly have gotten a crash course regarding the LGBTQ youth population.

So, thank you NYAC staff and my beautiful fellow interns for everything!... and you too blog followers.

Go Break The Mold!

Best,

Cat