ABOUT:

The LGBTQ Center OC’s mission is to advocate on behalf of the Orange County Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender and Queer/Questioning communities and provide services that ensure its well-being and positive identity.

The LGBTQ Center OC is excited to announce its upcoming 2021 Virtual LGBTQ Youth Convening, a free multi-day online conference that is organized and led by youth leaders from Youth Empowered to Act, a coalition of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) student leaders and their allies devoted to gender, racial, reproductive, and restorative justice issues in Orange County.

This year's theme is Intersect and Connect.

The 2021Virtual LGBTQ Youth Convening will take place over three consecutive Saturdays in May. Each conference session will have a dedicated theme of the day, focused on mental health and support; education; and advocacy and empowerment.

This event is open to all ages and backgrounds, such as but not limited to: youth, students, parents, guardians, families, school staff and administrators, counselors, professionals, and community members and organizers.

We invite the entire community—whether at the local, state-wide, and national level—to experience three webinars complete with influential speakers, workshop presenters, and organizations working to provide affirming practices to create inclusive and intersectional spaces for LGBTQ youth in Orange County and beyond.

We are excited to share that we will have special guest performances from local drag artists at the end of each webinar, as well as opportunity drawings for gift cards!

Workshop topics and resources include:

Family Support

Mental Health and Intersectionality

Sex and Body Positivity

Queering Financial Literacy

Healthy Relationships

Tobacco Cessation

Anti-Vaping Education

Trans 101

GSA Support

Queer Professionals Panel

Restorative Justice

Know Your Student Rights

And more!

STEPHANIE CAMACHO-VAN DYKE, Director of Advocacy & Education (She/Her/Hers)

Stephanie Camacho-Van Dyke joined the LGBTQ Center OC in 2011. As the former Youth Program Manager, she helped to develop the Youth Program from a weekly drop-in social group to a comprehensive program that supports the diverse needs of Orange County LGBTQ youth and young adults. In her position as Director of Advocacy and Education, Stephanie contributes to the fields of advocacy and education through her ongoing collaborations with Gender and Sexualities Alliance student leaders, educators, and administrators across Orange County. She is passionate about her advocacy work with public schools and universities around inclusive literacy education, policies, and curriculum development and implementation to reflect the intersections of sexuality, gender identity and expression, and identity. Stephanie earned her BA in English Language and Literature from the University of California at Davis and her MA in English Language and Literature from California State University at Fullerton, where her graduate research relied heavily on queer, feminist, and critical theories. She was awarded several academic fellowships for her research, including the prestigious Sally Casanova Fellowship Award. In her spare time, Stephanie enjoys reading, gardening, visiting museums, attending shows, and spending time with her partner and their two cats.

For more information, click here.

The Sunday Journal