Side by Side (formerly ROSMY) June 2017 Newsletter
Welcome to your monthly Side by Side newsletter!
Side by Side Youth in the Community
This past month Side by Side youth from our YEL (Youth Engaged in Leadership)group wrapped up a phenomenal year with some great community connections. They were able to see the Broadway smash
Kinky Boots and listen to a powerful talk back after the show. Then, thanks to our supporters at Altria, our youth leaders had lunch with former NFL star Wade Davis, who shared more about his coming out story and why he stands up for LGBTQ+ and gender equality.
Youth Leaders at Kinky Boots, Kinky Boots Cast, and Side by Side with Wade Davis
Our YEL group meets on Monday evenings during the academic year and provides a unique opportunity for LGBTQ+ youth to learn leadership skills and engage in their community. We are fortunate to have such a loving and supportive community in Richmond. Thank you to our friends who helped to make these connections for our youth leaders.
Side by Side hosted our largest prom ever with over 100 youth attending. The event, held on May 20th, featured music and dancing as well as a lip sync contest, costume contest, and dance competition. Our YEL leaders planned the prom this year and they choose the theme "Over the Rainbow," a mash-up of the Wiz and the Wizard of Oz. Check out some of the photos from social media and search the hashtag #SxSProm2K17 for more!
Side by Side provides training and expertise to schools, government agencies, medical providers, law enforcement, and youth service organizations throughout the commonwealth of Virginia. As you can see from the map above, while our youth programs are focused in Central Virginia, our training footprint goes far beyond that. We work to ensure that LGBTQ+ youth throughout Virginia have safe, affirming, and supportive environments. We know that when educators, medical providers, and communities are provided with skills, knowledge, and tools, they are ready to fully engage our LGBTQ+ youth!
Most notably this past year we've grown our training to reach new organizations including the Boy Scouts of America, Chippenham Hospital, Big Brothers Big Sisters, the Virginia Education Association, and more! Not to mention we've provided training to every K-12 counselor in Richmond, Henrico, Chesterfield, and Hanover. Side by Side has over 25 years of experience with LGBTQ+ youth and we will continue strive to share our expertise and knowledge with other agencies and schools throughout Virginia.
