Date: Thu, 26 Jun 97 18:53:50 EST From: "NGLTF" Subject: Young, Loud & Proud Conference For Immediate Release Lavender Youth Recreation and Information Center (LYRIC) 127 Collingwood Street, San Francisco, CA 94114 Phone 415.703.6150 Fax 415.703.6153 Email lyric@thecity.sfsu.edu Contact: Joseph Rios Second Annual Conference Brings Together Gay Youth To Face Issues, Plan Future Converging at Everett Middle School in San Francisco on July 12 and 13, over 500 lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning youth will attend the Second Annual Young Loud & Proud Youth Leadership Conference. Looking to suprass the surprise success of the 1996 event, conference planners set out to incorporate many new dimensions, hoping to build more unified leadership experiences for conference participants. The conference, which is free of charge for participants, will offer various workshops and caucuses on a variety of issues pertinent to the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning youth community, and is being organized by and for young people. The committee expects over 500 youth, age 25 and younger, from Canada to San Diego and Philadelphia, as well as from the Bay Area. Workshops already scheduled include "How to Get a Job Without Compromising Yourself," "Starting a Gay-Straight Alliance at Your School," and "If Only I Were Cute: Body Image in the Gay Community." Steering Committee member Steve Scott-Diaz said, "It's important for young pople to know that they are empowered; that they do have the ability to make positive social change. We are leaders now and for the future, and conferences like this allow us to develop the skills we will need to fulfill our roles as advocates, educators and activists." In addition to the workshops and caucuses, several ongoing activities will provide participants chances to relax and socialize, including a large dance Saturday evening. All the committee members are enthusiastic about the event. Steering Committee member Jayme Peta said, "We have created an event where youth are utilizing and organizing resources for ourselves and our community. We recognize the ongoing issues which gay youth constantly face, but feel that in facing them together, conference staff and participants will come away more effective leaders for today and the future." Young Loud & Proud is a special project of LYRIC; other sponsors include PlanetOut, the San Francisco Unified School District, the Horizons Foundation, the Women's Building, andthe San Francisco Department of Parks and Recreation. The Conference will take place July 12-13 at Everett Middle School in San Francisco. ***** _________________________________________ This message was issued by the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force Media Department. If you have any questions regarding this post, please direct them to one of the contacts at the top of this message If you wish to UNSUBSCRIBE from this list, please send an email with "UNSUBSCRIBE PRESSLIST" in the subject and body of your email message to .