As a SMYAL Board Member since 2006, I'm always proud to ask my network of friends, colleagues and family to support the organization's mission and work. As the needs of gay, lesbian, bisexual, trans and questioning young people have changed over the years, SMYAL has been in the vanguard in identifying those needs and programming to meet them. I'm especially pleased that an organization like this - which was formed to address some very specific situations in the 1980s such as checking young gay people into mental health facilities just for being who they were - has taken up such critical issues as fighting the HIV/AIDS epidemic and more recently providing strong LGBTQ young people with the skills and tools they need to advocate for their own rights. SMYAL rocks. SMYAL is relevant, and SMYAL does an incredible job in building up our young people. Investing in SMYAL provides a great return to our youth and our community.
For nearly 30 years now, SMYAL has been the leading organization dedicated to supporting lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning youth in the Washington, DC metropolitan area.
Every week, SMYAL opens the doors of its Capitol Hill youth center and provides peer support groups and educational workshops as well as safe social activities such as movie nights and even an annual drag competition.
SMYAL’s reach extends beyond the four walls of its youth center. Each year, SMYAL organizes special events such as youth dances and open mic nights throughout the region. SMYAL staff members also facilitate LGBTQ youth awareness training to teachers, social workers, and other providers to make their spaces affirming for all young people.
This year, SMYAL also launched a major new program effort to support LGBTQ youth through gay-straight alliance clubs in our local schools, extending SMYAL’s impact throughout DC and into the suburbs.
SMYAL makes a huge impact with a small staff and a small budget.