Teens ages 13-19

Bird Street Community Center is the "hub" for children and youth who seek intellectual, physical, emotional, and personal growth and well being. Courts, social service agencies, schools and families trust Bird Street to help the community's low income/high risk children achieve important life goals and grow into young adults who are community change makers and leaders. Bird Street is the major provider of intentional programming for out-of-school and after school activities. Generations of children and then their children find a safe and caring place for growing and developing character and skills.

The Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network (GLSEN) is a national organization making schools safer for ALL students, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity/expression.

GLSEN strives to assure that each member of every school community is valued and respected regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity/expression. We believe that such an atmosphere engenders a positive sense of self, which is the basis of educational achievement and personal growth. Since homophobia and heterosexism undermine a healthy school climate, we work to educate teachers, students, and the public at large about the damaging effects these forces have on youth and adults alike.

We recognize that forces such as racism and sexism have similarly adverse impacts on communities, and we support schools in seeking to redress all such inequities. GLSEN seeks to develop school climates where difference is valued for the positive contribution it makes in creating a more vibrant and diverse community.

We welcome as members any and all individuals, regardless of sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, or occupation, who are committed to seeing this philosophy realized in K-12 schools.

GLSEN Massachusetts (formerly GLSEN Boston) has been serving Eastern Massachusetts for over 15 years. In the past three years alone, we have trained 1100 youth, 1200 teachers, and 45 schools whose classrooms include more than 13,000 students. Our work focuses on three overarching goals: programming, advocacy, and community organizing.

Founded in 2001, the Massachusetts Transgender Political Coalition (MTPC) is an advocacy, education, and community-building organization that works to end discrimination on the basis of gender identity and expression.  This includes working towards the empowerment of all persons who have been, are being, or might be deprived of equal rights and/or fair treatment because of their gender expression or identity. MTPC is a fiscally sponsored 501c3 non-profit with one full-time staff, active Board, dedicated volunteers, and statewide chapters. MTPC does not engage in campaign or electoral politics.

Founded in 1991, Artists For Humanity’s mission is to bridge economic, racial and social divisions by providing under-resourced youth with the keys to self-sufficiency through paid employment in the arts.

At the heart of Artists for Humanity is the belief that skills equal power and opportunity. AFH has four goals, which provide urban teens with:

• a safe meaningful place where they are respected for their contributions and develop mentoring relationships so important to teens;
• an opportunity to have a voice through exhibitions, commercial services, and public presentations;
• the respect and responsibility of paid employment that promotes self-esteem and financial accountability.  At AFH, young people learn entrepreneurship and get paid for their own creative production.
• provide access to educational experiences and support that encourage academic achievement

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BAGLY has advocated for programs, policies and services, built the community, social, and economic capital of youth and contributed to the political power of the LGBTQ movement for over 30 years!!

Young LGBTQ movement leaders have played a vital role in identifying issues, working toward solutions and reducing health, education, employment and housing disparities among LGBTQ communities.  The Queer Activist College (QuAC), a Boston Based BAGLY program, engages young LGBTQ people from the most marginalized communities in organizing for policy and systems change, and connects young people with meaningful opportunities to create and grow youth-led campaigns and develop a vision for a strong, youth-led social justice community.  BAGLY also supports QuAC graduates in applying their skills to higher education, meaningful employment, and advanced leadership opportunities in social justice organizing and other movement work."