One of the things I love most about QUEERSPACE is that the mentees drive the whole process:
They decide if they want to meet us.
They decide after they meet us if they want to be paired with us.
It is rare to find programs for youth that are actually directed by youth and allows them to make the decisions that are best for them.
It allows them to be empowered and ensures that their experience is at the center of everything.
Growing up as an LGBTQ+ person is so challenging because you often don’t see positive examples of LGBTQ+ adults.
How can you imagine and work towards a future when you’ve never seen it?
QUEERSPACE makes LGBTQ+ adulthood accessible. It provides a safe space to ask questions, make connections, and see the variety of ways that LGBTQ+ can, and do, have beautiful lives.
If you have a chance, I'd encourage you to support QUEERSPACE collective however you can; with a donation, by volunteering, or just sharing this article.
Sincerely yours,
Clark Maldonado, mentor
they/them