Blog Post
Queer Youth Changing The World
“My entire existence is an act of resistance.” – Andrea Gonzales-Mereles, Youth Over Guns
“Out in Front: Queer Youth Changing the World” is a brand new docuseries series from the It Gets Better Project offering a look into the lives of five LGBTQ+ activists who are raising their voices to champion a better tomorrow.
Episode One: Andrea Gonzales is an activist who works to elevate Black and Brown voices in the fight for gun control legislation. It is a cause she became involved in after her school was locked down due to reports of an active shooter on campus.
Episode Two: Jude Kacey made her first appearance at the Colorado state capitol when she was 9 years old to advocate for a bill making it easier for trans people to change the name and gender designation on their birth certificate. Today, that law has passed with a new name – Jude’s Law.
Episode Three: Stephon Bradberry left their job as a Congressional staffer disappointed that their white counterparts weren’t doing enough to stop attacks on Black and Brown bodies. Now, Stephon serves as the Founder and CEO of We, Too, Are America, a non-profit organization dedicated to uplifting Black voices and propelling Black liberation.
Episode Four: Growing up, Victor Romero felt he could come out as undocumented or queer, but rarely both. Now he is using his platform with the New Mexico Dream Team to help other queer, undocumented folks receive adequate medical care. Recently, he started a program that provides HIV testing and resources to people in need.
Episode Five: Cynthia Garcia migrated to Oklahoma at 15, living in fear that her family could be deported. After coming out to her mother, she found a great deal of homophobia in the Latinx immigrant community and anti-immigrant sentiment in her local queer community. Now, Garcia works in deportation defense, helping queer people in crisis avoid deportation.
“Out in Front: Queer Youth Changing the World” was made possible through a generous grant from Converse. The beloved footwear and apparel brand has been an avid supporter of the It Gets Better Project since 2017 having invested more than $370,000 in the organization’s work, a transformative partnership that has empowered LGBTQ+ young people as they drive the change they want to see in the world. This year’s support marks a new chapter in how the organizations are combining their strengths to reach even more LGBTQ+ young people where they live, learn, and socialize.