Youth Voices – Class of 2023

The It Gets Better Project, through It Gets Better EDU, is proud to present Youth Voices – Class of 2023. These exceptional young people have partnered with our organization to offer their unique stories and words of advice to other LGBTQ+ youth around the globe. They are students, artists, and activists who are working to change their communities for the better and who have empowering insights to lend to their LGBTQ+ peers.

Aidan L.

• Age: 16
• Pronouns: He/Him
• Location: Pennsylvania

Aidan is an avid musician, advocate, and leader. His parents raised him with the value and belief to never waste food, which sparked his interest in environmental activism. As he continued his research into the importance of environmental conservation, he founded the Environmental Activism Club at his school. After being outed as gay in middle school, Aidan was bullied and harrased for his sexuality. Because of this, he is also a vocal advocate of the LGBTQ+ community and hopes that he can be a voice for others that don’t have the courage to speak up yet. 

In addition to advocacy, Aidan also has a deep passion for music. He has been invited to perform at Carnegie Hall 3 times, the Kimmel Center for the Arts in PA, PA State Festivals, and a summer intensive program. He is first chair in his school orchestra and plays with the NorthernTier Symphony Orchestra and the Northeastern Youth Symphony Orchestra. When Aidan isn’t making music, he loves to be involved with his school and community. He serves as his Class President, an officer of his Student Council, Vice President of his school orchestra, is a 2-time Mock Trial State Champion, and recently finished up an internship with a local law firm. He hopes to take his interest in law to his career, where he hopes to be a lawyer, who can advocate for those who do not have a voice.

Chloe L.

• Age: 15
• Pronouns: They/Them
• Location: North Carolina

Chloe is a nonbinary artist who likes to express their creativity with different mediums such as drawing, writing, and painting. They enjoy writing articles and drawing different things that they find interesting. Chloe wants to leave a fingerprint in the world, and aspires to change it for the better. They want to be doing big things, like commercials, ads, brand deals, and more, all while embracing who they are.

Dion H.

• Age: 17
• Pronouns: He/They/Xe
• Location: Mississippi

Dion is a trans artist and writer from Jackson, MS. He uses his art and literature as a method of advocacy for racial equality and LGBTQ+ rights. Dion has used media from oil paint to ash to express himself and his passion for the advancement of his community. 

When he isn’t splattering paint on a canvas and jabbing a pen onto paper, Dion can be found playing video games with friends and playing with his nephew. In the future, Dion hopes to become an art therapist and establish his own practice in his hometown of Jackson.

Elliot S.

• Age: 14
• Pronouns: They/Them
• Location: Texas

This is Elliot’s second year at It Gets Better. Elliot has always been a big advocate for the LGBTQ+ community. They came out as transgender, nonbinary, and queer in June 2020 at 12 years old. In coming out, they were met with overwhelming support and made it their mission to fight for equality and representation for all of the LGBTQ+ community.

Elliot’s passions include art, music, and taking care of their pet rats. Some of their accomplishments include: presenting at SXSW, being a part of It Gets Better Twitch streams and articles, getting featured in a Seventeen magazine article, and getting their artwork published in a few IGB zines. After noticing a lack of education regarding gender queer people in the community around them, they organized a presentation for their school explaining genderqueer identities which helped create a safer within their school community. Elliot is also a big advocate for mental health awareness and aims to let other LGBTQ+ youth know that they are not alone, and it really does get better.

Eris R.

• Age: 17
• Pronouns: They/She
• Location: Alabama

Eris Robinson is a Black nonbinary and queer activist. Their biggest passion is dedicating their life fighting for liberation and accessibility in all areas. This led them to be the president of their high school Gender-Sexuality Alliance and heavily involve themselves with other organizations surrounding Adolescent Reproductive Health. Most of their advocacy involves BIPOC liberation, LGBTQ+ Rights, Sexual Health, and the intersectionality of all three.

She hopes to spread their unique voice as a queer christian advocate and empower young activists to initiate change in their communities. Eris likes to practice self-care by listening to Beyonce’s new album, collecting fidget toys, or styling the thrifted clothes in their wardrobe. In the near future, they will be studying sociology to create their own nonprofit surrounding disadvantaged youth in need.

Fabi R.

• Age: 17
• Pronouns: She/Her
• Location: Florida

Fabi is an autistic Venezuelan immigrant that is devoted to mental health and LGBTQ+ education within minority groups in her county. Due to the local discrimination and misinformation experienced by communities she participates in, Fabi created a platform dedicated to an adequate education of mental health in her school with a concentration on marginalized groups. By researching, public speaking, discussing, and educating, Fabi intends to take action, open discussions, arrange activities and collaborate with various clubs or organizations in her local community. 

Ignited by Hearts On Venezuela – a political organization committed to the advocacy of the Venezuelan crisis – Fabi strives to provide different perspectives on mental health and LGBTQ+ rights throughout cultures and arts in an attempt to find solutions, as education is ambiguous in nature. In the future, she plans to write, participate in research projects, and provide accessible therapy to overcome stigmatization and contribute to mental health and LGBTQ+ education.

Hailey S.

• Age: 17
• Pronouns: She/Her
• Location: Tennessee

Hailey is a transgender rights activist, writer, and staunch abolitionist of the systems that perpetrate violence against Black trans women. Defined by her childhood in Colbert County, Alabama, her work seeks to center folk from the rural South and Appalachia-regions that have always been forgotten in the national conversation surrounding LGBTQ+ rights. 

Research at the Vanderbilt Divinity School during high school led Hailey to seek a more truthful, empathetic, and caring life, part of which included coming out as trans in one of the top seven worst cities to be LGBTQ+ in the US. My coming out as trans garnered heavy local, state-wide, and even national attention from media outlets and organizations like Teach for America One Day. 

Hailey is also a student and Hodson Trust Scholar at The Johns Hopkins University, where she studies Sociology and International Studies on the Global Social Change and Development Track. In the future, Hailey hopes to work in International DEI Consulting, aiding NGOs and the international non-profit sector in their own inclusivity.

Jehan I.

• Age: 16
• Pronouns: She/Her
• Location: Maryland

Jehan is a questioning Moroccan, Amazighian, hijab-wearing Muslim activist who is a junior in the Science & Technology Program at Eleanor Roosevelt High School. Throughout Jehan’s educational and professional career, she has always made it a priority to fight for equality in every regard possible, particularly for the LGBTQ+ youth around the world who need representation which Jehan dedicates all she does to ensure that this equality is brought to the table. Jehan is currently in the process of founding her county’s, Prince George’s County’s (PGCPS) first ever Neurodiversity & Mental Health Work Action Focus Group where it will serve as the very first group dedicated to ensuring neurodivergent students and those facing mental health difficulties obtain all the necessary resources by passing specific countywide legislation to organizing statewide protests and rallies. Furthermore, Jehan has advocated for the LGBTQ+ community by founding LGBTQ+ 4 All and served on the Amnesty International Cooperational Working Group.

Kiki P.

• Age: 14
• Pronouns: She/Her
• Location: New Jersey

Kiki was born and raised in Mexico. She moved to the US when she was just 5 years old. She loves to read, enjoys Greek and Roman mythology and is passionate about Disney since that’s the first place she can remember “she could really be and be seen as who she really was”. 

KiKi also enjoys traveling with her family because she believes “you can only learn about other cultures through their local food and actually talking to other people”. She is a fierce believer of the importance of human rights for every single individual, especially women and POC.  She is eager to make a change for her latinx/Hispanic community and to work directly with other LGBTQ+ youth located in Latin America.

Phi C.

• Age: 16
• Pronouns: They/Them
• Location: California

Phi is an Asian American, autistic, and queer student activist, artist, and organizer from the California Bay Area. Coming from Vietnamese and Desi roots, they have explored the struggles, experiences, and diverse cultural backgrounds of both communities. Through over a decade of undiagnosed autism, Phi has faced both the undeniable effects of masking and a cultural stigma against disabilities. Through self-advocacy and oratory, Phi is now an outspoken member of their community. 

With a passion for domestic and international affairs, Phi has worked on various political campaigns, led debate and civics programs at The Fremont Debate Academy, and founded the international activism nonprofit Redefine Z. They have also won awards in competitive speech and debate, led discussions on their school’s mental health policy, participated in student politics groups, created cultural and identity-themed art, and spoken at city meetings. Phi currently works to plan protests, rallies, and creative events in their community.

To learn more about the work being done through It Gets Better EDU, visit itgetsbetter.org/EDU.