LGBTQIA+ youth deserve to see themselves in the stories they read and the lessons they learn. Multiple studies have shown the importance of LGBTQ-related resources and inclusive curricula for queer students’ sense of safety and belonging. Libraries – whether in schools, communities, or homes – are powerful tools for encouraging queer youth to explore their identities and histories. Three of Out Youth’s past and present librarians will join us to discuss strategies to make libraries a safe and welcoming space for LGBTQIA+ youth, queering the stacks, and responding to parent and community backlash.

At the end of the day LGBTQIA+ history and POC history are inherently intertwined, you cannot have one without the other. This presentation will trace the historical context and stories of QTBIPOC activism and highlight certain individuals from social movements in the past such as the Stonewall Riots, the Civil Rights Movement, and various others in the U.S., and current movements like Black Lives Matter. It is important that we know the history, that we know the names, that we continue to learn and educate ourselves for our futures and beyond.

Have you considered taking a class in LGBTQ Studies, or earning a degree in it? If you’ve ever had questions like “What even is LGBTQ Studies?” or “What kind of job can you get if you take LGBTQ Studies classes?” then this session is for you! Grayson Hunt, the Associate Director of LGBTQ Studies and the University of Texas at Austin will answer all your other questions about LGBTQ Studies too.