A Pride Month Conversation: LBGTQ+ Youth and Homelessness

Pride is a beautiful celebration of authenticity and intersectionality. As fearless advocates for youth, it’s a moment for our organization to bring awareness to the experience of LBGTQ+ youth. Family conflict and differences are often the main reason for youth to fall into homelessness. For LBGTQ+ youth, this friction tends to be over sexual orientation or gender identity. In fact, according to a study from Chapin Hall at the University of Chicago, LGBTQ+ youth are 120 percent more likely to experience homelessness than non-LGBTQ youth. There should be no cost to coming out. 

To shed more light on the overrepresentation of LBGTQ+ youth experiencing homelessness, we hosted a Facebook Live that included Susan McDowell, LifeWorks Chief Executive Officer, Alfredo Guerrero, a Youth Care Worker at our Emergency Shelter, and Kevin Lankford, a Case Manager at the Emergency Shelter. Their eye-opening conversation exposes the impact on youth when their emotional safety is jeopardized by family members or caregivers. Both Alfredo and Kevin welcome every client with curiosity, empathy, and acceptance. The Emergency Shelter staff honors individuality, whether it be providing hair dye so clients can express themselves through their style to utilizing their preferred pronouns. The team creates a nurturing and supportive environment for youth to grow and thrive into their authentic selves. 

LifeWorks is and will always be a safe space for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender youth as well as their allies. Every youth deserves a place to call home, a chance to heal, and an opportunity to work no matter who they love. 🌈