MONTPELIER, Vt. (WCAX) – LGBTQ+ youth from across Vermont converged in Montpelier this week for a leadership conference. Organizers say despite Vermont’s progressive reputation, LGBTQ+ youth continue to report daily experiences of harm and violence in their schools.
Over 100 people gathered at the Statehouse Friday to talk about courage, accountability and taking care of each other.
“For me, I think it’s one of the most important things,” said for me I think it’s one of the most important things,” said Alex Yahm-Halberg of Plainfield. “There is this sort of beautiful aspect of found-family in LGBTQ+ community.”
“I am really excited seeing how many people are actually coming together and doing stuff in such a small state,” said Mallory Lavallee of Richford.
Over the course of the two-day event, the LGBTQ+ community says the focus is building power and bringing the community together. “So heartwarming to see students that are especially younger, engage in these events because it just means so much to the community when we have these younger generations taking part in these things and it creates real change,” said Marshall Austin of Richford.
Organizers say they are demanding more safety and protection in Vermont’s schools. “There’s incredible amounts of violence and a lot of legislation that is seeking to erase them from existence and so it’s really important connecting the dots to talk about what it looks like to create safety,” said Dana Kaplan with Outright Vermont.
Richford resident Alexis Hanvey says participants are continuing to remind people that the queer community is not going away. “People are trying to erase us as queer people and it’s really important that people know we’re still here,” Hanvey said.