Press Releases and Newsletters

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE January 24, 2008

YOUTH PRIDE INC (YPI) HIRES NEW EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Michael Gerhardt 401-421-5626
Michael Fournier 401-641-4417

Michael Fournier, member of the Board and Chairperson of its Executive Director Search Committee, announced today the hiring of James Robinson as the organization’s new Executive Director. Mr. Robinson presently serves as the Director of Development at the Providence Animal Rescue League and has previous experience at Milton and Caritas Carney Hospitals and AIDS Project Rhode Island.

According to Mr. Fournier, “James comes to us with a strong background in Fund Development, Board Development and Strategic Planning along with a passion for youth development, and on a personal interest has been very active in the performance arts. He is very excited about working in partnership with the Staff, Board and the community at large to build on the current success of YPI and bring it to an exciting new place.”

YPI is the only statewide non-profit in Rhode Island with programming dedicated to meeting the social, emotional, and educational needs of youth and young adults impacted by sexual orientation and gender identity or expression. Its programs and resources include youth leadership workshops, wellness initiatives, a food pantry, counseling, and safe schools campaigns, all of which combine to give lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and questioning (LGBTQQ) youth the sense of belonging they often are denied.

Mr. Robinson will assume the position of YPI Executive Director beginning February 6, 2008.

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YOUTH PRIDE AND PARENTS, FAMILIES AND FRIENDS OF LESBIANS AND GAYS JOIN TO HELP MARGINALIZED YOUTH GAIN MORE VISIBILITY AND SUPPORT THROUGH A STATEWIDE COMMUNITY SERVICE CAMPAIGN AND NEW WEBSITES

FROM:
Youth Pride, Inc., 171 Chestnut Street, Providence, RI 02903
PFLAG South/Central RI, 110 Brook Spring Drive, Warwick, RI 02889
For more information, please call: Karen Izzo 401-263-1697

PRESS CONFERENCE:
Date: Friday, January 11, 2008
Time: 3pm
Location: Youth Pride, Inc. Office: 171 Chestnut St. Providence, RI 02903
YPI Contact: Arthi Sundaresh arthi@youthprideri.org / 401.421.5626 x26

Whether they are gay or lesbian, bisexual or transgender, queer or questioning, they all agree on one thing: in Rhode Island, marginalized youth and their families desperately need acceptance and support. The problem is finding it. While there are organizations that provide the services necessary to empower such teens to live full, healthy lives, kids in crisis often are afraid to ask for help and don’t know where to turn. But now, they can connect more easily with the right agencies thanks to a public service ad campaign and new websites to direct them to Youth Pride, Inc. (YPI) and Parents, Families, and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG) South/Central Rhode Island.

PFLAG South/Central RI is one of two local chapters of PFLAG national, a non-profit group founded 35 years ago by a mother determined to show the world that it should accept and support her gay son. Now, both PFLAG South/Central RI and PFLAG Providence strive to provide education, support, and equality for gays and their families through working with parents, schools, and the community.

Starting this week, both PFLAG South/Central and YPI will get the word out and accomplish their missions more readily, thanks to a generous grant from The Rhode Island Foundation Equity Action and assistance from Advertising Ventures, Direct Marketing, and Embolden Design. Beginning Monday, January 7 and continuing through the end of February, YPI and PFLAG will run a “Be Visible Now” public service campaign with messages appearing on 30 Rhode Island Public Transit Authority (RIPTA) busses running throughout the state. The ads feature a child or young adult alongside a checklist of life goals and dreams. The accompanying tag line reads “Life is hard enough. Being gay shouldn’t be.”

The ads invite onlookers to visit www.bevisiblenow.com, a landing page that will introduce YPI and PFLAG services and direct LGBTQQ youth and their families to both organizations’ recently launched websites. Based on information gleaned from community meetings hosted by YPI last year, the public information campaign is desperately needed. Henry, a 20 year old who asked that his last name not be used, pointed out that although some information about being gay is available in schools and libraries, “you have to ask for it, or people ask you why you took that brochure. If it's on the bus, out in the open like that, you can just look and take the information …without having to answer lots of questions you're not ready to deal with."

Arthi Sundaresh, YPI’s Youth Advocate, points out that “now, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and questioning people can ride a RIPTA bus or see one go by and realize that they do not have to be invisible; they can see themselves reflected in a major public campaign and find support or solidarity if they want it.” Ann Bonetti, who, along with her husband Ed and friend Karen Izzo founded PFLAG South/Central, agrees: “My own son dealt with realizing his sexual orientation without any visible support. When he told us he was gay, our family felt alone, as if we were the only ones. It’s so vital that people understand that gays and their families are everywhere. You are not alone. This joint effort with YPI and PFLAG will hopefully let everyone know that.”

To learn more about Rhode Island’s YPI and PFLAG chapters, visit www.youthprideri.org and www.pflagscri.org or www.pflagprovidence.org.

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Nov. 16th: Come Out & Celebrate with Youth Pride, Inc.!
Date of Release: October 2, 2007

Feeling like you need something to celebrate? Youth Pride, Inc. will hold its annual" Come Out & Celebrate!" event on Friday, November 16th, from 6-10pm, at the Crowne Plaza in Warwick! This fabulous annual event will feature food, friends, a silent auction, awards, dancing, and-- best of all-- an opportunity to show Rhode Island's LGBTQQ youth that they are appreciated, supported, and affirmed by theircommunity. This event is really fun-- last year about 325 people came out andcelebrated with us!

Tickets are $30 each (a **very** small number will be available at the door for $40 each, so please purchase yours now) and can be ordered by check sent to the address below, or via MasterCard or Visa by calling us (noon to 8pm Monday, Wednesday, Thursday or Friday; noon to 6pm on Tuesday).

Please note that we also need people to sponsor youth and donate silent auction items. If you can help, we will be very appreciative.

Youth Pride, Inc. is Rhode Island's only statewide nonprofit organization dedicated to meeting the social, emotional, and educational needs of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and questioning youth. YPI offers a Drop-In Center at 171 Chestnut Street in Providence, and at St. Paul's Church in Newport. For more information, please call (401) 421-5626, or visit us online: http://www.youthprideri.org/.

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