On Talk of the Bay, host Suki Wessling speaks with Stuart Rosenstein, Director of the Queer Youth Task Force of Santa Cruz County and co-chair of the 26th Annual Queer Youth Leadership Awards, along with two awards nominees, Nadine Said and Sion Erkiletian. Nadine is Mission Hill Middle School Librarian and an ally to queer youth. Sion is a member of Santa Cruz’s Queer and Trans Youth Council and has been working with the community. Also featured in the discussion is Sandy Stone, KSQD’s Chief Engineer and also a leader in the queer community.
An important message of hope from our queer leaders
In our current cultural climate, it is important to support and celebrate those who are making a positive difference for marginalized people. Listen to the podcast to learn more about how the positive focus of these awards is important now more than ever.
For more information:
- Queer Youth Leadership Awards – The mission of the Queer Youth Leadership Awards is to improve the lives of LGBTIQ youth by increasing the positive awareness of queer youth leadership, and increasing safe and welcoming environments in home, school, and community.
- Queer Youth Task Force – A vibrant community where every youth thrives in their expression of actual or perceived sexual orientation and gender identity.
- Safe Schools Project – The Safe Schools Project of Santa Cruz County (SSP) works in collaboration with local schools and local and state-wide community organizations to provide the best information and practices in regards to creating safe and inclusive schools, avoid duplication in resources and services, and utilize successful models where they may exist to support safer schools for LGBTQ+ youth and their allies.
- Trans Teen Project – The Trans Teen Project supports transgender youth through personal self-expression, social networking, and community-wide education. It is a program with the Queer Youth Task Force and a fiscal agent of the Diversity Center.
- Video: Honoring LGBTQIA+ Trailblazers 1998 QYLA Awardees
- Related podcast: KSQD Moment of Truth – Trans Visibility Marches, March 31st! Interview with Young Florida Activists
More information about our guests:
Stuart Rosenstein, in addition to Queer Youth Task Force, has also served on several boards that address the needs of the general LGBTQIA+ community including PFLAG-Santa Cruz County and the Diversity Center of Santa Cruz County. He is an alumni of UCSC, Kresge ’99, where he studied American Studies. Before moving to Santa Cruz in 1997, while living in Los Angeles, he was a board member of the Jewish Federation of Greater Los Angeles, Western Region. The homophobia he faced growing up in Texas feeds his hopes in creating a safer space for queer youth and the community at large.
Allucquére Rosanne “Sandy” Stone is an American academic theorist, media theorist, author, and performance artist.
Photos from past awards
