Do you want to join the team of young transgender and nonbinary organizers challenging media narratives of our people? Do you want to deepen your organizing and campaign skills, develop your leadership and put this into practice? Do you want to share your own story and support other trans youth in sharing theirs?
Apply for a paid ($100/month) trans youth council position on our TRUTH council!
The TRUTH (Trans Youth) Program is a media-based organizing and leadership development program of Genders & Sexualities Alliance Network and Transgender Law Center. TRUTH was established in 2015 and supports the National Trans Youth Council.
The National Trans Youth Council is an opportunity to:
- Build community with other trans and nonbinary young people nationwide, through team projects and in-person gatherings
- Learn in-depth skills and knowledge about the power of media in organizing and practice using trainings to expand capacity
- Craft and share your story in order to challenge common narratives about what it means to be young and trans, while supporting other trans youth sharing theirs
Our team welcomes all young, transgender and non-binary activists from ages 12-22 to apply for open council positions. We will priortize applications from communities who are historically unrepresented, including but not limited to: Black people, Indigenous people, non-Black people of color, women, non-binary fem people, high school students, formerly-incarcerated people, system-impacted people, and former foster youth. who are committed to bringing change for transgender communities across the nation!
The National Trans Youth Council is a two-year leadership development program, requiring a two-year commitment. The program requires members to have capacity for 5-8 hours per month to attend council calls and to support team campaigns and projects. The council is convened on a monthly basis during “All Council” calls that will be used for team updates and media trainings. Council members can also look forward to project-based online meetings and planning (as a team) TRUTH’s annual day of action: GSA Day 4 Gender Justice, each November.
All first-year council members are provided $100 stipends from Feb-Dec 2020.
The council requires members to attend four in-person gatherings throughout the calendar year; all costs for travel, housing and food are paid for by GSAN/TLC.
Note the dates of 2020 In-person Gatherings:
| Gathering | Attending | Dates to Hold | Location |
| Council Kickoff! | All members | March 13-15, 2020 | TBA |
| Regional Gathering(s) | Southeast members | April 24-26, 2020 | TBA |
| Midwest/Northeast members | May 22-24, 2020 | TBA | |
| West/Southwest members | June 5-7, 2020 | TBA | |
| National Gathering | All members | July 26-31, 2020 | TBA |
| Year-end Gathering | All members | September 18-20, 2020 | TBA |
Region breakdown: Western (AK, CA, CO, HI, ID, MT, NV, OR, UT, WA, WY), Southwestern (AZ, NM, OK, TX), Midwestern (IL, IN, IA, KS, MI, MN, MO, NE, ND, OH, SD, WI), Southern (AL, AR, FL, GA, KY, LA, MS, NC, SC, TN, VA, WV, Northeastern (CT, DC, DE, MA, ME, MD, NH, NJ, NY, PA, RI, VT).
We think of our council as an opportunity to grow as leaders and build our capacity to lead the movement for transgender liberation. Because this opportunity is only offered to 20 young organizers per year, we ask for your commitment in showing up as a member, both during in-person gatherings as well as the online team calls and projects.
If you would like to know more about our work with past councils, visit our website ourtranstruth.org and follow our program’s Instagram, Twitter and Facebook via @ourtranstruth!
We are excited to welcome in a new cohort of young trans and nonbinary leaders! Questions should be emailed to [email protected].
Yozantli Lagunas Guerrero
Trans Youth Justice Organizer, TRUTH Program
