Apply for the 2021 National TRUTH (Trans Youth) Council

Submit your application here by January 14, 2021, at 11:59 pm.

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?

All council members are eligible for an educational award each quarter of $300 totaling to $1000 a year.

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:

  1. Build community with other trans and nonbinary young people nationwide, through team projects and virtual gatherings;
  2. Learn in-depth skills and knowledge about the power of media in organizing and practice using trainings to expand capacity;
  3. 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 13-18 to apply for open council positions. We priortize applications from parts of our community who are historically unrepresented, including but not limited to: Black people, Indigenous people, non-Black people of color, trans women, non-binary fem people, high school students, system-impacted youth, 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 and two-year commitment. The program requires members to have capacity for 5-8 hours per month to attend council calls and to take part in team campaigns and projects. The council is convened on a
monthly basis during “All Council” virtual calls that will be used for team updates and media training. 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. We ask our members to be available for 6 day long virtual gatherings throughout the year.

We think of our youth 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 virtual 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 leadership page 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].

Application link here.

Yozantli Lagunas Guerrero
Trans Youth Justice Organizer, TRUTH Program