(Graphic courtesy of OYES)
ORLANDO | After going virtual last year, the City of Orlando and Zebra Coalition return to in-person events for its seventh annual Orlando Youth Empowerment Summit Nov. 6.
The event, which first took place in 2014, is designed to empower LGBTQ youth and educate allies and the Central Florida community in understanding, supporting and accepting members of the LGBTQ community.
“The purpose of the summit is to provide educational and entertainment opportunities for LGBTQ youth,” says Heather Wilkie, Zebra Coalition’s executive director. “We have some fantastic workshops, not just for the youth but also for parents as well.”
The summit will feature two workshops for parents to take, one focusing on the health and wellness of LGBTQ youth and the other will focus on school resources.
Workshops for the youth will include topics such as LGBTQ activism 101 and how to be an ally. For those unable to attend the summit, each workshop will have a virtual option available with youth able to log into Zoom and watch online.
“This is one of the only summits in Central Florida that only focuses on LGBTQ issues, so we try to bring workshops that are relevant to the population that they may not otherwise have access to that information,” Wilkie says.
The summit will also be focusing on intersectionality spotlighting youth of color and leaders of color with a heavy focus on Orlando’s transgender and nonbinary community.
“We also have organizations that will be attending and tabling with their resources including the LGBT+ Center Orlando, Bros in Convo and QLatinx,” Wilkie says.
The event will feature live entertainment, a DJ and special guests in attendance including Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer, District 4 City Commissioner Patty Sheehan, state Rep. Anna V. Eskamani and Equality Florida’s Brandon Wolf, the event’s keynote speaker.
Having local leaders in attendance sends an important message to the LGBTQ youth of Central Florida, states Wilkie.
“I think it’s very unique to Central Florida that the City of Orlando is behind a summit like this,” she says. “We very much appreciate it and it sends a very strong message to our kids that they are supported by their local government.”
The 2021 Orlando Youth Empowerment Summit takes place at the UCF Downtown Campus at the West Wing of the Dr. Phillips Academic Commons Nov. 6. The event is free and open for everyone. For more information about the Orlando Youth Empowerment Summit and to register to attend, visit ORLYES.org.
Additional reporting by Jeremy Williams.
