PROUD Youth Program

Photographer Credit: Alex Siegel Photography

“When Pacific Pride Foundation took us Youth Leaders to WorldPride in NYC, it made me think about how each of us has a beautiful future ahead of us, no matter how different our pasts are, and also made me think of how we all sort of go through similar things, with feelings of being alone or scared. But we always have our community to know we’re not alone! This trip was the best five days of my life – I’m so thankful for PPF!”

-Tommy, 2019-20 PPF PROUD Youth Leader

“I looked for mirrors into myself wherever I went, but I couldn’t seem to find ones that wouldn’t shatter. However, one day I got lucky and went to Pacific Pride Foundation. I was encircled by people who understood my confusion, and in that community our horizons opened together. We helped build mirrors for our peers so they wouldn’t have to live without seeing another smiling face.”
-Zack, 2016-17 PPF PROUD Youth Leader

“Our leadership trip to New York City trip was amazing. Seeing a musical about an LGBTQ+ Prom that’s JUST like PPF’s PROUD Prom was powerful. Seeing a teen lesbian couple kiss onstage without it being censored was SO liberating! There really are no words to express how thankful I am for this trip and how much I recommend the PROUD Leadership Program! It changed my life.”

-Emilio, 2019-20 PPF PROUD Youth Leader

“Pacific Pride Foundation’s (90) Days of Summer program brought myself and my peers a place of safety and comfort. It’s a place to bring our questions, our lives, and our stories to the table. Every teenager deserves to have this opportunity we were given every summer… It’s a place to learn about LGBTQ+ histories. It’s a place to make LGBTQ+ history.”
-Jessie, 2016-17 PPF PROUD Youth Leader

“It was an amazing moment for us Youth Leaders to interview the Gay Liberation Front in NYC about how important and inspirational they were and are. I’d say my most favorite part about it was that people from the 1960s and teens from the 2000s were able to connect and embrace how monumental their actions were. They’ve inspired us to lead something similar in the future!”

-Emilio, 2019-20 PPF PROUD Youth Leader

“Going to The Stonewall Inn was a profound, life-changing experience. As we approached the Inn older members of the LGBTQ community decided to clear a path and help us get to the front of Stonewall. This was a really moving. You don’t usually see such a large group of people show so much generosity; These were really beautiful moments to witness so much queer solidarity.”

-Anaiya, 2019-20 PPF PROUD Youth Leader

“Through Pacific Pride Foundation, I’ve been able to create meaningful personal connections both with my fellow Youth Leaders and with youth group participants. I think it’s very important to build a strong and trusting LGBTQ+ community, especially for young people. Pacific Pride Foundation has helped kickstart a strong and trusting LGBTQ+ community for the youth in Santa Barbara County.”

-Max, 2015-16 PPF PROUD Youth Leader

2022-2023 PROUD Youth Groups

PROUD Youth Group is a drop-in group for LGBTQ+ and ally youth on the first Wednesday of every month from 4:00 – 6:00pm. This group takes place at our downtown Santa Barbara office (608 Anacapa Street, Santa Barbara, CA 93101).

We also meet on Discord on the third Wednesday of every month from 4:00 – 6:00pm. Join our Discord here!

For any questions, please email our Community Engagement Manager.

WE’RE HERE TO HELP.

Questioning your sexuality and/or gender identity? Wondering if you should “come out” or not, and how? Want to meet other LGBTQ+ youth? The PROUD Youth Program centers lesbian, gay, bisexual, queer, questioning, transgender, non-binary, gender non-conforming, pansexual, asexual, aromantic, intersex (and more!) youth ages 12 to 17/18 years – with allies always welcome (Spanish language access available).

PROUD YOUTH OF COLOR

Calling all LGBTQ+ and Ally Youth of Color! The PROUD Youth team knows it’s critical to create safe spaces for LGBTQ+ Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) in our community, and in every community!

Thanks for this space go to the initiative and vision of three PROUD Youth Leaders, who founded the need in collaboration with their PPF Mentors.

PROUD Youth of Color is a free, drop-in, and confidential group that is open to all LGBTQ+, questioning, and/or ally youth of color aged 12- 17 (18 is okay if still in high school).

North County Proud Youth Group

We are excited to announce the return of our North County PROUD Youth Group!

The first meeting will be on May 4th from 4:30 – 5:30pm, at the PPF Santa Maria Office (105 N Lincoln St, Santa Maria, CA). We are very excited to provide this space for the youth in our community. We will be providing food and drinks while we enjoy some games and activities.

If you are interested in joining this group, please send an email to our Community Outreach and Education Coordinator!

YOUTH LEADERSHIP PROGRAM

The PROUD Youth Leadership Program invites LGBTQ+ & Ally Youth to help lead Pacific Pride Foundation’s life skills-building annual PROUD Summer Program. With youth hailing from across the Central Coast, PROUD Youth Leaders apply and are chosen based on their extraordinary advocacy and care for LGBTQ+ issues. Past cohorts of PYL’s have visited Models of Pride, led sessions for the annual Youth Connect Conference for over 200 LGBTQ+ Youth, and one cohort even went to New York City to march as the first visible youth in the 2019 WorldPride Parade!

Follow our social media & sign-up for our eBulletin to receive updates on the PROUD Leadership Program.

DID YOU KNOW?

Among LGBTQ+ youth, half (51%) report being verbally harassed at school, compared to 25% among non-LGBTQ+ students.

49% of LGBTQ+ youth say they have an adult in their family to turn to for help, compared to 79% of non-LGBT youth reporting the same. –HRC’s Youth Survey Report, 2012

Nearly half of young transgender people have seriously thought about suicide, & one-quarter report having made a suicide attempt. -Grossman, A.H. & D’Augelli, A.R., (2007)

LGB youth who come from highly rejecting families are 8.4 times as likely to have attempted suicide as LGBTQ+ peers who reported no or low levels of family rejection. -Family Acceptance Project,™ (2009)