1 00:00:11,800 --> 00:00:14,960 Speaker 1: Good morning, peepson. Welcome to WIKA app Daily with Meet 2 00:00:15,000 --> 00:00:19,919 Speaker 1: your Girl Danielle Moody. Prerecording from the Long Island Bunker. Folks, 3 00:00:20,480 --> 00:00:26,520 Speaker 1: I'm really excited to bring you a little interview that 4 00:00:26,560 --> 00:00:29,200 Speaker 1: I did, and I say little because it was roughly 5 00:00:29,320 --> 00:00:34,879 Speaker 1: ten minutes um that I did with a young queer 6 00:00:35,479 --> 00:00:41,400 Speaker 1: person who is part of the It Gets Better campaign's 7 00:00:41,479 --> 00:00:48,080 Speaker 1: youth summit that happened earlier in November. And you know, 8 00:00:48,240 --> 00:00:53,600 Speaker 1: for far too long, we have conversations right that are 9 00:00:54,800 --> 00:00:59,520 Speaker 1: talking about LGBTQ youth as opposed to actually speaking too 10 00:00:59,800 --> 00:01:04,479 Speaker 1: LBTQ youth. They have been used as political footballs. They 11 00:01:04,480 --> 00:01:10,199 Speaker 1: have been used for target practice by the far right. 12 00:01:10,280 --> 00:01:12,000 Speaker 1: And I don't even want to call them the far right, 13 00:01:12,040 --> 00:01:15,360 Speaker 1: it's just Republicans, right, Like, if you are at this 14 00:01:15,560 --> 00:01:18,759 Speaker 1: day and age, if you're still wearing the label proudly 15 00:01:18,800 --> 00:01:22,960 Speaker 1: a Republican, then you are a homophobe, a transphobe, a racist, 16 00:01:23,000 --> 00:01:26,360 Speaker 1: a misogynist, because that's what the Republican Party stands for. 17 00:01:27,000 --> 00:01:30,080 Speaker 1: When we look around the nation right now, at the 18 00:01:31,000 --> 00:01:36,959 Speaker 1: I mean, folks, the swath of anti LGBTQ legislation, all 19 00:01:37,000 --> 00:01:41,640 Speaker 1: of which in very big ways are directed at LGBTQ 20 00:01:41,880 --> 00:01:45,200 Speaker 1: youth or their families. You look at the legislation that 21 00:01:45,280 --> 00:01:48,240 Speaker 1: was rolled out in Texas, which was an anti transpiece 22 00:01:48,240 --> 00:01:51,960 Speaker 1: of legislation that was going to criminalize right parents for 23 00:01:52,240 --> 00:01:58,600 Speaker 1: providing life affirming healthcare for their children. You look at 24 00:01:58,640 --> 00:02:01,160 Speaker 1: the policies that are rolled out in Florida and the 25 00:02:01,200 --> 00:02:04,560 Speaker 1: way that Lauren Bobert said that they should be nationalized 26 00:02:04,600 --> 00:02:06,840 Speaker 1: so that we can go back to an error where 27 00:02:06,840 --> 00:02:09,639 Speaker 1: we can't even utter the word gay, that we can't 28 00:02:09,680 --> 00:02:14,560 Speaker 1: even say LGBTQ. There were horrific stories of teachers needing 29 00:02:14,600 --> 00:02:18,600 Speaker 1: to take down They're safe space stickers in their classrooms 30 00:02:18,639 --> 00:02:22,120 Speaker 1: that were rainbows that identify them as a safe haven 31 00:02:22,480 --> 00:02:25,919 Speaker 1: four young people inside of that school, right, And we've 32 00:02:25,919 --> 00:02:30,760 Speaker 1: seen those removed. So, you know, I think that it 33 00:02:30,919 --> 00:02:35,800 Speaker 1: is really important for us to be in conversation with 34 00:02:36,080 --> 00:02:40,520 Speaker 1: youth about how they are being affected by what is 35 00:02:40,560 --> 00:02:44,840 Speaker 1: happening to them. So in a series of interviews that 36 00:02:44,960 --> 00:02:49,480 Speaker 1: I will do over the course of this week, I 37 00:02:49,520 --> 00:02:54,679 Speaker 1: will chat with two young people, one who is seventeen 38 00:02:54,760 --> 00:02:58,760 Speaker 1: years old who is coming up next, Riss Robinson, who 39 00:02:58,840 --> 00:03:04,639 Speaker 1: is a senior in high school at and living in Alabama, 40 00:03:04,720 --> 00:03:07,840 Speaker 1: and then another interview that I will have later in 41 00:03:07,880 --> 00:03:12,600 Speaker 1: the week with a fifteen year old non binary artist 42 00:03:13,120 --> 00:03:17,040 Speaker 1: and then the leader, the education coordinator for the It 43 00:03:17,080 --> 00:03:22,320 Speaker 1: Gets Better project to talk about why it Gets Better 44 00:03:22,720 --> 00:03:27,280 Speaker 1: and our and other organizations directed at youth are so 45 00:03:27,360 --> 00:03:31,679 Speaker 1: critical at this moment and this time, and I got 46 00:03:31,680 --> 00:03:35,760 Speaker 1: to tell you, you know, for those folks who don't 47 00:03:35,960 --> 00:03:41,000 Speaker 1: know my own personal coming out story, I came out 48 00:03:41,040 --> 00:03:46,680 Speaker 1: when initially when I was twelve, to my sister, and 49 00:03:47,240 --> 00:03:50,120 Speaker 1: I remember we were on a family vacation and we 50 00:03:50,120 --> 00:03:53,600 Speaker 1: were sitting on the rooftop of the hotel that we 51 00:03:53,600 --> 00:03:58,000 Speaker 1: were staying at, and I had been trying to work 52 00:03:58,080 --> 00:04:01,040 Speaker 1: up the courage to tell my sister at this time 53 00:04:01,120 --> 00:04:05,880 Speaker 1: that I thought that I was bisexual. And my sister, 54 00:04:06,320 --> 00:04:09,600 Speaker 1: for folks who don't know, is five years older than me. 55 00:04:10,440 --> 00:04:14,920 Speaker 1: So if I'm twelve, right, she's roughly seventeen eighteen, you know, 56 00:04:14,960 --> 00:04:18,640 Speaker 1: getting ready to turn eighteen years old. And thankfully, the 57 00:04:18,680 --> 00:04:21,960 Speaker 1: first person that I ever told, my sister, met my 58 00:04:22,279 --> 00:04:28,120 Speaker 1: fear and anxiety with nothing but love and compassion. I 59 00:04:28,200 --> 00:04:30,359 Speaker 1: remember coming out to her and I had tears in 60 00:04:30,440 --> 00:04:32,960 Speaker 1: my eyes and I said, I think that I'm bisexual. 61 00:04:33,040 --> 00:04:36,160 Speaker 1: I know definitely that I like girls, but I think 62 00:04:36,200 --> 00:04:39,360 Speaker 1: I also still like boys. And my sister looked at 63 00:04:39,360 --> 00:04:41,680 Speaker 1: me and she said, I have no idea why you're crying. 64 00:04:41,760 --> 00:04:45,160 Speaker 1: Half of my friends are by, and we had a 65 00:04:45,160 --> 00:04:52,039 Speaker 1: good laugh about that. That initial reaction to my truth 66 00:04:52,760 --> 00:04:58,359 Speaker 1: right would be the foundation for how over the course 67 00:04:58,480 --> 00:05:01,760 Speaker 1: of the next several years it wouldn't be for another 68 00:05:01,880 --> 00:05:04,120 Speaker 1: nine years that I would come out to my parents, 69 00:05:05,400 --> 00:05:09,040 Speaker 1: and this time say you know that I am a lesbian. 70 00:05:09,800 --> 00:05:12,880 Speaker 1: I would come out to friends, you know, new friends 71 00:05:12,880 --> 00:05:15,920 Speaker 1: and old friends, you know, in between that twelve year 72 00:05:16,160 --> 00:05:20,359 Speaker 1: old me and then you know, young adult me that 73 00:05:20,400 --> 00:05:26,040 Speaker 1: would finally come out to my parents. And you know, 74 00:05:26,240 --> 00:05:29,200 Speaker 1: even when I came out to my parents, who were 75 00:05:30,040 --> 00:05:35,360 Speaker 1: so beside themselves, and the only reason why they were 76 00:05:35,400 --> 00:05:38,640 Speaker 1: beside themselves was because of the world that we live in, 77 00:05:39,279 --> 00:05:41,719 Speaker 1: not because they didn't love me, not because I came 78 00:05:41,760 --> 00:05:44,960 Speaker 1: from a religious family that was going to throw me 79 00:05:45,000 --> 00:05:47,760 Speaker 1: out of the house or you know, throw the Bible 80 00:05:47,839 --> 00:05:50,919 Speaker 1: at me or any of those things, but because my mother, 81 00:05:51,800 --> 00:05:53,719 Speaker 1: and I've written about this and spoken about it so 82 00:05:53,760 --> 00:05:57,760 Speaker 1: many times, said you're already a woman, and you're already black. 83 00:05:57,880 --> 00:06:02,240 Speaker 1: What else do you want against you? Right? And you know, 84 00:06:02,480 --> 00:06:08,039 Speaker 1: in hindsight and even just you know, days later, I 85 00:06:08,200 --> 00:06:11,599 Speaker 1: recognize that my parents' reactions were ones that were coming 86 00:06:11,680 --> 00:06:17,159 Speaker 1: from fear. They just didn't want their daughter to experience 87 00:06:17,279 --> 00:06:23,920 Speaker 1: any more pain, any more sadness, loneliness, grief, depression because 88 00:06:24,240 --> 00:06:29,240 Speaker 1: of wanting to live an authentic and true life and 89 00:06:29,400 --> 00:06:32,320 Speaker 1: knowing that at that time this is society that we 90 00:06:32,320 --> 00:06:37,159 Speaker 1: were living in was not welcoming at all. So part 91 00:06:37,200 --> 00:06:42,160 Speaker 1: of me, as now a queer adult, when speaking with 92 00:06:42,200 --> 00:06:45,719 Speaker 1: these young people, part of me is just so in 93 00:06:45,839 --> 00:06:50,400 Speaker 1: awe of them, so in awe of their courage, their authenticity, 94 00:06:50,440 --> 00:06:55,560 Speaker 1: because again, you know, I wasn't out and queer in 95 00:06:55,839 --> 00:06:59,039 Speaker 1: elementary school or in high school. I think the average 96 00:06:59,080 --> 00:07:02,520 Speaker 1: age now young people coming out is around twelve and 97 00:07:02,640 --> 00:07:09,640 Speaker 1: thirteen years old. And I think about the uniformity, right, 98 00:07:09,880 --> 00:07:14,400 Speaker 1: just the assimilation that is expected of young people just 99 00:07:14,520 --> 00:07:17,680 Speaker 1: to fit in, and all the ways that we shrink 100 00:07:17,720 --> 00:07:21,400 Speaker 1: ourselves in order to fit into other people's ideas of 101 00:07:21,480 --> 00:07:24,320 Speaker 1: who we should be. So the fact that you can 102 00:07:24,360 --> 00:07:28,760 Speaker 1: be so young and so clear about who you are 103 00:07:28,960 --> 00:07:31,679 Speaker 1: and about how you want to show up in the world, 104 00:07:31,920 --> 00:07:35,200 Speaker 1: I think is so critical for us to understand that 105 00:07:35,320 --> 00:07:38,560 Speaker 1: when we listen to these politicians that are supposed to 106 00:07:38,600 --> 00:07:42,640 Speaker 1: be the adults in the room, that are telling young 107 00:07:42,760 --> 00:07:46,600 Speaker 1: people that are very clear about who they are, how 108 00:07:46,640 --> 00:07:50,360 Speaker 1: they want to identify what is inside of their heart, 109 00:07:50,680 --> 00:07:54,880 Speaker 1: and expressing to them that all they're looking for is 110 00:07:54,960 --> 00:07:58,080 Speaker 1: dignity and respect. All they're looking for is to be 111 00:07:58,120 --> 00:08:02,360 Speaker 1: able to live their lives openly and proudly without obstacle 112 00:08:02,880 --> 00:08:07,920 Speaker 1: or oppression. And how dare someone tell you that you 113 00:08:08,000 --> 00:08:10,720 Speaker 1: don't deserve that dignity or respect, that I'm not going 114 00:08:10,760 --> 00:08:13,360 Speaker 1: to respect your pronouns, that I'm not going to respect 115 00:08:13,680 --> 00:08:18,600 Speaker 1: your sexual orientation, right, Like, think about how fucking crazy 116 00:08:18,680 --> 00:08:24,800 Speaker 1: it is when these idiot politicians and you know, Republican 117 00:08:24,960 --> 00:08:29,080 Speaker 1: leaders come out and say and make jokes about pronouns 118 00:08:29,080 --> 00:08:32,319 Speaker 1: and make jokes about who people are and how they 119 00:08:32,360 --> 00:08:35,840 Speaker 1: show up. Who the fuck are you that gets to 120 00:08:35,960 --> 00:08:39,360 Speaker 1: decide how other people should be able to exist. If 121 00:08:39,400 --> 00:08:42,760 Speaker 1: you can be free to be a fucking bigot, right, 122 00:08:43,040 --> 00:08:45,520 Speaker 1: then other people should be free to live inside of 123 00:08:45,520 --> 00:08:49,720 Speaker 1: their own fucking skins. Right. So I say that to 124 00:08:49,800 --> 00:08:55,400 Speaker 1: say that it was really enjoyable speaking with these young people, 125 00:08:56,000 --> 00:09:00,280 Speaker 1: hearing their perspectives and understanding that I've spent and debticated 126 00:09:00,360 --> 00:09:03,440 Speaker 1: a large part of my career to fighting for justice 127 00:09:03,480 --> 00:09:09,760 Speaker 1: and equity for all people, but particularly BIPOP people, particularly black, 128 00:09:09,800 --> 00:09:14,559 Speaker 1: Indigenous people of color LGBTQ people, people who live at 129 00:09:14,559 --> 00:09:19,280 Speaker 1: the intersection of multiple identities. And to know that they 130 00:09:19,320 --> 00:09:25,080 Speaker 1: are still fighting, but fighting with a strength in their back, 131 00:09:26,200 --> 00:09:29,880 Speaker 1: with their heads held high, knowing definitively who they are 132 00:09:31,640 --> 00:09:35,080 Speaker 1: makes me so proud, makes me so proud, and makes 133 00:09:35,080 --> 00:09:36,920 Speaker 1: me feel like the work that I've done in my 134 00:09:37,040 --> 00:09:40,480 Speaker 1: life hasn't been in vain. So I really hope that 135 00:09:40,559 --> 00:09:44,720 Speaker 1: you all listen to these interviews and the conversations that 136 00:09:44,760 --> 00:09:49,400 Speaker 1: I've had, take these young people seriously and understand that 137 00:09:49,559 --> 00:09:52,240 Speaker 1: while they may be young, they know a lot more 138 00:09:52,280 --> 00:09:55,400 Speaker 1: than we give them credit for. So this is my 139 00:09:55,559 --> 00:10:01,040 Speaker 1: first interview with Riis Robinson, who attended It Gets Better 140 00:10:01,440 --> 00:10:09,280 Speaker 1: Youth Summit earlier this month. Folks, I'm really excited to 141 00:10:09,840 --> 00:10:13,720 Speaker 1: introduce you to a few young people that I have 142 00:10:14,040 --> 00:10:18,640 Speaker 1: the opportunity to speak with on woke f First up 143 00:10:19,880 --> 00:10:24,240 Speaker 1: is Aris Robinson, who is a black, non binary and 144 00:10:24,440 --> 00:10:29,080 Speaker 1: queer activists. Their biggest passion is dedicating their life and 145 00:10:29,120 --> 00:10:34,280 Speaker 1: fighting for liberation and accessibility in all areas. This led 146 00:10:34,320 --> 00:10:37,120 Speaker 1: them to be the president of their high school Gender 147 00:10:37,160 --> 00:10:40,440 Speaker 1: Sexuality Alliance and the group of young people that I'm 148 00:10:40,480 --> 00:10:43,600 Speaker 1: going to be speaking to all participated in the youth 149 00:10:43,679 --> 00:10:46,960 Speaker 1: summit for the It Gets Better Project. Aris, thank you 150 00:10:47,040 --> 00:10:50,719 Speaker 1: so much for making the time to join woke F 151 00:10:50,880 --> 00:10:53,480 Speaker 1: So first I just want to ask you, what was 152 00:10:53,800 --> 00:10:58,080 Speaker 1: your experience at the summit, Like, how was that? I 153 00:10:58,160 --> 00:11:00,640 Speaker 1: had an amazing experience at the sum It was my 154 00:11:00,720 --> 00:11:04,360 Speaker 1: first time in Los Angeles and I'm from the deep 155 00:11:04,400 --> 00:11:08,240 Speaker 1: South Migomery, Alabama, so going to the West Coast was 156 00:11:08,320 --> 00:11:12,000 Speaker 1: something totally new for me and a really exciting experience. 157 00:11:12,000 --> 00:11:14,760 Speaker 1: I got to meet so many people, especially the whole 158 00:11:14,800 --> 00:11:18,080 Speaker 1: It's Better team. They were so nice and affirming and 159 00:11:18,280 --> 00:11:20,480 Speaker 1: they made me feel welcome and any like room I 160 00:11:20,600 --> 00:11:24,959 Speaker 1: was in m I. It was very the whole space 161 00:11:25,080 --> 00:11:28,040 Speaker 1: was very sensory friendly, and as a neurodivergent person, that 162 00:11:28,160 --> 00:11:30,600 Speaker 1: made me feel even more welcome that I could um 163 00:11:30,679 --> 00:11:35,640 Speaker 1: like fidget and um color and not have to have 164 00:11:35,800 --> 00:11:41,120 Speaker 1: like my have to have my full attention on one thing, 165 00:11:41,160 --> 00:11:44,880 Speaker 1: but I could like relax and be my full self 166 00:11:44,920 --> 00:11:48,520 Speaker 1: in the space. I got to do my very first 167 00:11:48,640 --> 00:11:51,040 Speaker 1: in person interview and a photo shoot, and I got 168 00:11:51,040 --> 00:11:53,400 Speaker 1: to meet all of the other youth voices and they 169 00:11:53,400 --> 00:11:56,959 Speaker 1: were really I loved my new friends and they're really 170 00:11:57,000 --> 00:12:01,480 Speaker 1: great people to work with. A main saying, so tell 171 00:12:01,520 --> 00:12:05,360 Speaker 1: me what what are some of the things that you 172 00:12:05,920 --> 00:12:09,440 Speaker 1: discussed that you all were discussing at the youth Summit 173 00:12:09,880 --> 00:12:13,280 Speaker 1: and what was it like to be for the first 174 00:12:13,320 --> 00:12:19,240 Speaker 1: time I'm assuming surrounded by like minded young people who 175 00:12:19,280 --> 00:12:23,680 Speaker 1: were identify as queer or as allies. One of the 176 00:12:23,840 --> 00:12:25,840 Speaker 1: one of my favorite topics that we talked about was 177 00:12:25,920 --> 00:12:28,880 Speaker 1: queer Sex Said. It Says Better has a new Queer 178 00:12:28,880 --> 00:12:31,160 Speaker 1: Sex Said series and we got to watch it together 179 00:12:31,200 --> 00:12:34,960 Speaker 1: as a group and make this toolbox of different terms 180 00:12:35,000 --> 00:12:38,080 Speaker 1: and different things that industry could improve on. And I 181 00:12:38,200 --> 00:12:41,760 Speaker 1: really love being a part of that conversation because reproductive 182 00:12:41,760 --> 00:12:45,000 Speaker 1: justice is one of my biggest passions to activate for 183 00:12:45,320 --> 00:12:49,040 Speaker 1: advocate for. So being able to get my input on 184 00:12:49,160 --> 00:12:53,040 Speaker 1: consent and contraceptives and hearing other people's perspectives, especially from 185 00:12:53,160 --> 00:12:57,160 Speaker 1: different size of the world and like different opinions, it 186 00:12:57,240 --> 00:13:00,360 Speaker 1: really kind of opened my eyes to different perspect is 187 00:13:00,400 --> 00:13:03,000 Speaker 1: and being able to all come together and make this 188 00:13:03,080 --> 00:13:06,960 Speaker 1: one big toolbox that somebody could be used, may or 189 00:13:07,000 --> 00:13:09,760 Speaker 1: may not. But it was really exciting to be surrounded 190 00:13:09,800 --> 00:13:11,679 Speaker 1: by all these different people and talk about something that 191 00:13:11,720 --> 00:13:16,080 Speaker 1: I really like talking about. What do you think that 192 00:13:17,000 --> 00:13:21,880 Speaker 1: older people get wrong when they think about queer youth 193 00:13:22,000 --> 00:13:25,679 Speaker 1: and they're talking about queer youth. I think that in 194 00:13:25,720 --> 00:13:30,040 Speaker 1: a lot of ways, young queer people are being used 195 00:13:30,080 --> 00:13:32,720 Speaker 1: as the term that we use as a political football, 196 00:13:33,800 --> 00:13:36,520 Speaker 1: not being seen as real people, and just being seen 197 00:13:36,559 --> 00:13:41,080 Speaker 1: as statistics. So what do you think that older people 198 00:13:41,080 --> 00:13:46,360 Speaker 1: are getting wrong? I think older people, especially people who 199 00:13:46,400 --> 00:13:50,200 Speaker 1: are not in the not working constantly with lgbtqs, I 200 00:13:50,200 --> 00:13:52,360 Speaker 1: think they could humanize us a little bit. I think 201 00:13:52,360 --> 00:13:55,120 Speaker 1: they just kind of think we're just there and then 202 00:13:55,160 --> 00:13:58,679 Speaker 1: we see then we see us in articles about advocacy. 203 00:13:58,679 --> 00:14:01,840 Speaker 1: They don't see us as human they just see it's like, oh, 204 00:14:01,880 --> 00:14:05,000 Speaker 1: they're they're mad about this, they're mad about that, they're 205 00:14:05,040 --> 00:14:08,800 Speaker 1: mad about this, and said, but we're actually students, we 206 00:14:08,960 --> 00:14:12,960 Speaker 1: are athletes, we're friends, we're peers, and we're so much 207 00:14:13,040 --> 00:14:16,000 Speaker 1: more than just an activist. And I think when you 208 00:14:16,040 --> 00:14:19,920 Speaker 1: think when you think about Elsbe's youth as more than 209 00:14:20,160 --> 00:14:25,880 Speaker 1: a political pond, then I think, um, older, older adults 210 00:14:25,920 --> 00:14:29,480 Speaker 1: would realize that they have we have needs just like 211 00:14:29,520 --> 00:14:32,600 Speaker 1: everyone else, and we're not trying to be mad at 212 00:14:32,680 --> 00:14:36,000 Speaker 1: every little issue. It's just this world is not made 213 00:14:36,040 --> 00:14:39,600 Speaker 1: for us. And I think that once they realize, hey, 214 00:14:39,640 --> 00:14:43,440 Speaker 1: these people are struggling, then I think we can probably 215 00:14:43,480 --> 00:14:45,560 Speaker 1: move forward in some of the issues that we're still 216 00:14:45,560 --> 00:14:50,520 Speaker 1: fighting today. You know, you mentioned that you are live 217 00:14:50,600 --> 00:14:54,760 Speaker 1: in the Deep South. You are living in Alabama, and 218 00:14:55,720 --> 00:14:59,560 Speaker 1: oftentimes when we when we talk about the South, we 219 00:14:59,640 --> 00:15:04,320 Speaker 1: kind of blanket it with one image, one idea of 220 00:15:04,360 --> 00:15:08,280 Speaker 1: what is going on there, and so tell us a 221 00:15:08,280 --> 00:15:13,160 Speaker 1: bit about what it's like to be young, black and 222 00:15:13,400 --> 00:15:20,200 Speaker 1: queer in Alabama. Being in Alabama was not my choice. 223 00:15:20,320 --> 00:15:24,120 Speaker 1: I moved here. Um, I think seven years ago. M 224 00:15:24,560 --> 00:15:27,040 Speaker 1: I came into fifth I came here in fifth grade, 225 00:15:27,040 --> 00:15:29,560 Speaker 1: and now I'm in twelfth, twelfth grade. And I think 226 00:15:30,720 --> 00:15:34,760 Speaker 1: I've I'm more used, I'm more used to I'm more 227 00:15:34,840 --> 00:15:38,200 Speaker 1: a city person. Sorry, I'm a city person. So being 228 00:15:38,320 --> 00:15:43,400 Speaker 1: in such a slower lifestyle isn't isn't my personal thing. 229 00:15:44,120 --> 00:15:48,120 Speaker 1: I think that I'm not constantly getting harassed for my 230 00:15:48,600 --> 00:15:50,680 Speaker 1: race or my sexuality. I think that's one of the 231 00:15:50,720 --> 00:15:53,920 Speaker 1: bigger misconceptions that um, there are just people like shouting 232 00:15:53,920 --> 00:15:58,720 Speaker 1: at me or this insulting me wherever I go, and 233 00:15:58,760 --> 00:16:03,040 Speaker 1: that's not the truth. I've found such a beautiful queer 234 00:16:03,040 --> 00:16:07,360 Speaker 1: community here in Alabama, whether it be my school GSA 235 00:16:07,600 --> 00:16:10,320 Speaker 1: that I personally run and I make a space for 236 00:16:10,360 --> 00:16:12,560 Speaker 1: the queer youth to feel safe, or it be up 237 00:16:12,600 --> 00:16:15,520 Speaker 1: in Birmingham with the Magic City Acceptance Center that I 238 00:16:15,640 --> 00:16:18,080 Speaker 1: go to at least a couple a couple of days 239 00:16:18,080 --> 00:16:21,240 Speaker 1: a month to spend time with other queer youths. So 240 00:16:21,280 --> 00:16:24,600 Speaker 1: I think that another miscresception is that we don't have 241 00:16:24,640 --> 00:16:27,320 Speaker 1: these spaces, and I think it's important to know that 242 00:16:27,360 --> 00:16:30,960 Speaker 1: we do, and that for other queer people in Alabama 243 00:16:31,040 --> 00:16:33,920 Speaker 1: to know that these spaces exist so they can reach 244 00:16:33,960 --> 00:16:38,000 Speaker 1: out and try to get some help and find these 245 00:16:38,040 --> 00:16:42,160 Speaker 1: spaces that I have that also they can use. What 246 00:16:42,320 --> 00:16:47,720 Speaker 1: advice do you have or for other young people who 247 00:16:47,840 --> 00:16:53,000 Speaker 1: live in red states or who have not sought out 248 00:16:53,160 --> 00:16:57,520 Speaker 1: different centers or places that they can go to find 249 00:16:58,600 --> 00:17:02,040 Speaker 1: safe haven to find in community, what advice do you 250 00:17:02,080 --> 00:17:06,520 Speaker 1: have for them? I think my biggest advice would be 251 00:17:06,560 --> 00:17:09,879 Speaker 1: to reach out to online resources if that's available to 252 00:17:09,920 --> 00:17:13,440 Speaker 1: them I think most people try to find in person spaces, 253 00:17:13,480 --> 00:17:17,639 Speaker 1: but there are a lot of chat chat spaces, phone lines, 254 00:17:18,160 --> 00:17:23,680 Speaker 1: zoom communities that they all get together monthly weekly that 255 00:17:23,920 --> 00:17:25,840 Speaker 1: they can reach out to and have some some sort 256 00:17:25,880 --> 00:17:28,720 Speaker 1: of community, whether it be even though it's not in person, 257 00:17:28,800 --> 00:17:32,479 Speaker 1: it's still there for them. And I've found my um 258 00:17:33,280 --> 00:17:37,960 Speaker 1: Christian queer youth community online and it's it's queer and 259 00:17:38,280 --> 00:17:41,119 Speaker 1: there's all these different perspectives and they support me. And 260 00:17:41,160 --> 00:17:43,440 Speaker 1: even though it's not a place where I can go 261 00:17:43,520 --> 00:17:45,480 Speaker 1: in and sit down, it's still a place where I 262 00:17:45,520 --> 00:17:49,680 Speaker 1: feel accepted. And I think other queer youth can go 263 00:17:49,720 --> 00:17:53,240 Speaker 1: online and try to like research and find these spaces 264 00:17:53,800 --> 00:18:00,560 Speaker 1: to like to participate in. And one of the things 265 00:18:00,600 --> 00:18:02,760 Speaker 1: that I was reading in your bio and you just 266 00:18:02,840 --> 00:18:07,639 Speaker 1: mentioned is that you are you do do Christian advocacy 267 00:18:08,240 --> 00:18:13,000 Speaker 1: as a queer person. Can you also explain that and 268 00:18:13,080 --> 00:18:16,080 Speaker 1: talk about the work that you do in this space, 269 00:18:16,320 --> 00:18:19,040 Speaker 1: in the religious space as well as in the queer space, 270 00:18:19,040 --> 00:18:22,200 Speaker 1: and how they intersect. I think a lot of people 271 00:18:22,960 --> 00:18:26,800 Speaker 1: try to separate queerness and Christianity or any type of 272 00:18:26,920 --> 00:18:30,800 Speaker 1: Abrahamic religion when it comes to all the BTQ people, 273 00:18:31,240 --> 00:18:35,600 Speaker 1: but I think that people kind of group it into evangelism, 274 00:18:35,960 --> 00:18:41,920 Speaker 1: and that's not that's not the whole of Christianity. I 275 00:18:41,960 --> 00:18:44,879 Speaker 1: personally believe in like a liberation theology where we can 276 00:18:45,040 --> 00:18:49,520 Speaker 1: where I connect stories from the Bible and kind of 277 00:18:49,680 --> 00:18:53,600 Speaker 1: interpret it as a social justice story. And I think 278 00:18:53,760 --> 00:18:56,480 Speaker 1: that's one of the things that's helped me to see 279 00:18:56,560 --> 00:18:59,200 Speaker 1: Christianity in a better life when in a time where 280 00:18:59,440 --> 00:19:01,920 Speaker 1: Christianity wasn't my favorite thing in the world and people 281 00:19:01,960 --> 00:19:03,679 Speaker 1: were telling me, oh, this is a thing, Oh you 282 00:19:03,720 --> 00:19:05,760 Speaker 1: can't do this, you can't do that. And I feel 283 00:19:05,760 --> 00:19:09,040 Speaker 1: like having my own relationship with a higher like a 284 00:19:09,119 --> 00:19:12,080 Speaker 1: higher power as one of the things that helped me personally. 285 00:19:12,160 --> 00:19:15,480 Speaker 1: And I don't think that queer people should shy away 286 00:19:15,520 --> 00:19:19,160 Speaker 1: from religion, but find out what works for them and 287 00:19:19,280 --> 00:19:22,240 Speaker 1: also know that they you don't have to believe in 288 00:19:22,480 --> 00:19:26,000 Speaker 1: what other people say. You should believe in and kind 289 00:19:26,000 --> 00:19:30,000 Speaker 1: of seek out your own truth in a way. If 290 00:19:30,040 --> 00:19:33,600 Speaker 1: you had one message to give to people to help 291 00:19:33,600 --> 00:19:38,800 Speaker 1: them better understand the state of queer youth right now, 292 00:19:38,840 --> 00:19:42,680 Speaker 1: what would it be. I think queer youth right now 293 00:19:42,720 --> 00:19:47,160 Speaker 1: are still fighting. I don't think even though even though 294 00:19:47,240 --> 00:19:50,080 Speaker 1: we do, we are humans. We are still activists and 295 00:19:51,320 --> 00:19:55,040 Speaker 1: we're both and we have feelings and we have to 296 00:19:55,160 --> 00:19:58,920 Speaker 1: advocate just to exist in a space. But we also 297 00:19:59,000 --> 00:20:01,239 Speaker 1: have to get good. You have to keep up our 298 00:20:01,280 --> 00:20:06,320 Speaker 1: grades and socialize and apply for colleges like I'm doing 299 00:20:06,400 --> 00:20:10,840 Speaker 1: right now. So I think people should know that they 300 00:20:10,880 --> 00:20:14,960 Speaker 1: should encourage us and be in solidariated with us and 301 00:20:15,280 --> 00:20:17,560 Speaker 1: check out our mental health because there are a lot 302 00:20:17,560 --> 00:20:19,400 Speaker 1: of things going on in the world right now that 303 00:20:19,640 --> 00:20:24,840 Speaker 1: are not that are horrific and traumatizing, and we need 304 00:20:24,880 --> 00:20:28,480 Speaker 1: that support system from everybody else who's insolidary and allying 305 00:20:28,520 --> 00:20:32,560 Speaker 1: with us. Ris, thank you so much for taking the 306 00:20:32,640 --> 00:20:35,480 Speaker 1: time to join Woke app. Thank you for the advocacy 307 00:20:35,560 --> 00:20:38,560 Speaker 1: that you're doing in your own life, in your school 308 00:20:38,680 --> 00:20:43,560 Speaker 1: and creating space for young queer people. I really appreciate you. 309 00:20:45,040 --> 00:20:47,760 Speaker 1: Thank you so much for having me on your podcast. 310 00:20:53,200 --> 00:20:56,359 Speaker 1: That is it for me today, dear friends on woke app. 311 00:20:56,440 --> 00:21:00,840 Speaker 1: As always, power to the people and to all of people. Power, 312 00:21:01,080 --> 00:21:03,640 Speaker 1: get woke and stay woke as fuck.