EDGY Program 2014 by Cameron Cline

6th Annual

November 14, 2014

Celebrating Our Progress, Empowering Our Future

Welcome

Presented By:

EDGY stands for “Embracing the Diversity of GLBTQ (Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender, Questioning) Youth and Families.” The conference is a powerful, one day event, dedicated to informing educators, social service and mental health professionals about dynamic and innovative practices proven to be most effective when working with the GLBTQ population. Past conferences have included topics such as basic gender non-conformity, “LGBT 101”, religion and working with transgender youth. The conference has consistently been referred to as a “must attend” for anyone who works with GLBTQ youth. EDGY brings to light the unique problems that GLBTQ youth face in the child welfare and probation system and how governmental agencies, social service and mental health professionals, community and family members can create a child-centric wheel of support through initiatives, education, and enlightenment.

Penny Lane Centers is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization originally founded in 1969 to serve abused teenage girls. Since that time, Penny Lane’s programs and services have expanded to serve thousands of children, youth and families annually. Our services include: Mentoring, Foster Care and Adoption, Transitional and Permanent Housing, Family Preservation, Wraparound, Residential Treatment Facilities, Therapeutic Behavioral Services and Mental Health Services. Penny Lane is proud to have received the “All Children, All Families” Seal from the Human Rights Campaign.

Dear Friends, Thank you for coming to Penny Lane’s 6th Annual EDGY conference! Your presence here demonstrates your commitment to improving lives of GLBTQ youth in our social welfare system. The past year has seen much debate around so called “gay issues.” As a result it feels in many ways that things are starting to improve for GLBTQ people of all ages. But our work is far from done. We hear of GLBTQ youth continuing to struggle with acceptance in their families and communities, battling depression, low self-esteem and some, tragically, still being bullied. To address these and many other issues we have the EDGY conference as Penny Lane does its part in continuing in the spirit of Stonewall to make life better for GLTBQ youth. The Stonewall riots were a series of spontaneous demonstrations by members of the gay community against a police raid that took place in the early morning hours of June 28, 1969, at the Stonewall Inn in the Greenwich Village neighborhood of New York City. These riots constitute the milestone beginning of the gay liberation movement and the modern fight for gay and lesbian rights in the United States. In that spirit EDGY continues to push for increased social justice and equality for LGBTQIA systems of care. This year’s EDGY workshops center around the ideals of social justice and creating a society that is based on the principles of equality and solidarity. We want to be part of a society that understands and values human rights and the dignity of every human being. Penny Lane has implemented practices and created staff positions dedicated to nurturing the GLBTQ population within our agency. We continue to share our knowledge of GLBTQ youth in placement and what our day to day experiences and research have shown us to be “best practices” for this group. As the founder of Penny Lane Centers, which coincidently also started in 1969 albeit December, I am extremely proud that our staff and our agency is in the forefront of this movement. At Penny Lane we have staff working year round on the issues of GLBTQ youth through our involvement with the RISE initiative, the planning of the EDGY conference, researching evolving practices and emerging information and working day to day with GLBTQ youth in all of our programs. Penny Lane is very dedicated to this issue and mission. I hope that you enjoy your day and that you learn a great deal. You will get a lot of information to take back to your respective agencies and work places. Thank you to Penny Lane’s EDGY task force for all the work and effort to organize the day. Thank you to all of our presenters and sponsors, past present and future, for their participation and contribution to making EDGY the amazing event it has grown to be. We are always looking to improve the EDGY conference so if you have some ideas or suggestions, please feel free to share them with any of the many Penny Lane staff members you will see throughout the day. Seeing all of you here today is very moving to me personally. You are our partners in improving those GLBTQ lives that have for so long been overlooked. Thank you for collaborating with us to strengthen our communities!

Thank You, Ivelise Markovits CEO and Founder of Penny Lane Centers

Schedule 8:00-9:00

Check-In and Breakfast

9:00-9:25

Penny Lane Intro Cameron Glasgow, EDGY Chairperson Ivelise Markovits, CEO and Founder of Penny Lane Centers Andrea Fleetham, Penny Lane Centers LGBTQ Trainer and Advocate

9:25-9:40 James Duke Mason The Next LGBT Generation 9:40-10:45

Thomas Freese, PhD Providing Effective Substance Abuse Services to LGBTQ Youth

10:45-11:00 Break 11:00-12:00

Breakout #1

Noah Kaplan & Simon Costello- LGBT TAY and The Need for Housing- REGENCY Cory Schneider- Interventions for LGBTQ Bullied Youth- CASCADE Tyler Renner- LGBTQRSTUVWXYZ: The Alphabet of Queer Terms- REDWOOD Currey Cook- Advocating for Undocumented Youth- CARIBOU

Judy Chiasson- LGBTQ Advocacy from the Ivory Tower: Affirming Policies as a Catalyst for Institutional Change- OAK Khush Cooper- We Have A Number: The Los Angeles Foster Youth Survey- WATERFALL 12:00-1:00 Lunch 1:00-1:45 Justin Utley & Wendy Montgomery Growing Up Mormon- Change From Within 1:45-2:45 Rob Woronoff MS, Nia Clark, Darryn Green, Tyler Smith The Road to Success for LGBTQ Youth in Care 2:45-3:00 Break 3:00-4:00

Breakout #2

Jennifer Bailey- Taking Sexual Fluidity Seriously-REDWOOD Dave Reynolds- Boxed In/Boxed Out: How stereotypes and Social Norms Harm Students of All Ages and Contribute to Bullying- OAK Marco Castro-Bojorquez- L@s Muchach@s Queer y La Familia- WATERFALL Jerome Rabow- Giving Up Privilege and Becoming an Allie to the GLBTQ Community- REGENCY Angela Weeks, Erica Rodriguez, MFT- Have You Heard What Theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve Said? Stories From the Field and Best Practice Solutions- CASCADE

Sarah Mountz & Wendy Ashley- Unsettling Norms: Challenging Models of LGBTQ Identity Development- CARIBOU 4:00-5:00 Dan Rothenberg & Summer Davidson Queer Time

Map

Workshops Main Room- Empire The Next LGBT Generation

James Duke Mason- Writer and LGBT Activist James Duke Mason will speak about the importance of giving LGBT youth the sense of pride and empowerment they need to become informed, proactive members of their community. He will speak about the influential role adults can play in informing and inspiring young people to feel like they matter and that they have a role to play in their community. Empowered young people have been at the forefront of the gay rights movement such as the Stonewall Riots Young people and have an important role to play, i.e. the Stonewall Riots, the HIV/AIDS epidemic of the 1980s, and the aftermath of the passage of Prop. 8 in 2008. Attendees will come to understand the important responsibility they have to empower GLBTQ youth to realize their voice matters. This next generation of GLBTQ youth will, hopefully, end prejudice and establish social political and cultural equality for all. We are the adults to give this upcoming generation the tools to accomplish that and by so doing preserve the history, heritage and sense of who we are while also advancing the movement.

Providing Effective Substance Abuse Services to LGBTQ Youth Thomas Freese, PhD- UCLA Integrated Substance Abuse Programs

A Provider’s Introduction to Substance Abuse Treatment for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Individuals (SAMHSA, 2001) provides both practitioners and administrators familiarity and knowledge about the interaction between LGBT issues and substance use disorders. The 17-module curriculum offers skill-building knowledge enhancing practical skills to offer sensitive, affirmative, culturally relevant, and effective treatment to LGBT individuals in substance use disorders treatment. This session will provide an overview of strategies and issues in providing culturally-responsive and age-appropriate treatment for LGBTQ Youth. The session will include didactic instruction, interactive discussion, and participatory exercises to understand the needs and experiences of LGBT youth.

The Road to Success for LGBTQ Youth in Care

Rob Woronoff MS, Nia Clark, Darryn Green, Tyler Smith, Rob Woronoff Consulting Depsite the many risks they face, many LGBTQ foster youth are fortunate to find nuturing support from care givers, child welfare practitioners, and other positive adult influences in their lives who help them grow into healthy, productive adults once they leave care. However, the child welfare system is not supposed to be built around the luck of the draw. In other words, all youth in care, including all LGBTQ youth, have the right to competent and consistant support from the adults in their lives. This moderated panel presentation will include three former foster youth who were offered the kinds of supports necessary for them to emerge from the foster care system and go on to lead productive lives as young adults. They will offer insights into what was most helpful to them while they were in care by sharing some of their experiences as well as their ideas for ways that adults who work with LGBTQ foster youth can play a positive role in their lives.

Growing Up Mormon- Change from Within Justin Utley and Wendy Montgomery

Raised in the Mormon religion Justin is now an outspoken personality against the church’s use of conversion ex-gay therapy. Justin himself endured two years of this controversial therapy after returning from a two-year mission for the church. Justin’s presentation will explore the challenges of growing up gay in the Mormon religion and the experiences that brought him to be a proud LGBTQ advocate. Wendy sits on the Board of Directors for Affirmation, the country’s largest Mormon LGBT organization. Wendy will provide her unique experience as a devout Mormon and mother of five, one of which identifies as gay, with making changes within the church. Wendy is working within the Mormon religion to promote love and acceptance of all. Participants will learn about the unique struggles both Justin and Wendy have en-

dured to fight for acceptance in the Mormon religion. This presentation will also incorporate Justin’s speech to the Utah State Senate and Wendy’s work with Caitlin Ryan on the Family Acceptance Project.

Queer Time with Dan Rothenberg

Daniel Rothenberg, MSW and Summer Davidson, LCSW- Penny Lane Centers You’ve heard of “Real Time with Bill Maher” well this is “Queer Time with Dan Rothenberg.” This workshop will include a monologue, interview and just like the popular show on HBO a panel made up of comedians, authors, and professors.

Breakout #1 LGBT TAY (Transitioanl Aged Youth) and The Need for Housing-

Regency

Simon Costello and Noah Kaplan, MSW- Los Angeles LGBT Center Audience members will be educated on a brief history of the LGBT TAY services offered by the Los Angeles LGBT Center. Simon and Noah will highlight the specific needs and obstacles that LGBT TAY encounter as well as provide detailed descriptions of our four housing models, and our 5 year plan to expand available housing for LGBT TAY in Hollywood. A brief overview of our funding sources and how they have influenced our housing models will also be covered.

Interventions for LGBTQ Bullied Youth- Cascade Cory Schneider, MA- Affirmative Foundations

This interactive workshop focuses on interventions and best practices that increase resilience in students who experience bullying. An overview of Gay-Affirmative psychology is presented, along with specific Jungian, Narrative and Cognitive-Behavioral practices that educators, counselors and LGBTQ advocates can employ. Participants will learn and practice step-by-step interventions that awaken resilience and strengthen self-esteem in students who experience bullying.

LGBTQRSTUVWXYZ: The Alphabet of Queer TermsRedwood Tyler Renner, BA- Pacific Pride Foundation

Appropriate use of LGBTQ terms and language is crucial in making young people feel safe and included. Because the language used in the LGBTQ community is constantly shifting and expanding, it is important to understand new terms while expanding one’s perception of existing terms. Presented in ABC format, with terms and images for each letter of the alphabet, the workshop will explore the meaning, history, and current usage of terms such as asexual, cisgender, demisexual, genderqueer and pansexual.

Advocating for Undocumented LGBTQ Youth- Caribou Currey Cook and Marco Castro-Bojorquez- LAMBDA Legal

While it is difficult to calculate the exact number of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and questioning (LGBTQ) undocumented youth living in the United States today, service providers and professionals encounter these youth frequently. LGBTQ undocumented youth face particular challenges because of their dual identities and many are eligible for immigration relief because of discrimination, harassment, and violence based on their actual or perceived sexual orientation, gender identity or expression. The complicated nature of immigration law, a patchwork system of legal representation and lack of cultural competency amongst providers puts youth at risk for missing valuable opportunities to adjust their status. Participants will learn about the unique experiences of this population and strategies to ensure that they are working with you to help them obtain available relief.

LGBTQ Advocacy from the Ivory Tower: Affirming Policies as a Catalyst for Institutional Change- Oak Judy Chiasson, PhD.- Los Angeles Unified School District

Institutional change flourishes in the synergy between grass roots efforts and formal policies. Los Angeles Unified School District has affirming LGBTQ policies and practices. This workshop will explore strategies for large organizations to affect social attitudes among diverse stakeholders. It will illustrate a historical overview of the relationship between LGBTQ concerns and education, current applicable education law, and successes and challenges in LAUSD in bridging the gap between policy and practice.

We Have a Number: The Los Angeles Foster Youth- Waterfall Khush Cooper, PhD- Holarchy Consulting

Research to date suggests that lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and questioning (LGBTQ) youth in out-of-home care (foster care) experience unique challenges within their families of origin prior to entering foster care, as well as additional barriers to adjustment and permanency when placed in the child welfare system. In addition, anecdotal evidence and data from studies of young adults who recently transitioned out of foster care indicate that LGBTQ youth may be overrepresented in the child welfare system. This presentation focuses on the Los Angeles Foster Youth Survey (LAFYS), which was designed to assess the proportion of youth placed in the Los Angeles County public child welfare system who are LGBTQ and to examine their experiences in communities, schools, and foster care. The results of this study help to fill the substantial gaps in the body of rigorous empirical research on LGBTQ foster youth and give child welfare providers and policymakers a better understanding of the LGBTQ foster youth population so they can make informed decisions.

Breakout #2 Taking Sexual Fluidity Seriously- Redwood

Jennifer Bailey, Psy. D,, Rodrigo Diaz M.S, Gladys Sandoval.- Casa Pacifica This workshop will encourage participants who work with youth to take a positive and affirming stance toward sexual fluidity throughout adolescence and adulthood, especially for youth who identity as bi, pan, questioning, or label averse during their adolescent years. Youth often face pressure from family and peers to repress same-sex attraction, while also sometimes experiencing cultural pressure to identify with labels (e.g. straight, lesbian, gay) that are also not fully reflective of their experiences. This presentation will introduce information about the prevalence and experiences of bi, pan, questioning, and label-averse youth and adults. Presenters will share techniques for maintaining a stance of affirming same-sex attractions as valid while also embracing the entirety of a youth’s experiences in the process of forming (or rejecting) a sexual identity. Special emphasis will be placed on working with families to understand bi, pan, questioning, and label averse youth, and developing cultural competence to work with Latino families on these issues.

Boxed In/Boxed Out: How stereotypes and Social Norms Harm Students of All Ages and Contribute to Bullying- Oak Dave Reynolds, MPH, CPH- The Anti-Defamation League

Some of the most serious cases of bullying result from identity-based bias. Rigid social expectations can contribute to environments where being “different” is not encouraged or even allowed. Drawing on relevant, recent examples, as well as participant experiences, this interactive workshop will explore the relationship between bullying, stereotypes, social norms, and school climate. We will discuss strategies for responding to bias-motivated bullying at different grade levels and creating inclusive school environments for all students.

L@s Muchach@s Queer y La Familia- Waterfall Marco Castro-Bojorquez- Lambda Legal

The goal of the workshop is to train and work with service providers to help them provide greater support for LGBTQ immigrant youth around issues of LGBTQ rights, coming out and family acceptance. This workshop will give providers a better understanding of the complex identities and needs of LGBTQ immigrant youth and other LGBTQ youth of color. It will explore policies and practices that are LGBTQ- and immigrant-inclusive as we recognize intersectionality and become empowered by the resiliency of our communities.

Giving Up Privilege and Becoming an Allie to the GLBTQ CommunityRegency Jerome Rabow, PhD., Jill Barker, Manpreet Dhillon, Marlon Briggs

Dr Rabow will present his findings on pin wearing when students regardless of sexual orientation identified themselves as LGBTQ. Dr. Rabow will facilitate a discussion of each panelist’s experiences with pin wearing. He will then facilitate a learning experience, in which the audience will examine the three learning objectives as participants understand them.

Have You Heard What Theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve Said? Stories From the Field and Best Practice Solutions- Cascade Angela Weeks, Erica Rodriguez, MFT, & Eugenia Rodriguez, LMFT- Los Angeles LGBT Center

Bias exists at every level. In order to support LGBTQ youth in Foster Care, biases need to be addressed, not only with youth, but with Foster Parents and Direct Care Staff. In 2010, the Los Angeles LGBT Center received federal funding to launch RISE (Recognize Intervene Support Empower). RISE has developed a unique system to address these issues and concerns at all levels. We will explore three different areas of support for each of these distinct populations. This presentation will incorporate stories from the field, myth busting and techniques that will assist a better understanding of how to empower each other though best practice and continued support. Through the implementation of RISE, we have been able to identify that intervention needs to occur at all levels in order to create effective-long lasting change.

Unsettling Norms: Challenging Models of LGBTQ Identity Development- Caribou Sarah Mountz, PhD. and Wendy Ashley, PsyD., CSUN- Department of Social Work

This workshop will explore and deconstruct standard stage models of LGBTQ identity development. Narratives from life history interviews with juvenile justice and child welfare involved LGBTQ youth and case studies from clinical work with LGBTQ adults will be presented. Narratives and case studies will demonstrate the ways in which identity development may be more fluid and less linear than standard models of identity development have previously conceptualized. Moreover, this presentation seeks to demonstrate the importance of looking at identity processes from an intersectional perspective that is attentive to age, race, class, gender, national origin, and other factors. The influence of power and privilege in shaping identity formation will be highlighted. Participants will be provided with strategies to apply workshop content to support empowerment, promote social justice and to embrace fluidity in micro, mezzo and macro practice settings.

Presenter Bios Andrea Fleetham, MA, IMF

Andrea Fleetham is the LGBTQ Advocate and Trainer at Penny Lane in North Hills. She received her MA in Psychology with an emphasis in Marriage and Family Therapy from Phillips Graduate Institute. For the past five years, Andrea has worked in both outpatient and residential settings with teens and their families, specializing in addictions as well as LGBTQ youth. Andrea’s work with LGBTQ youth has also included work with the LA Gay and Lesbian Center through their Lifeworks Program including: small group facilitation, the Community Action Network (CAN) -a leadership development program for LGBTQ youth, Get Empathy- an anti-bullying leadership development program for high school GSA’s, and Models of Pride.

James Duke Mason

James Duke Mason is a writer and LGBT activist. He is the son of Go-Go’s lead singer Belinda Carlisle, and grandson of the late actor James Mason. The Advocate Magazine has listed him as one of their “Forty Under 40”, and OUT Magazine listed him on their “Out 100” list as one of the most influential LGBT people in the world. He served as a Page in the U.S. Congress, has written articles for The Advocate, Frontiers, and the Huffington Post among other publications, and has appeared on TV shows such as Dr. Phil, Nancy Grace and Politicking with Larry King to discuss LGBT issues. He was a volunteer for Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign in 2008 and an official surrogate for President Obama’s re-election campaign in 2012.

Cory Schneider, MA, IMF

Cory Schneider is an LGBT-Affirmative mental health therapist and Bullying Prevention and Intervention Specialist. Mr. Schneider presents lectures and workshops with a focus on LGBT-Affirmative psychology, affirmative classrooms, bullying prevention and intervention and best practices to educators, parents and students. Mr. Schneider has worked with LAUSD’s Project 10 to administer LGBTQ student law and policy to multiple schools within LA, and has also presented workshops at Outdoor Gay Camp, California State PTA, Center for Excellence in School Counseling and Leadership (CESCAL), Loyola Marymount University, California Teacher’s Association, and the Human Right’s Campaign.

Wendy Montgomery

Wendy sits on the Board of Directors for Affirmation, the country’s largest Mormon LGBT organization. She and her family, which includes five children, live in Bakersfield, CA. From quiet, unremarkable lives of routine and religion, to activism and national leadership, the Montgomerys have been speaking out; not only in defense of their son, but in support and love of all LGBT people. Wendy is a voracious reader, loves history, and is doing everything she knows how to make the LDS Church more welcoming and inclusive of its gay members.

Simon Costello

Simon Costello is Associate Director of the Department of the Children Youth & Family Services at the Los Angeles LGBT Center. Mr. Costello is responsible for services and programs for homeless LGBTQ youth that include a 7-day a week drop-in center, a 24 bed emergency shelter, a 24 bed transitional living program and a 12-bed independent living program. A particular priority for Mr. Costello is the ongoing development, implementation and evaluation of programs that achieve meaningful outcomes for youth including innovative education, employment, and youth development programs.

Dan Rothenberg, ASW

Dan earned his Master’s in Social Work at CSUN and has been in the Wraparound program at Penny Lane since 2009. Dan trained at UCLA-Integrated Substance Abuse Programs, as a Master Trainer in Motivational Interviewing. Dan also participates in specialty training, serving the LGBTQ community. With humor and real-life examples Dan works to build insight and understanding of the “B” which has been misunderstood.

Marco Castro-Bojorquez

Marco is the community educator for the Western Regional Office of Lambda Legal, the oldest and largest national legal organization committed to achieving full recognition of the civil rights of lesbians, gay men, bisexuals, transgender people, and people with HIV. Mr. Castro-Bojorquez is responsible for coordinating and implementing Lambda Legal’s educational and advocacy efforts in the eleven states of the western region. He is also a youth advocate, filmmaker, and community organizer, particularly with Latino communities. Having grown up on the Pacific Coast of Mexico, Marco left his country for political reasons and has lived in California for the past 20 years. Marco identifies as queer and lives in Santa Monica with his partner, and Lola and Kafka, the cats!

Jerome Rabow, PhD

Jerome Rabow is Professor Emeritus, at UCLA where he has taught race, education and social psychology for over 35 years. He is also a lecturer at CSUN, and a licensed MFT in private practice. Professor Rabow has produced a documentary on his teaching racism, Voices of Pain Voices of Hope and has a book of the same name. Professor Rabow is also the President and founder of CCCODE, an organization devoted to diversity education.

Angela Weeks

Angela Weeks is currently the Training Manager for the RISE project. Prior to joining the RISE team, Angela volunteered with The Los Angeles LGBT Center’s campaign arm, Vote For Equality. Previous to her work with The Center, Angela served 7 years in the United States Army. While in the military, Angela started LGBTQ advocacy work by speaking out during Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell. She worked closely with the Soldiers Legal Defense Network and with OutServe to rally fellow LGBTQ Soldiers into action. After the repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell, Angela was tasked with instructing surrounding units on LGBTQ competency and policy change.

Summer Davidson, LCSW

Summer Davidson, licensed Clinical Social Worker, is a Wraparound Clinical Supervisor for Penny Lane, an agency that fosters hopes and dreams by empowering children, youth, and families to reach their highest potential. She earned her Master’s Degree in Social Work from San Diego State University, and spent the beginning of her career in non-profit mental health agencies and in private practice, where she specialized in addressing depression, anxiety, children’s and adolescents’ challenges, and LGBTQ issues. Summer finally found her home in Wraparound at Penny Lane in 2013, where she supports Wraparound therapists and the IFCCS and TBS teams. Throughout her career, Summer has been an advocate of the LGBTQ community. When Summer is not working, she is spending time with her family, listening to podcasts, and eating cookies.

Erica E. Rodriquez, MA, IMF

Erica E. Rodriguez, MFT, is the Care Coordination Manager for the RISE Initiative, at the Los Angeles LGBT Center. The RISE Initiative is a federally funded program that supports LGBTQ youth in the foster care system. Erica has been working with youth in the foster care and juvenile justice systems for 17 years. Erica has also provided bilingual and Spanish monolingual therapy to youth and families for 7 years. Erica received her Masters in Marriage and Family Therapy with an emphasis on Latino Families from Pacific Oaks College and is currently working on her Doctorate in Psychology at The Chicago School of Professional Psychology.

Wendy Ashley, PsyD

Wendy Ashley received her Psy.D. from Ryokan College, her MSW from the University of Southern California and has been a Licensed Clinical Social Worker since 1998. Dr. Ashley is currently employed as an Assistant Professor at California State University Northridge, teaching Practice, Advanced Practice, Family Therapy, Group Therapy, Trauma, Diagnostic Formulation and Psychosocial Assessment and Human Behavior. Dr. Ashley is passionate about promoting social justice in all aspects of social work, and infuses an intersectionality lens in practice, in the classroom.

Noah Kaplan, MSW

Noah Kaplan, MSW has been passionately serving the LGBTQ community since interning at Lifeworks, a division of the LA Gay and Lesbian Center, in 2010-2011 during his MSW program at California State Northridge. Noah served youth of all ages at LifeWorks assisting them to explore creative, educational and vocational skills to help them reach their potential.

Noah’s work at LifeWorks gained him his current position of Residential Manager at the Gay and Lesbian Center. Noah actively serves queer youth who are facing homelessness. Noah is also a professor at California State Northridge School of Social Work where he teaches Policy.

Justin Utley

Born and raised in Utah, Justin Utley began his career as a Mormon-Contemporary singer/songwriter and was a featured performer at the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City. After publicly breaking ties with the Mormon Church and sending his own “self-excommunication letter”, Justin became a noted activist and advocate for civil rights and LGBT equality in the United States, and an outspoken personality against the Mormon church’s use of conversion ex-gay therapy, a method Justin endured for two years after serving a two-year full-time mission for the church. In June 2010, Justin released ‘Stand for Something’ a single written to inspire and motivate to take action towards securing LGBT equality in the United States. The single was nominated by the LGBT Academy of Recording Arts for 4 OutMusic Awards, including Best Songwriter and Artist of the Year, winning Best Country/Folk Song of the Year. Justin has also gained many accolades in a short time including being a headlining performer at Pride Festivals worldwide, including Stockholm, New York, Los Angeles, Denver, Atlanta, San Diego and Las Vegas, opening for international acts, including Icona Pop, Tegan & Sara, and Margaret Cho. He has been a contributor for CNN’s Faces of Faith Sunday News segment, and testified in the first ever hearing on LGBTQ Job and Housing Discrimination in front of the Utah State Senate.

Tyler Smith, MSW, CPHQ, CPPS

Tyler Smith, is a former foster youth from Tacoma, Washington. After being placed in the child welfare system, Tyler moved between countless foster homes until he found his “home” with an older woman named Berdie. For the first time in his life, someone told Tyler that he had the potential to be more than his past – more than just a statistic; an expected outcome of the system. As a Buddhist who believes every life has infinite value and potential, Berdie crushed Tyler’s fear of rejection and abandonment when he came out to her at the age of 13 – by simply offering him unconditional love and acceptance. The impact Berdie had on Tyler didn’t stop then; that moment was but the beginning of her inspiring a young man to develop himself into the person he is today. Tyler started college when he was 16 years-old and earned a Bachelor’s in Social Welfare from the University of Washington at 19. Afterward, Tyler spent a few years living in Seattle and working for the Pierce County AIDs Foundation, Public Health Seattle-King County, and for the University of Washington Medical system. At 23 years-old, he earned a Master of Social Work and accepted a position at the University of Washington Medical Center as the Manager of Clinical Quality Improvement. Today, at 25, Tyler is a Certified Professional in Healthcare Quality, Certified Professional in Patient Safety, and a Doctoral candidate in Health Sciences from A. T. Still University.

Thomas Freese, PhD

Thomas E. Freese earned a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology, California School of Professional Psychology, and is currently the Director of Training for UCLA Integrated Substance Abuse Programs (ISAP) and the Principal Investigator and Director of the Pacific Southwest Addictions Technology Transfer Center (PSATTC). Dr. Freese was recently awarded supplemental funding to the PSATTC to develop a Center of Excellence on Racial/ Ethnic Minority Young Men Who Have Sex with Men and Other Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Populations. Dr. Freese has served

as Principal Investigator on training projects funded by the California Department of Health Care Services and various county agencies. He has conducted trainings on a wide variety of topics including implementing integrated treatment for co-occurring mental health and substance use disorders, screening, brief intervention and referral to treatment (SBIRT), medication assisted treatment, and common medical issues in patients with substance use disorders, and culturally responsive treatment for LGBT clients. Dr. Freese has been a featured presenter at conferences and meetings nationally and internationally. He has worked in the addiction field since 1983, and has developed and conducted trainings in 46 US states and internationally.

Curry Cook, JD

M. Currey Cook is Director of the Youth in Out-of-Home Care Project and Senior Attorney in the National Headquarters Office of Lambda Legal, the oldest and largest national legal organization committed to achieving full recognition of the civil rights of lesbians, gay men, bisexuals, transgender people and people with HIV. Before joining Lambda Legal in 2013, Cook was the Co-Director of the Bronx office of The Children’s Law Center New York (CLCNY), a non-profit law firm representing children in custody, visitation, guardianship, domestic violence, paternity, and related child abuse and neglect proceedings in New York City Family Court, for three and a half years. While at CLCNY, Cook led the organizations efforts to work more effectively with LGBTQ clients and their families and represented the organization on a NYC Family Court committee dedicated to addressing LGBTQ issues.

Sarah Mountz, PhD

Sarah Mountz is an Assistant Professor of Social Work at California State University, Northridge. She recently completed her PhD at the University of Washington, where her dissertation research focused on the experiences of LGBTQ youth and young adults who had been incarcerated in girls’ facilities in the juvenile justice system in New York. Sarah received her BA from Smith College in 2000 and her MSW from Columbia University in 2003. She worked in various aspects of the child welfare system in New York City between 2001 and 2006. Sarah is a Pride Foundation Scholar and recipient of the Marion Hathaway Doctoral Writing Award. Her work has been featured in Youth and Society, the Journal of Social Work Education, and the Journal of LGBTQ Policy of the Harvard Kennedy School.

Darryn Green

Darryn Green is a foster care alumni that emancipated in 2002. He entered the foster care system at age 14 where he spent time in kinship care, foster care and a short time in a group home. He joined the Kern County Chapter of the California Youth Connection (CYC) in 1999 where he learned public speaking, leadership, and event coordinating skills. Throughout his experience working with CYC, Darryn has been involved as a mentor, trainer and advocate for foster youth and LGBTQ youth. In 2005, he joined with the Out of Home Youth Advocacy Council (OHYAC) speakers bureau and began facilitating workshops for conferences. Then was recruited to join the Y.O.U.T.H. Training Project (YTP). YTP gave Darryn the opportunity to travel throughout the state of California training child welfare workers on better ways to work with transition aged youth. Since then he has trained and developed curricula for caregivers, child welfare workers, youth and many others. Darryn shared his coming out story in the DVD entitled, “Breaking the Silence (2005).” Darryn

is currently a senior at San Francisco State University (SFSU), pursuing his bachelor’s degree in communications with a minor in counseling. He enjoys mentoring and coaching youth in addition to delivering trainings. After completing his bachelor’s degree he plans to obtain his MSW and Ph.D. in Social Welfare. His ultimate career goal is to become a college professor to do research, teach and to help passionate students like him to pursuit their educational and career goals.

Eugenia Rodriguez

Eugenia Rodriguez, LMFT has worked in social services since 1999. She received her Masters in Marriage and Family Therapy from Pacific Oaks College and has been a practicing clinician since 2004. Currently, Eugenia is completing her Doctorate in Psychology at The Chicago School of Professional Psychology and works as the Clinical Coordinator for the RISE Project at the Los Angeles LGBT Center. Eugenia is working on helping reduce discrimination and rejection in caregiver settings, while also increasing LGBTQ awareness in systems of care.

Nia Clark

Nia Desiré Clark, a Boston native, has an extensive background in the child welfare system, first as a trans* youth of color growing up in foster, adoptive, and congregate care and now as an adult working with young people. She began working for non-profit organizations in 1998 as a safer sex educator for Boston Children’s Services. In 2004, she became Editorial Director of the Massachusetts Youth Activist Group for Equality (MY AGE), an organization focused on increasing political awareness for teens and young adults. In 2006, she worked at the Community Living Program in Norwood, MA as a Direct Care Counselor for teens receiving transitional services through the Massachusetts Department of Children and Families. In 2008, she was certified by Cornell University as a trainer in Therapeutic Crisis Intervention (TCI), a crisis prevention training program for child & youth care staff.

Ivelise Markovits

For nearly 45 years, Ivelise Markovits has offered help and hope to abandoned, neglected and abused children. Penny Lane, named after the Beatles’ song, was created by Markovits in 1969 as a home for 25 troubled teenage girls, a safe haven to help them rebuild their lives. Today, Penny Lane is a nearly $55 million a year organization with multiple locations that, each day, help rebuild the lives for thousands of children and their families. After graduating from college, Ivelise, a native of Puerto Rico, entered a training program with the Los Angeles County Probation Department. She was charged with finding residential treatment facilities for female wards of the court. Frustrated by the lack of adequate treatment facilities for girls, especially the most challenging ones, Markovits began Penny Lane. Penny Lane offers a safe place for youth regardless of gender identity, gender expression, race, age, marital status, ethnic background or sexual orientation to receive counseling, mental health services, mentoring, and job development.

EDGY Task Force

Resource Fair

Cameron Glasgow Cameron Cline Nydia Barakat Ninette Ayala Bernie La Fianza Nathalie Blossom Carolyn Johnson Kristin Gusts Andrea Fleetham Lorena Pena Mark Abelsson Nuccio Patti Summer Davidson Wendy Carpenter

Torres Martinez Tribal TANF Vista del Mar The Help Group RISE Point Foundation DMH Unisource The Village Family Services ACLU Antioch University NAPAFASA Child Abuse Council HUB International Recovery Help Now Penny Lane ITFC Anti-Defamation League

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Thank You Thank you to the following individuals and organizations for helping to make EDGY a success! Your donations of time and resources help to equip hundreds of professionals every year with the necessary tools to help GLBTQ youth and families everyday.