Valley Youth House Invited to Speak on White House Panel

ALLENTOWN, PA (9/6/16) – Valley Youth House is honored to have been invited by Alejandro Avilés, Senior Advisor for Public Engagement, US Department of Housing and Urban Development to speak on a panel at the White House Regional LGBT Summit. The Summit was held in Pittsburgh on Tuesday, August 30, 2016 and was hosted by The White House, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and Equality Pennsylvania. VYH staff, Sarah Morrison and Andrew Palomo spoke on the panel during the “How to Effectively Engage and Support LGBT Youth” session.

The White House, in partnership with federal agencies and local LGBT organizations, has been hosting regional LGBT summits around the country for several years. These summits provide an opportunity to highlight federal services available to the LGBT community, lift up the work of local LGBT activists and allies, and create a networking forum for advocates to connect and discuss ideas.

Sarah Morrison, Life Skills Counselor, Pride program, wrote about the experience:

“I was honored to receive an invitation to speak as a panelist at the recent White House-led Regional LGBT Summit. It was, and is, a highlight of my career to have Philadelphia’s Pride Program recognized nationally as a leader in effective engagement of LGBTQIA youth. As the only exclusively LGBTQIA permanent housing program in Philadelphia, we strive to create a safe environment for young adults to thrive and shape their futures. Our program may not capture the full spectrum of services needed but we continue to work alongside community partners to end LGBTQIA youth homeless.

For me, it was particularly refreshing to be surrounded by other LGBTQIA-identified professionals and our allies, who renewed my sense of hope for the continued progress of federally protected rights for the LGBTQIA community. It is important for youth to see themselves reflected by the people that serve them and it is vital that all voices within the LGBQTIA community, especially transgender individuals and people of color, are heard and given the opportunity to succeed. I am privileged to work for an agency that not only values the diversity of its staff but also remains committed to supporting the often vulnerable population of homeless LGBTQIA young adults, even when funding is not guaranteed.”

Pictured in photo: Andrew Palomo, Valley Youth House Research and Evaluation Coordinator & Independent Living Program Supervisor, Alejandro Avilés, Senior Advisor for Public Engagement, US Department of Housing and Urban Development, Sarah Morrison, Life Skills Counselor, PRIDE, and Raffi Freedman-Gurspan, Outreach and Recruitment Director for Presidential Personnel.

About Valley Youth House

Valley Youth House (valleyyouthhouse.org) does more than just provide homes for Pennsylvania’s vulnerable, abused and homeless youth. We partner with thousands of individuals each year to build a solid foundation for young people and their families. With dedicated street outreach, housing, counseling, skills training, health, prevention, and intervention services, we empower resilient young people in establishing promising futures.

Information Provided By:
Emily Conners
Valley Youth House Development Officer