Just out., May 04, 2001, Page 13, Image 13

may 4.2001 * J h I
kt >i;t inviaci mews
B ranching
O ut
East Multnomah County youth
express themselves
by N atalie Shapiro
youth of color, in various agencies, such as Roots
&. Branches, Harry’s Mother and Portland
Impact.
Weedman also works with at-risk youth. “I
work with kids that are classified Level 7 by the
county,” he said. “These are kids on the verge of
being homeless or about to enter the juvenile
justice system.”
Roots & Branches |
coordinates
with t
other youth services, |
such as Outside In, ®
New Avenues for §
Youth and Green- i
house. These organi­
zations work with
homeless youth, giv­
ing them shelter, food,
medical services and
assistance in getting
off the street. “I some­
times refer kids to
Outside In for their
HIV housing program
or the free health clin­
ic,” Weedman said.
hen Dani and Violet Breann
Peters were students at Bar­
low High School, gay-hash­
ing was a daily reality.
For them and other sexual
minority youth in Gresham, safe places to meet
are virtually nonexistent. But now there is
Expression, which provides support for queer
and questioning kids in East Multnomah Coun­
ty. The group, a program of Roots & Branches,
is only a few months old but already is providing
relief for youth starving for support.
Roots & Branches is one of several programs
that are part of Vanguard Youth Services, for­
merly Phoenix Rising. Vanguard falls under the
umbrella of Network Behavioral HealthCare.
Besides Roots & Branches, there is th
ual Minority Youth Recreation Center, a
drop-in facility and support group for
queer and questioning kids 23 and
younger; Bridge 13, which brings queer J
"My friend came
youth to peer and adult groups to edu­
cate them about the issues that sexu­
out to me as
al and gender minorities face; the
Washington County Pride Project,
bisexual. •
which offers support and social
I was like:
activities; and the Youth HIV/STD
Prevention Project, which provides
'Wow, I think
educational programs, testing and
access to counseling.
I am, too. She became
Roots & Branches provides support
for gay, lesbian, bi, trans or questionin] X my girlfriend.' "
youth between 13 and 17 in Multnomah
County. This includes counseling, referrals
to other agencies and consultation with
schools and the juvenile justice system.
“We do anything the youth need to feel sup­
ported,” said Jonathan Weedman, Roots &
Branches case manager. “This could be having
In turn, these organizations often refer kids
someone to talk to, giving kids bus passes, help­ to Roots & Branches, he added. “If a kid just
ing them with housing or finding jobs.”
got kicked out, he’s not really homeless, so
Most of the youth Weedman works with live Greenhouse refers him to me.”
independently from their parents, although few
Weedman works with queer support groups
are homeless. He also assists with finding foster at high schools throughout the county and
homes.
helps students who want to start new organi­
Weedman is one of 15 case managers funded zations, which can be a daunting task. Kids at
by Multnomah County as part of the Youth Reynolds High School recently proposed a
Investment System. They work with specific Queer Student Alliance, so he met with
populations, such as sexual minority youth or administrators.
“It went well,” Weedman said. “They had
concerns but were diplomatic about it."
Weedman noted that most queer kids attend
alternative high schools. “With queer youth,
there is a higher risk for dropout— it’s insane.”
This was exemplified at a recent Expression
meeting. Two youth attended the group. Dani,
m é J^
harassment at Barlow. “When Violet would
walk down the hall, people would turn and say
‘faggot,’ ” Dani said. “There was this wave of
hatred that you could see.”
Dani tried to educate other students hy cre­
ating the Diversity Wheel in his drama class.
“We took a goth kid and had him play a preppie
or a Wiccan playing a
Christian. So we mixed
roles," he laughed.
i m
t m
“Then one person
m
m
m
would bash another,
and we would see how
it felt.”
& W & Ì $ &
The students said
school officials offered
no support. Peters was
* * * *ify r+
<)W banned from wearing
queer-positive buttons
and shirts because
administrators
said
they were sexual.
“They said my
‘Sorry Girls, I’m Gay’
shirt was sexual,” she
said. “Then they said
using the word ‘queer’
in my buttons was
derogatory. That’s how
twisted around it got.”
One day she decid­
ed to wear dresses to
school. “I got suspend­
ed for using the ladies
Dani and friends relax during SM YRC’s recent open house
room.”
who wished to use only his first name, and
Peters was coming out as trans and contin­
Peters were busy making queer-positive
ued to wear dresses and skirts to school. “One
scrapbooks while chatting about their lives.
day I wore falsies (fake breasts) and my English
“There are no services out here for queer teacher told the school administrators. The
youth,” Weedman explained. SMYRC con­ school made a rule that cross-dressing was not
ducted a needs assessment in Gresham last allowed.”
year and concluded there was a high need for
Peters ignored the policy and eventually was
services. After consultation with other agen­ suspended. The school board recently changed
cies, a grant was acquired to fund Expression.
the rule. “It is now OK for guys to wear dresses,”
Weedman began the group late last year. The she said.
tough part was finding the right venue for meet­
Now, Peters attends an alternative school
ings. “The last one was too difficult to find,” he and Dani has graduated and attends Mount
said.
Hood Community College. Both remain active
The current location remains undisclosed at
in queer rights at their new schools.
Weedman’s request. “I have had three death
But their experiences at Barlow still haunt
threats on my voice mail,” he explained.
them. “This is why we have Expression, so
What is it like being a queer youth in Gresh­ there is a safe place for youth to go,” Weedman
am? Dani and Peters rolled their eyes and said, j n
laughed.
“The difference between here and Portland E xpression meets /rom 6 to 8 p.m.
is kids start at a younger age there; they hear Thursdays in Gresham. Call Jonathan Weedman
about queer issues,” Dani reflected. “I came out at 503-872-9664 for the location.
later because I had never heard about it. It was For more information about Vanguard Youth
my senior year in high school. My friend came Services, call 503-872-9664, ext. 24, or visit its
out to me as bisexual. I was like: ‘Wow, I think I new location at 2100 S.E. Belmont St.
am, too. She became my girlfriend.’ ”
The students said they endured ongoing N atalie S hapiro is a Portland free'lance writer.
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