|unfl 21.20Û2 » jM t a o f t j 19
i t 'm ¡ t i i i ' i ' j
m ew s
COSMYC T hing
opment of the kids in
all areas.
Five of the partici
pants will accompany
Support group demonstrates commitment to queer youth
Hopper and another
Vanguard staff mem
by P atricia L . M ac A odh a
ber to San Francisco
this summer for the
Young, Loud & Proud
igh school is a time for growth,
that the program “provides
dreaming, making friends and
conference.
The
a safe place for all youth to
C lackam as County
charting a course for the future.
be themselves.”
delegation has been
But what if you are a queer
For about a year, the
diligently fund raising
_ k; youth living in a notoriously con Clackam as County Health
to pay for the trip,
servative climate? How do you get the support
Departm ent has funded
with events including
to believe you are a worthwhile person?
C O S M Y C through its
a Portland Gay Men’s
Fortunately for queer teen-agers growing up
H IV prevention plan,
Chorus performance
in Clackamas County, there is a place where car later contracting with
Doug Hopper (right) celebrates with CO SM YC kids during Portland Pride 2002
and a barbecue.
ing people want to help them take those big steps
Vanguard Youth S e rv
Foglio hopes “to gain even more skills to
with CO SM YC, which holds weekly meetings
into the future. Almost three years ago, a group
ices— the agency behind the Sexual Minority
help me later in life, hopefully in the profession
Youth Recreation Center— to provide staffing
of concerned adults came together to address the
at locations throughout the county.
problems facing these kids. The result was
“We work on art projects, talk about what of a social worker working with queer youth."
and programming.
The kids also will have opportunities to learn
Clackamas County Sexual Minority Youth Con
ever happens to be on the minds of the youth,
Six months ago, Doug Hopper was hired to
about leadership and communication.
nection, which seeks to make the region “a safer facilitate CO SM YC. He had been volunteering
make plans, laugh, play,” he says. C O SM Y C
“CO SM YC, like any G LB TQ youth group,
place for queer youth, provide HIV prevention
kids also put out a ’zine that contains writing,
at SM YRC at the time while attending college
has so much to teach the world,” Hopper says.
education and to create a safe space for queer
art, photography and collages and that serves as
as a journalism major.
youth to express themselves, get support and
“Queer youth are full of experiences that make
Hopper has a personal investment in provid a resource manual about sexually transmitted
them aware of the world on a level that is very
meet other supportive youth in the area."
ing support services to queer kids. While attend diseases, HIV prevention and testing locations.
unique. Growing up in Clackamas County as a
Networking is key in the lives of teens. Any
ing high school in the Midwest he joined the
Hopper is clearly proud of the success the
Indianapolis Youth Group, which he credits
thing that creates harriers to that process— health
youth have made of the publication, which was G LBTQ youth is a struggle, to put it lightly.” JH
with saving his life when he came out at 15.
issues, lack of contact with ones peers, etc.— can
sold during Portland Pride 2002 with all pro
For more information contact CLACKAMAS
lead to loneliness, isolation and lost opportunities.
“In my four years of involvement I gained so ceeds benefiting the program. Now some of the
C ounty S exual M inority Y outh C onnec
COSM YC is all about networking, opening doors,
kids are talking about making a movie.
much,” he says. “It was so important that IYG
providing a shoulder to cry on, inspiring youth to
tion at 503-969-0060, cosmycyouth@yahoo.com
existed. Without it, I would he a very different
A large part of Hopper’s work is focused on
or uww.cosmyc.org. A fund-raiser barbecue will
take healthy risks and avoid unhealthy ones.
person now. The sense of community and sup HIV prevention and education. “The goal is to
port I received really solidified my devotion to create a safe place for G LBTQ youth to be sup be held from noon to 3 p.m. June 29 at 2100 S.E .
One participant, Natalie Foglio, has found it
Belmont St. The suggested donation is $5.
ported and to get real information and resources
to be “a wonderful group which has done won the queer community.”
to take care of themselves,” he says. The long-
Hopper wants to pass on the kind of help
ders for queer kids living in Clackamas.” She
P atricia L. M a c A odha is a Portland free-lance
range value of COSMYC, however, reaches far
says that the county “can be an extremely fright that was given to him in those vulnerable years.
beyond health issues and education to the devel writer. E-mail her at plmacaodhal@hotmail.com.
This commitment fuels and motivates his work
ening place for a young LG BTQ person” and
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