FEBRUARY 2 2007
|USt|OUt
just askin
outstanding
Empowering Youth
Just Out asked members of Shabbatluck,
a queer Jewish social group, "What was
your most memorable Valentine's Day?"
| he supervisor of the Sexual Minority Youth
Resource Center began as a volunteer 10
years ago. She reflects on her high hopes for
the center and high esteem of the youth it
K
serves.
M arcy F eibelman
National College of Natural Medicine
Student
My name is Zan Gibbs.
•
“I was a senior in high school and in
my first relationship. My boyfriend
pent me a dozen roses with a card
that said, ‘Love, John.’ My mom
took pictures of me smelling them.”
I am known as the pillar of SMYRC. People say,
“Zan will always be here” or “She’s a rock,” probably
because I’m the only one still here since the beginning.
My cause is empowering queer and trans youth to
be leaders and activists. When 1 got to Portland and
started meeting a lot of queer and trans youth, it was
so clear that they were organized and active but
needed a space where they could be respected and
supported and hang out with each other after school
in a drug- and alcohol-free environment.
E liza G reenwood
Documentary Filmmaker
“What I remember is my great aunt
sending us a cheesy card with a $2
bill in it. My worst Valentine’s Day
was when she stopped.”
I am 31 years old. 1 feel like I’ll always be inspired
by the youth movement—you can be invested in
youth at any age.
My childhood ambition was to live in the Amazon
rain forest. I just read in the latest National Geographic
a huge article about the state of the rain forest, and
now 1 have to say I’m slightly reinvested in that goal.
K im T oevs
My first same-sex crush was on Winona
Ryder...Heathers, 1 love it.
Queer Hipster
“1 remember a Valentine’s Day when
my parents made construction paper
cards with doors that opened to
little critters and Valentine’s
sayings. My dad was a physicist, so
that was really sweet.”
Known as "a rock," Zan Gibbs is a SMYRC mainstay.
My proudest moment was signing up for the
Ironman triathlon. Much of why 1 did that was about over
coming my asthma. 1 couldn’t run half a block when I started
training. It was a lot of hard work. It took me three years to run
three miles.
My biggest challenge is completing the Ironman triathlon.
It’s also challenging to watch how the world’s wealth is distrib
uted and knowing SMYRC could do so much more if we had the
resources. ’
A perfect day in Portland would be spent in the sun, riding
my bike. And winning the lottery.
My vice is exercise, my bike and vegetarian food. Since
I don’t smoke, drink, do drugs or sugar at all, that’s my mental
health release.
My inspiration is the youth 1 see every’ day—hearing their
success stories, watching them grow up, seeing them face
insurmountable challenges and watching them empower each
other. Seeing them performing drag to Britney Spears pretty
much rules.
The last queer event I participated in was watching queer
comedian Peterson Toscano perform at SMYRC. 1 learned a new
word—heteroflexible—as part of my gAy,B,Cs.
P ercy W ise
The last philanthropic event I participated in was acquir
ing a nonprofit organization. I now have a second, unpaid job to
rebuild Students Run Portland, which trains at-risk youth to run
the marathon.
Trans Law Student
“I remember when I was in first
grade, writing a Valentine to a kid
named Scott but spelling it
Scoot....... and being made fun of.”
My highest hope for the cause is that SMYRC will become
fully funded and sustainable and that we will own our own build
ing. A consistent source of money would allow us to open the
drop-in center five nights a week. ©
—Malka Geffen
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