So many LGBTQ+ Ohio organizations have come and gone over the decades, born out of a specific purpose and then fading away due to changing times, diminished resources or, on occasion, internal strife.
So if an LGBTQ+ Ohio initiative has been around for 30 years, you know they are filling a critical need, evolving to support the community and doing just plain important work.
Kaleidoscope Youth Center (KYC) was launched in 1994 and stands today as the largest and longest standing organization in Ohio solely dedicated to serving and supporting LGBTQ+ youth.
We spoke with Erin Upchurch, executive director of KYC, to get some backstory on the past 30 years, outline how they are serving LGBTQ+ youth today and give us tips on how we can all celebrate this 30th anniversary by standing in our own power.
To listen, click play directly below or read our (edited) conversation beneath the audio link.
What can you tell us about 1994 and Kaleidoscope’s early years?
Erin Upchurch: It was the mid-nineties and the HIV/AIDS crisis was in full swing. A group of leaders here in Columbus were noticing that young people were being left out of the conversation.
And so they started a rainbow crisis line for young folks to call and have conversations. That evolved into a drop-in center because they realized the youth needed more than just to be able to call and talk to somebody.
We were initially called the Kaleidoscope Youth Coalition and it just has evolved very significantly since then.
For folks who might be confused because you all do so much, break down Kaleidoscope Youth Center for us. Is it a space? Is it services? Is it a network? Is it all of these things?
Yes, it’s a universe!
We do have an actual physical space: our drop-in center and our wellness center. Our drop-in center is for ages 12 to 20, Tuesday through Friday. That’s where young people can come and there’s some hangout, unstructured times with snacks. We have a resource room that’s available that they can check out. And then we’ve got more structured programming in the evening: discussion groups, therapy groups and psycho-education groups. The youth actually have a say in what they want offered.
We have our wellness center, which sits behind our drop-in center and that is where the magic of our behavior health services take place. We’ve got four therapists right now who do telehealth and in-person visits for ages youth 12 to 24. We also have a monthly group for ages 12 and under, a young adults (18-24) night and a parent and guardians group once a month. And we have a housing program, with 19 youth currently in our housing program.
Then we have education and outreach, where we provide training and professional development to providers, community members and really anyone who’s asking for it, including corporate trainings. We’re the hub for the Ohio GSA Network, which for me in 1994 in high school stood for the Gay Straight Alliance. Now it’s called the Gender and Sexualities Alliance, and that’s us working with youth who are wanting to make their schools a more affirming place, providing young people with leadership development.
And finally we have a Civic Engagement and Advocacy program. We have our team going to the statehouse, working with allies across the state and testifying. The important piece of that is that our goal is always to center and amplify the youth voice. If we’re testifying, we’re always going to bring in testimony from a young person. If they can’t be there in person, we’re going to utilize their quotes or help them learn how to write and advocate on their own behalf.
You set me up nicely there because I want to talk a little bit about politics. LGBTQ+ youth—and specifically restricting their lived experience—has been at the center of so many pieces of legislation coming out of the statehouse. Kaleidoscope staff have been there front-and-center testifying and amplifying the needs of LGBTQ+ youth. Erin, is that…annoying? Because I feel like maybe you have better things to be doing.
It is one of the largest thorns in my side of having to focus and spend so much time on that. It’s not because we don’t want to do that work and it’s not that it’s not important. But it doesn’t feel like we should have to fight the leadership in our state to be able to exist and exist in a free way where we get to thrive.
And I would say probably the last two and a half years, a lot of our talent and resources have gone to that [advocacy]. We were at the state board of education and then everything with House Bill 68 and all these other things that are being introduced. We’ve really had to focus on all of that and so it takes away from the spaces of joy we want to cultivate.
So let’s talk about joy! We have the KYC gala coming up on October 10. What can we expect at the gala and what should I wear?
Dress to express, not impress, Ken!
This is such a fun time because when you look at the things that are happening in the community from the anti-LGBTQ+ movement to how youth centers and LGBTQ+ centers are struggling financially, the celebration of 30 years of our longevity and our future sustainability is really exciting.
Ohio’s own Nina West will be our emcee for the night. And co-hosts will be Anisa Love and Virginia West. All phenomenal, phenomenal queens. And I get to be on stage with them at different times, so that’ll be fun.
There’s a plated meal and a really fantastic DJ. We’re giving some community awards and that’s important for us too, to bring in the people who have contributed to the work of KYC.
Folks always want to say, “How can I help? What do I need to do?” And of course we will always, always, always accept financial contributions. Yes, please. But there are other ways. Volunteering is one way. But there’s also showing up for things like our gala and other events. It’s this really cool way for young people to see, “Oh, they are thinking about us. I’m actually not alone out here.”
Last question for you. One of my favorite phrases on the KYC website is how you support youth “to stand in their power.” What more can we all do to support LGBTQ+ youth standing in their power?
We have to stand in our own power. The youth in the drop-in center tell us that they really want us to fix things. They want the grownups to take care of this because they want to be teenagers. They want to be young people, young adults. And, you know, part of that is us as adults making the world a place where they can thrive and be in their power.
And so we must stand in our own power. We must use our own voices. We must speak up, speak out and do the things that actually create the world that we know is possible and that our young people also know is possible. They’re counting on us. 🔥
IGNITE ACTION
- To learn more about Kaleidoscope Youth Center, click here.
- To learn more about the KYC 30th Anniversary Gala, click here.
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