Praise for Erik's presentation

Please let Erik know how much we appreciated hearing from him. There was so much shared that we can really take away from the presentation. He was an amazing speaker and shared some really powerful things. The idea of having to learn to value yourself because you are so undervalued, and getting so tired of people saying the wrong thing that you’re surprised when they actually say it correctly. It really made me think about how I can be a better ally and advocate.

ODJFS: Let's Break to Educate

On Tuesday, August 29th, OHIO YAB Ambassador Erik participated as a virtual panelist for an ODJFS "Let's Break to Educate" session. The focus was on how to support LGBTQIA+ youth and young adults in and from foster care.

Questions included:

• How does discrimination and bias impact LGBTQ youth and adults who are in child welfare, including foster and adoptive parents?
• Considering your own experience, how can a support system help with resiliency when facing discrimination or bullying?
• What does allyship look like?
• Trans youth face additional microaggressions and discrimination, such as misgendering, deadnaming, all the way up to denial of appropriate medical care. With the current issues facing the trans community, how might we address these issues or support trans individuals?  

During his time in foster care, Erik spent a lot of time explaining to his foster parents:

 

• The gender and sexuality aren’t the same thing.

• That gender is a spectrum/continuum.

• That sexuality is a spectrum/continuum.

• Helping them understand terms.

• Letting them know which terms not to use.

He emphasizes the importance of foster parents being willing to learn in this area:

• "None of my foster parents understood right away, but I remember and still stay in touch with the ones who were willing to learn.”

• "It feels so different when the person you are talking to or living with is trying to understand.”

• "Foster parents, it might not be a big deal to you, but it’s a big deal to us. It reflects you caring about our life, who we are and what we have to deal with on a daily basis.”

• “Please… Be willing to listen. Be willing to learn. See the young person as a resource.”

The OHIO YAB has begun working on a resource pathfinder for LGBTQIA+ foster youth.