Last Thursday I was volunteered (by my daughter) to speak with some young people from the GLBT Center (Gay Lesbian Bi-Sexual and Transgender) Center of Cleveland.
My daughter works at the Center as the Case Manager for the Metro Youth Outreach Project, a project which does outreach to GLBT homeless kids and all kids for AIDS testing, safe sex supplies and other services the kids need. Some need food, some need shelter, some need clothes or bus passes and health care. They do their best to provide for these kids in a safe, accepting environment.
The agenda for the conversation was to talk about GLBT history in the Cleveland community, accomplishments and how to achieve them. The first adult said that all people should have self-respect (which is a good thing) and follow the rules – well no. That was the end of the agenda.
What we wound up with was a great conversation about different perspecitives such as class, race, feminism, the labor movement, AIDS, political issues and the environment and how they imipacted our life. How to work for change and stand up for our rights, how many of our rights are being eroded while we concentrate on single issues i.e. gay marriage when we may not have health care and jobs. The point was made that if the environment isn’t saved what good are rights, we won’t be here.
I was amazed at the interest the kids showed in our lives and the willingness to open up and ask for help. The sense of wonder laid at our feet and the intelligence and enthusiasm of these teens was a joy. They were rich, poor, some were homeless. They had dealt with violence and hate.
There truly is hope for the next generation if we can get them there in one piece.
I got a call from my daughter the next day. She told me that the kids loved the conversation, but the thing she was happiest about? The kids loved me and wanted me to be their mom.
Of course, she volunteered me.
