The Alliance for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer and Questioning Youth provides mental health and care coordination services, leadership development, and policy advocacy that centers the lives and experiences of LGBTQ youth in South Florida.

We serve, nurture, and empower LGBTQ youth, their families, and their communities while advocating for the equal rights and equitable treatment of young people in affirmation of their sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression.

 
 

The alliance is for

 

LGBTQ YOUTH

LGBTQ youth are powerful, brilliant beyond measure, and have the ability to transform our world into one that is equitable, just, and liberated for all. At the same time, queer and trans young people face a number of unique challenges that impact their well-being and development. This is not inherent in being LGBTQ, but rather a result of the mistreatment and stigmatization that many LGBTQ young people experience within their families, at school, and in other spaces in community.

  • 42% of LGBTQ youth seriously considered attempting suicide in the past year, including more than half of transgender and nonbinary youth

  • 12% of white LGBTQ youth attempted suicide compared to 31% of Native/Indigenous youth, 21% of Black youth, 21% of multiracial youth, 18% of Latine youth, and 12% of Asian/Pacific Islander youth

  • Nearly half of LGBTQ youth want counseling from a mental health professional, but don’t get it

  • 75% of LGBTQ youth have experienced discrimination based on their sexual orientation and gender identity at least once in their lifetime and more than half experienced discrimination in the past year alone

  • LGBTQ students are disproportionately suspended and expelled from school, leading to lower GPAs and decreased interest in school

  • LGBTQ youth of color, Black queer and trans youth in particular, are disproportionately impacted by the child welfare and juvenile legal systems

These numbers reflect only a sliver of the real-life experiences that LGBTQ youth face on a daily basis, experiences that can result in serious negative repercussions on mental health and wellness. Research has proven that connecting with an LGBTQ-affirming organization can be lifesaving for LGBTQ youth. Since 2008, The Alliance has been that organization for queer and trans youth in South Florida. We are proud to provide competent, affirming mental health support, leadership development, and advocacy with and for LGBTQ youth.

our vision

We endeavor to unleash the innate, internal power of LGBTQ youth to be leaders in their own lives and in their communities while living an authentic, full, and liberated existence.

 

our guiding principles

The Alliance for LGBTQ Youth’s core objectives are to support LGBTQ young people in developing their self-agency; to inform and shift systems that impact the lives of LGBTQ youth to ensure affirming environments that are responsive to the experiences and needs of LGBTQ youth; and to cultivate LGBTQ youth leadership.

The guiding principles for our organization are:

  1. All decisions we make must have as their ultimate goal the improvement of the lives of LGBTQ youth.

  2. We recognize that LGBTQ youth are the experts of their own lives and lived experiences.

  3. We prioritize and center the needs and experiences of Transgender, Non-Binary, and Gender Non-Conforming youth and Black and brown queer youth.

  4. We lead from an anti-racist and anti-oppression lens.

  5. We value and celebrate the whole humanity and inherent dignity of LGBTQ youth, encompassing mind, body, and spiritual wellness.

  6. We commit to co-creating joyous and celebratory spaces with and for our LGBTQ youth that foster well-being and pride.

  7. We build power among and within LGBTQ youth as active leaders in their communities and voices for generative change and social justice.

The Alliance is a provider in the upcoming Children’s Village at Lotus Village - Opening January 2025!

 The Alliance is proudly supported by: