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Virtual Youth in the Lead Orange Day Q&A
Join us on February 9th! Youth leaders will develop and ask questions of state policymakers about what they’re doing to support the issues they identify as important!

Communication event
Pride flags are shown on people's faces, including the lesbian flag, gay flag, bisexual flag, non-binary flag, transgender flag, and pansexual flag. Orange and blue clouds are on the top and bottom of the illustrations. On the right, against an orange background, text reads, "Orange Day | Feb 9th 2021 | Virtual Q&A | Youth in the Lead | #United4HealthyRelationships. An element of the Partnership's logo, intertwined hands in purple and gray, are shown at the top.

Read about Alani Summers, the Youth in the Lead Graphic Designer who created the art above.

  • Register

  • Free and open to all

  • Zoom Format

  • February 9th | 10:30 a.m.-12 p.m. PST

On February 9th from 10:30 a.m.-12 p.m. PST, we invite you to the virtual Youth in the Lead Orange Day Q&A! Youth leaders will develop and ask questions of state policymakers about what they’re doing to support the issues they identify as important. Youth will also provide context for their questions by sharing their own experiences in the work to prevent teen dating violence, advocate for healthy relationships, heal from trauma, and engage in interconnected forms of social justice.

Show your solidarity during Teen Dating Violence Awareness and Prevention Month in February—RSVP and help spread the word! We look forward to seeing you there. Wear Orange to support!  Orange Day Zoom backgrounds, created by Youth in the Lead Artist Alani Summers, will also be available soon!

About Alani Summers

This is a photo of Alani Summers. She is a young Black woman, and in this photo she wears a black lace dress and stands in front of a brick building.I am currently a 15-year-old high school sophomore at Bella Vista Highschool. I’ve cherished writing since I was young and my adopted, lesbian moms have always encouraged me to pursue my passions with an open mind.

Around 8th grade, I discovered my adoration for spoken word poetry, as well as came out as pansexual. In my poetry, I find myself able to express complex topics such as prejudice, sexuality, and mental health issues I’ve struggled with. Poetry gives me a creative outlet that I find both healing and profoundly inspiring. However, even more than poetry, I found a passion for healing others who are struggling. I plan to pursue a career in social work and activism; to become an advocate for minorities and those who struggle with our fragmented systems.

I’ve also been a girl scout for most of my life and completed the prestigious silver award, the second-highest honor a girl scout can achieve. To obtain the award, I had to complete a project to improve my community and log over 100 hours of community service. My project concentrated on casting light on career options for young girls that they’re often not taught about in school, especially surrounding the STEM fields. I planned and hosted a career fair, inviting different women of outstanding, often male-dominated career fields to speak about their experiences. In the end, I was awarded a high honor and an official ceremony, but most notably, a newfound awareness of craving to become more involved.

Since this, I’ve performed speeches in front of my school, recited poetry in front of crowds, and achieved so much more I never could have imagined. I’m a tenacious honors student who is always willing to push myself further and seek new opportunities. Though it took me time to discover my path, I’m now on the road to becoming someone I never thought I could be. Though the young, hesitant girl inside of me is still frightened, the passionate activist in me can’t wait to discover what the future holds.