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Charis, Campaign for Southern Equality, and Georgia Equality welcome Alexis Stratton, Adam Polaski, Liz Williams, and Van Williams for a reading and panel discussion of Trans Kids, Our Kids: Stories and Resources from the Frontlines of the Movement for Transgender Youth. This much needed collection of stories and resources shares the stories of transgender youth and their families, exploring the choices they are making to survive in today's environment.

Over the past few years, we have witnessed a growing wave of anti-LGBTQ+ bills and policies across the United States. According to the ACLU, in 2023 alone, 507 anti-LGBTQ bills were proposed in 47 states; among these, 84 have been passed into law.

The targets of many of these legislative attacks have been the most vulnerable among us--transgender and LGBTQ+ youth. From "Don't Say Gay" laws to healthcare restrictions, anti-LGBTQ+ policies are impacting trans and queer youth in almost every sphere of their lives, including the medical care they can access, the sports teams they can play on, what they are allowed to talk about in the classroom, and the books they are allowed to check out from the library. The results of this discrimination are often deadly, with over half of transgender and non-binary youth seriously contemplating suicide, and many others falling victim to violent hate crimes inspired by this hostile climate.

Trans Kids, Our Kids: Stories and Resources from the Frontlines of the Movement for Transgender Youth shares the stories of transgender youth and their families, exploring the choices they are making to survive in today's environment. The book also gives voice to the medical providers who are providing care to transgender youth, as well as the activists, teachers and faith leaders who are leading the resistance efforts.

By contextualizing and sharing these stories, as well as offering resources and next steps, Trans Kids aims to both narrativize the pain and fear experienced by everyday Americans in this cultural moment, as well as highlighting the courage, hope, and resilience of transgender and LGBTQ+ youth, their families, and the people who support them.

Alexis Stratton (they/them) has an MFA in Creative Writing from the University of South Carolina in Columbia, SC, and their stories and essays have appeared in storySouth, Hayden's Ferry Review, Matador Review, and Oyez Review, among other publications. In 2022, their chapbook Anywhere Else but Here was published by Fjords Review, and in 2023, they won the James River Writers’ and Richmond Magazine’s Best Unpublished Novel Contest. Alexis lives in Richmond, VA, where they work as a freelance writer and an LGBTQ+ rights advocate.

Adam Polaski (he/him) is the Communications & Political Director for the Campaign for Southern Equality. Throughout his career he has provided communications support to a wide range of nonprofit organizations, including Freedom to Marry, The Brigid Alliance, the Local Solutions Support Center, GLSEN, and Freedom for All Americans. He has been recognized for Excellence in Online Journalism by the National Gay & Lesbian Journalists Association, and his writing has been published in Hello Mr., The Seventh Wave, The Bilerico Project, and Love Unites Us, an anthology book about the marriage movement. He graduated summa cum laude with a degree in journalism from Ithaca College and now lives in Asheville, NC.

Liz Williams (she/they) is the Director of Southern Equality Studios. Through means of photography, digital mixed media, and graphic design, Liz seeks to collaborate with her community and create uplifting artwork and conversation reflective of the LGBTQ identity and the nuances of it. In doing so, she creates work that is a catalyst for empowerment and positive change. Liz is also the recipient of a Campaign for Southern Equality Artist grant after winning the 2018 Summer Pride design contest and has provided design work for several other projects through CSE and other queer run organizations and businesses including QORDS, Lightning Bolt Ink, Tranzmission, and Equality North Carolina.

Dr. Van Bailey (they/them) is an award-winning educator, policy analyst, and trailblazer. Their speeches, content, and workshops relate to LGBTQ+ visibility, mental health, youth advocacy, and intersectionality. They have experience overseeing offices that address implicit bias, LGBTQ+ equity,  and diversity and inclusion. Dr. Bailey was listed in the Out 100 and Business Equality Magazine’s 40 under 40. Additionally, they have been featured in Buzzfeed, theGrio, DapperQ, Out Magazine, Grapevine TV, NBC, USA Today, NPR, iHeartRadio, and the Boston Globe. They are a mental health advocate and are looking to carve out more spaces for queer and trans people to thrive in the world. Dr. Bailey holds a BA from Denison University in English and Black Studies, an MA from the Ohio State University in Higher Education and Student Affairs, and a Doctorate in Educational Leadership from California State University – Northridge.

The event is free and open to all people, but we encourage and appreciate a donation of $5-20 in support of the work of Charis Circle, our programming non-profit. Donate on crowdcast or via our website: www.chariscircle.org/donate or in person at the event.

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Trans Kids, Our Kids: Stories and Resources from the Frontlines of the Movement for Transgender Youth --  a panel discussion featuring Alexis Stratton,  Adam Polaski, Liz Williams, and Van Bailey