The Appalachian Queer Youth Summit brings together young West Virginians who either identify as LGBTQ+ or come from LGBTQ+ families for a free summer camp, and gives them the tools they need to organize and advocate for the issues they care about.
Campers learn how to talk to legislators, run effective meetings, tell powerful stories, and more, and will participate in a collective action to better the lives of LGBTQ+ people after the camp concludes. Perhaps most importantly, AQYS campers get to be themselves for a week around people who understand them.
After the Summit, campers stay in touch virtually and work together on a collective action to better the lives of LGBTQ+ people in the state. If you would like to be a part of our online community during the year, please contact Mollie Kennedy at mkennedy@acluwv.org. Camp applications for 2023 will open sometime in the spring.
We are currently planning for our 2023 Appalachian Queer Youth Summit. Follow ACLU-WV and AQYS on Facebook for updates.