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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, OutYouth in Austin is celebrating its 35th |
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anniversary in 2025; and |
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WHEREAS, A nonprofit dedicated to supporting young people in |
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the LGBTQIA+ community, OutYouth was founded in April 1990 by Lisa |
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Rogers and Jay Erwin-Grotsky, who sought to provide area youth with |
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a safe place to meet peers with similar experiences and to share |
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their personal stories; the organization initially operated out of |
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living rooms and libraries, and after quickly outgrowing those |
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spaces, it was housed in the University YWCA and later in the |
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Metropolitan Community Church at Austin's LGBT Community Center; by |
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the end of its first decade, the organization had moved to its |
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current location, the Little Blue Bungalow house in North Central |
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Austin; and |
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WHEREAS, Over the years, OutYouth has served more than 40,000 |
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young people along with their families, friends, and trusted |
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adults; the organization has established a number of beneficial |
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programs, such as the nation's first toll-free suicide hotline for |
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LGBTQIA+ youth as well as the Jerry Strickland Jr. Memorial |
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Library, which has grown to become one of the largest privately |
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managed collections of its kind in Texas; in 2001, OutYouth began |
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offering mental health counseling services, which have expanded to |
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include family therapy, support groups, and the Be YOU curriculum; |
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the organization also launched the Texas Gender & Sexuality |
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Alliance Network in 2005 to support students in middle and high |
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schools across the state, and in 2024, it created a Media Arts |
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Program to help individuals express themselves through films, |
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podcasts, music, video games, websites, and other media; and |
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WHEREAS, For three and a half decades, OutYouth has |
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demonstrated a steadfast commitment to fostering inclusivity and |
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empowering LGBTQIA+ youth, and this special milestone is truly |
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worthy of recognition; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 89th Texas |
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Legislature hereby commemorate the 35th anniversary of OutYouth and |
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extend to all those affiliated with the organization sincere best |
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wishes for the future; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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prepared for OutYouth as an expression of high regard by the Texas |
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House of Representatives. |