Village Spotlight: LYRIC

For 35 years, our client LYRIC has provided LGBTQQ+ youth and young people in the Bay Area with access to a holistic network of social, economic, health, and educational resources. Last program year alone, LYRIC engaged 2,000 youth through their identity-affirming after-school community groups, career exploration and leadership development internships, healthcare access, and housing navigation work.

LYRIC’s work remains critical at a time where, as of today, the ACLU is tracking 515 anti-LGTBQ bills across the United States. In the face of increased need from young people fleeing discrimination and violence in their communities of origin approximately 40% of their Housing Navigation’s team caseload are young people from outside of San Francisco seeking safety and resources. In addition to the national political atmosphere, LYRIC is alsopreparing for drastic budget cuts that threaten to eliminate its life-sustaining career exploration and leadership development programs from the City of San Francisco. Nevertheless, because marginalized people have always had to navigate obstacles while finding and creating joy in life, LYRIC gathered its community to kick off Pride for their Pride Pour wine-tasting fundraising event. Attendees had the opportunity to taste some of the best Napa and Sonoma wines, connect with their community, and hear from past LYRIC participants like The One and Only Rexy.

LGTBQQ+ youth-serving organizations like LYRIC exist year round, not just in June, to ensure there are identity-affirming spaces where LGBTQQ+ youth are embraced for who they are and encouraged to be who they want to be.