PRIDE MONTH SPOTLIGHT WITH JUSTIN ZEIGLER, MADISON PRIDE AND MADISON YOUTH & FAMILY SERVICES
This Pride Month, United Way of Greater New Haven is highlighting local organizations within our network who are working hard to celebrate and support queer communities in Connecticut.
We sat down and talked with Justin Zeigler, Positive Youth Development Coordinator at Madison Youth & Family Services, and Community Member of Madison Pride, on the origins of his work fostering safe spaces for queer youth, what it means to celebrate and show up for the queer community, and the importance of intentional, inclusive dialogue in supporting our loved ones as they navigate the complexity of identity.
“I've been working with young people for 15 to 20 years professionally. At the time when the pride work started… I realized that the town could benefit from thinking through and working through issues of diversity. So a friend of mine and I co-created, together with the rest of a community, an organization that we refer to as Madison Diversity and Inclusion Coalition. So different members of the town would meet on a monthly basis, and think about issues of diversity and inclusion in the town of Madison.”
Based on community feedback, along with his personal experiences working with youth at Madison’s Public Schools, Justin realized there was a need for youth to feel seen, heard and celebrated. At one of the town-wide coalition meetings, one of the students Justin worked with brought awareness to the fact that there was a lack of public celebration around Madison’s queer community, something front-facing, something to make all of Madison’s residents feel supported and uplifted. Justin recalls the student stating that “ ‘A big event would help us be clear about that.’ So that's actually where the idea of a Madison Pride came about. And from there it just kind of grew.” Now Madison Pride is coming up on its fourth year this fall. “Madison Pride is its own nonprofit now that functions in the town of Madison. It is an annual event that our community expects in October every year to celebrate Queer History Day. So we focus our pride around that weekend.”
Madison Pride happens once a year, but the work to foster inclusion, belonging, and critical dialogue among the town’s queer community takes place all year round. “Through Madison Youth & Family Services, we are the agency that provides leadership and staffing to the two youth pride groups that we have in town. A colleague of mine runs our high school group, and I co-run our middle school group that we call Rainbow Lounge for sixth grade - eighth grade students. In that group, they are able to come during their lunch to a really private space and work with us. And sometimes it's just about having fun, and sometimes it is creating a safe space to talk about issues that they're having at home or issues that they're having in school. Other times it is literally just educating and having conversations around ‘what does it mean to come out?’”
Justin highlights the fact that establishing a foundational understanding of LGBTQIA+ terminology can often be the first step in making youth feel included “[It’s about] being aware that when I say LGBTQ some of these people 1. Don't know what that means and 2. Don’t know how to find themselves in that spectrum.” He notes the importance of outlining that identity is fluid and oftentimes a journey of lifelong discovery: “I have found it to be really powerful and really important to say, you could be on the spectrum… you or I could identify in one area of this today and not tomorrow, and all of that is loved and accepted here, and we'll help you, we'll be with you as you figure it out.”
For all of his expertise, Justin offers actions that everyone can implement in their daily lives to make colleagues, family, friends and neighbors in the queer community feel included, heard and supported. He makes his message clear: “It’s about all of the little things. I think especially our straight friends can feel as though they have to show up to some kind of demonstration, to prove that they're an ally.” He notes that this solidarity has its place, but sometimes it is about continuous, seemingly-minute actions that show support in settings beyond predominantly queer spaces; “I actually feel way more supported when I get an email and someone's pronouns are in their signature line … I feel really loved and supported when somebody asks permission before they ask a question. My friends that I feel loved and supported by, they go, ‘this might be an uncomfortable question, can I ask you an uncomfortable question?’ That feels really great.”
Supporting our youth to feel accepted in their identities and equipped to be an ally can look a little different: “I've talked to parents before, and sometimes it’s about being really clear on your family values, when those family values include loving and welcoming all kinds of families. And being very vocal about it and very clear about it. You don't have to say, in this family, we are allies. Instead doing things like pointing out that you have queer friends, and being very clear that that's part of our family culture.” He continues on the importance of intentional allyship: “And pointing out that that is what you do as a family - the expectation that love is a value that we live out in our daily lives. I think when I work with families, that's the bit, the, ‘Well, what do I do? How do I help my kids be allies?’ You just point out that that is what you do as a family. And you live it out, and you do whatever you can to do that.”
UWGNH is proud to work alongside Greater New Haven Youth Network member, Madison Youth & Family Services, as well as Madison PRIDE, in their ongoing efforts to create inclusionary spaces for their residents. We applaud their work to uplift both the hardships and achievements navigated by the queer community, while shining light on our shared responsibility to continue the work. A special thank you to Justin Zeigler, a partner and contributing member to the Greater New Haven Youth Network, for his participation and insight.
To learn more about Madison Youth & Family Services, you can find more information here. If you’d like to support Madison Pride, you can donate or get involved here. Finally, Justin offers one of the best ways to lend your support with Madison Pride coming up in October; “With Madison Pride, just come. Come, and hang out, and have fun!”
Follow Madison Pride / Madison Youth & Family Services on Social Media:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/madctpride/ https://www.instagram.com/madisonyouthfamilyservices/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MadisonYouthandFamilyServices
