Community Center has embraced youth involvement and leadership in its Coffeehouse series. Watching this group of kids dancing, chatting, and building friendships is one of Lilja's most powerful memories of recent years. Eldridge has similar favorite moments. City Hall was even more wildly successful than the first. Outright serves adults as well as youth in many ways.
Few organizations play a similar role in educating the educators and the larger community.
Still Much to Be Done Amidst the progress, there are cautionary notes. In addition, today's youth face new challenges. Brauer worries about the new climate of 'cool to be cruel' in schools and the possibility for violence embedded in a radical right backlash around gay marriage. Immense media attention to queer identities has created certain expectations among today's youth. Because of the circumstances in Vermont, there's an attitude that it's safe for everybody to be out.