Sunrise
Sunrise is more than a place – it's the physical embodiment of our promise to LGBTQ+ youth that they belong and deserve to thrive.
Here's why Sunrise matters to LGBTQ+ youth.
URGENCY OF NOW!
It's a critical moment for LGBTQ+ youth in Vermont and nationwide.
The Vermont Department of Health’s 2023 Youth Risk Behavior Assessment (YRBS), shows that LGBTQ+ youth are at a higher risk of self-harm, school absenteeism, and harassment compared to their heterosexual and cisgender peers.
Here's what the YRBS tells us:
28% of middle and high school students identify as LGBTQ+, but they face devastating despiraties.
High schools students report:
- Only 42% believe they matter to people in their community
- Are 3x more likely to self harm
- 1 in 7 attempted suicide in the past year
Add to that the level of systemic vitriol coming down from the Administration and we have a crisis of safety and belonging.
It doesn’t have to be that way.
DISPARITIES EXIST
We know disparities among youth are not because of who they are, but because the structure isn’t built for them to thrive.
That’s why Outright works at multiple levels to create systemic change.
Here is our prevention model.
DEMAND
Too often LGBTQ+ youth are left out or sidelined.
Youth come to Outright from Vermont and around the country - not just because they can’t find support where they are, but because we center youth voice and build transformative experiences.
We have seen a significant increase in demand across all our programs. The time to scale is right now.
The Opportunity
Expanding across Vermont and beyond.
Outright Vermont has been youth-centered for 36 years. We know programming for LGBTQ+ youth, and the power of nature to helps us all unfurl.
This is the moment when a dedicated, permanent space for year-round programming matters - even if and when the administration pushes us out of schools and community centers.
Our Model at Sunrise is a homecoming for all.
Here's what it offers.
Discovering Self & Peer Connections
Sunrise will become a year-round sanctuary where young people can experience belonging, joy, and meaningful connection. Through safe spaces for authentic self-expression, participants are encouraged to explore who they are, build trusted peer relationships, and grow with confidence in a community that celebrates them exactly as they are.
Strengthening Families
Sunrise is a grounded space where families can step away from daily pressures and spend meaningful time together. Through immersive family weekends, learning opportunities for parents and caregivers, and experiences that bring multiple generations together, this space fosters healing, resilience, and deeper connections that carry forward into everyday life.
Transforming Communities & Systems
Sunrise is a dedicated place where young people can gather, learn, organize, and lead together. On shared land designed for retreat, training, and community-building, participants engage in leadership intensives, regional youth organizing, and cross-state collaboration that nurture connection, inspire collective action, and help grow models for more just and inclusive communities everywhere.
A Vision Taking Shape
What began as a bold idea imagined by LGBTQ+ youth is now becoming a place that will serve generations to come. These architectural renderings offer a first glimpse into the future home of our camp, educational, and retreat programming, a campus intentionally designed to foster belonging, connection, healing, and queer joy.
More than a bunch of buildings, this future site represents a powerful investment in possibility. Every space has been envisioned to support transformative experiences for young people, families, and communities: places to gather, learn, celebrate, reflect, and grow. Rooted in the voices and aspirations of the youth who inspired its creation, the Sunrise embodies a vision of radical hope - a tangible expression of what becomes possible when communities dare to build for the future they want to see.
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