wayOUT Los Angeles was founded in 2019 as the third local chapter in the wayOUT family. With chapter members from an incredibly diverse background, wayOUT LA has become a family to each other while staking a claim in the Los Angeles LGBTQ+ community.

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It may be LaLaLand, but this group has their feet firmly on the ground and is ready to fundraise again in 2020.

ABOUT wayOUT LOS ANGELES

LGBTQ IN LA

LGBT culture in Los Angeles has deep roots in the counterculture movement of the 1960s. Los Angeles endured the countercurrents of the 1960s as much as any other city in the country. More specifically, LA's Queer culture became visible and highly politicized in response to a string of violent bar raids that took place on Sunset Strip in the 60s. Today, West Hollywood may serve as the heart of the LGBTQ+ community in Los Angeles, but our chapter members come from all over the city to collaborate and work towards empowering queer youth.

Every gay and lesbian person who has been lucky enough to survive the turmoil of growing up is a survivor. Survivors always have an obligation to those who will face the same challenges.

— Bob Paris

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the  wayOUT  cookbook

wayOUT Los Angeles is proud to present the first ever wayOUT Cookbook. All proceeds from this dazzling book benefit Youth Oasis. Read below to learn more about Youth Oasis! Want to send us a recipe for next year? You can send it here!

chapter values

wayOUT LA has selected Youth Oasis in Baton Rouge, LA as its 2020 Grant Recipient. Youth Oasis is Louisiana's first LGBTQ+ affirming youth shelter. During the grant application process, the LA team was especially taken with Youth Oasis' focus on supporting intersectional communities as well as their creative problem solutions to state and local barriers when serving LGBTQ+ youth.

Youth Oasis was founded as Baton Rouge Alliance for Transitional Living in 1998 by members of local social service agencies and universities who saw the need for a transitional living program for young adults aging out of foster care. In 2002, a basic emergency shelter was added to provide support to at-risk youth ages 10-17. The organization become known as Youth Oasis in 2003 and officially changed its name in 2011.

In 2016, the transitional living program was expanded to include services unique to the LGBTQ+ community and branded “Diversity House”. Today, Youth Oasis remains true to its foundation of breaking the cycle of homelessness in our community and state by operating the foster youth shelter, transitional living center, and Diversity House.

WAYOUT LA X YOUTH OASIS

HOW WILL YOUTH OASIS BE USING THE GRANT?

Youth Oasis will be putting funds raised by wayOUT towards expanding the Diversity House at Youth Oasis. Given state and local regulations, Youth Oasis must be extra vigilant in  providing safe spaces for queer youth. To work around the "red-tape" regulations, Youth Oasis has created a separate housing unit for LGBTQ+ youth that allows these children and young adults to remain in spaces that align with there gender and sexual identity. Here's a glance at how far your donation can go:

CURRENT EVENTS & PROJECTS SUPPORTING YOUTH OASIS

PREVIOUS GRANT RECIPIENTS

In 2019, wayOUT Los Angeles raised over $81,000 for OUT Memphis in Memphis, TN. The funds raised were used to further support the services of the Metamorphosis Project, a Youth Emergency & Housing Center. Funds provided additional beds, services, and supplies.

In 2019, OUT Memphis saw...