If you're young and gay, lesbian, bisexual, two-spirit, transgender, queer, questioning, intersexed or a straight ally, there's a hip and safe Downtown hangout for you.
It's called Eon Youth Lounge, and it's for people age 13 to 23. The community center is a collaborative effort of Wingspan, Southern Arizona AIDS Foundation, CODAC Behavioral Health Services, Pima County Health Department and the Southwest Institute for Research on Women. All the Eon staffers are employees of the various support organizations and trained to deal with youth issues.
Eon's mission is to promote the health and well-being of LGBT youth by providing sexual-health information, counseling, homeless youth support and social events.
"It just makes sense to bring it all together and keep the messages around health, education and support," said Kelli "JC" Olson, a 28-year-old youth program coordinator.
People are also reading…
Eon began in 1994 as the Gay Young Men's Project. In 1997, it expanded to include young lesbian and transgender youth and changed its name to QueerVoice. In 2001, the program secured its first solo location and changed its name to Eon in 2003.
"In a lot of ways we're a bridge for youth to come in and enter into services that they would normally be intimidated by," Olson said. "It's a way for youth to get connected."
Seventeen-year-old Christoff Raidy knows that connection well. Not only did he rely on the resources from the homeless youth advocate when he was about to get kicked out of his home, but he's made many friends from across the city at Eon, where he regularly hangs out.
Eon's resources, which include a job-listings bulletin board, helped him get on his feet and settle into his own apartment. He recently earned his GED and plans to start college soon.
"It all started with this place, I think," he said.
Eon has helped Raidy blossom in more ways than one.
"I was shy when I was younger and learning about who I was and my sexuality. I was very introverted and now I'm very social," said Raidy, who first came to the lounge in 2003.
He encourages other youth to check it out.
"There's reassurance that it's OK to be who you are, and you can influence what other people think about you," said Raidy, who helps out with Eon events like dances, sexual-health workshops and drag king and queen pageants. "Project good things, and they'll think good things. Be the creative, funny, talkative, friendly person you are."
The community center offers an environment for youth to hang out, listen to music, use computers, play video games make art and goof around.
It's also a safe place to be. Eon does not publish its address, and visitors to the lounge must be buzzed in.
"We just want to take extra precautions, although we haven't had any problems," said Olson, the youth program coordinator.
Dwight Robinson, 19, didn't have many gay friends outside of his high school when he started coming to Eon a couple years ago. In addition to making friends, he has participated in a drug prevention program, a leadership workshop and an activist group that's promoting youth voter registration.
"I've learned a lot here. When I first started coming I didn't know what drag was or what transgendered means. It's broadened my mind and taught me more about the community," Robinson said.
● How youth can get involved at Eon youth lounge:
1. Call 620-6245 to introduce yourself and find out the location.
2. Attend a mandatory orientation about Eon's resources and services (5 p.m. Saturdays).
3. Attend the support group at 3 p.m. Saturdays.
safe hangout
