Queer, Trans, & Allied Student Summit of the Central Coast — Fall 2023

The Queer Youth Task Force of Santa Cruz County, Safe Schools Project, and Our Gente (a program of the Epicenter of Monterey County) are proud to present a supportive space for LGBTQIA+ and allied youth in Monterey, San Benito, & Santa Cruz Counties.

Capybaras: A Nonjudgmental Look on Queer History

Saturday, September 30, 2023
9:30 am – 2:00 pm
Watsonville High School, Watsonville

Click the link to take you to this section of the page:

All High School & Middle School LGBTQIA+, Questioning, & Allied Students Welcome!

The Queer, Trans, & Allied Student Summit of the Central Coast is excited to be back in person for our Fall 2023 event on Saturday, September 30th from 9:30am to 2:00pm at Watsonville High School! This year our theme is “Capybaras: A Nonjudgmental Look on Queer History.” Join youth from Monterey, San Benito, and Santa Cruz counties as we come together to celebrate all identities and work towards a safer and more inclusive future for everyone under the LGBTQIA+ umbrella!

A free summit that is led by youth leaders from the tri-county area. This upcoming summit will provide students the opportunity to:

  • Experience workshops created by fellow youth and community organizers.
  • Meet students from throughout Santa Cruz County, Monterey County, and San Benito County — from Watsonville, Salinas, Soledad, Monterey, San Juan Bautista to Scotts Valley — who are working to help create safer schools in their communities!
  • Have access to a resource fair which provides useful support for LGBTQIA+ youth, allies, and families.
  • Empower and liberate lesbian, gay, bisexual, pansexual, trans, queer, intersex, asexual, questioning, and allied youth.
  • Each student who registers will receive a personalized goodie bag and free t-shirt with a custom design!

Breakfast, Snacks, and Lunch Provided!

Rainbow masks provided at registration!

Fall 2023 Student Summit PSA — Special thank you to the Watsonville High School Video Academy, WHS student Natalia Kosinski, and WHS Video Production Teacher, Val Mendoza. 

Find us on Facebook

For questions, contact:

  • Monterey County: Jacob Agamao / he/she/they / LGBTQ+ Services Coordinator, Our Gente, The Epicenter, Salinas / jacob@epicentermonterey.org or (831) 272-4295
  • Santa Cruz County: LGBTQIA+ Student Planning Committee, Queer, Trans, & Allied Student Summit of the Central Coast / CoordinateSummit@gmail.com or (831) 427-4004

The Fall 2023 Summit theme is “Capybaras: A Nonjudgmental Look on Queer History”

About the Theme: Students from the Fall 2023 Student Summit Planning Committee have chosen the theme as “Capybaras: A Nonjudgmental Look on Queer History.”

We all have something to learn from the kind temperament of capybaras, crowned the world’s friendliest animal. Capybaras embrace a community without judgment, something queer people struggle to create in the current climate, both politically and personally. A lot of conflicts that queer, and especially transgender, individuals face today are the same struggles we’ve faced throughout history. It’s important we recognize what battles we’ve fought and remember that they haven’t yet, and won’t ever, break us. With this summit and our resources and workshops, we want to highlight the rich history of our community, and to capture the resilient and loving essence of capybaras. We hope to provide a safe space for our youth to celebrate, learn, and be free of judgment.

  • Save your spot at the Queer, Trans, & Allied Student Summit of the Central Coast – Fall 2023!
  • Registration helps us prepare food (breakfast, snacks, and lunch), goodie-bags, and more!
  • Registration extended to Thursday, September 28 by 5:00 PM.
  • Limited Summit t-shirt and goodie bags!

Registration Open — Sign up Today!

Schedule for Student Summit

  • 9:30-10:00 am: Check-in, Breakfast & Resource Fair
  • 10:00-10:10 am: Transition
  • 10:10-10:40 am: Welcome & Keynote Speakers
  • 10:40-10:50 am: Transition
  • 10:50-11:20 am: Caucuses
  • 11:20-11:30 am: Transition
  • 11:30 am – 12:20 pm: Workshop Session #1
  • 12:20-12:30 pm: Transition
  • 12:30-1:20 pm: Workshop Session #2
  • 1:20-1:30 pm: Closing Ceremony
  • 1:30-2:00 pm: Catered Lunch & Resource Fair
  • 2:00 pm: End

Summit Emcees

Delmi (right): is a lesbian friend. Tall with fire hair. She is good at leading a room, confident and intelligent. Delmi is a student at Mount Madonna.

Noa (left) is a 14 years old at Mount Madonna and was born in Los Angeles, California. “I am a unique individual with a flair for fashion and artistic talent.”

Summit Keynote Speaker

Adam Spickler, they/he, Cabrillo College Trustee, 2023 Board Chair, Committees: Legislative Advocacy and Name Exploration, Elected Member, Santa Cruz County Democratic Party, Stand: Fairness | Equity | Cultural Humility

Adam Spickler

Adam Spickler was elected as a Cabrillo College Trustee in 2018 and was re-elected by a wide margin in 2022. Adam serves as the 2023 Cabrillo College Governing Board chair and is also the first openly transgender man elected to public office in California. Professionally, Adam is the Public Information and Governmental Relations Officer for the County of Santa Cruz’s Human Services Department where they have worked since 2013. Prior to this, Adam was a senior district staff for two state lawmakers.

Adam is also an elected member of Santa Cruz County’s Democratic Party, is on the governing board of Housing Santa Cruz County, is a former member of the California Democratic Party’s Affirmative Action Committee and served 3-terms as Board President of Santa Cruz County’s Diversity Center. Adam and they’re husband Scott live near the Harbor in Santa Cruz with their dogs, Penny and Juno.

The Queer, Trans, & Allied Student Summit of the Central Coast is proud to announce the workshops & caucuses for the Fall 2023 summit taking place on September 30th:

Caucuses

10:50-11:20 am

Workshops

Session 1: 11:30 am-12:20 pm

Session 2: 12:30-1:20 pm

Students and community members under 18 were encouraged to submit a design for the upcoming Queer, Trans, and Allied Student Virtual Summit of the Central Coast — Fall 2023.

The design contest was open to all currently enrolled high school and middle school students located in Santa Cruz, San Benito, or Monterey county. All entries needed to incorporate the summit theme “Capybaras: A Nonjudgmental Look on Queer History.”

Congratulations!

We are pleased to announce the winner of the Fall 2023 t-shirt design contest and offer a warm congratulations to Carmen Diaz-Cashatt! Scroll down to meet the artist behind the wonderful winning t-shirt design for our upcoming Queer, Trans, and Allied Student Virtual Summit of the Central Coast!

About the Artist

Carmen Diaz-Cashatt

Carmen Diaz-Cashatt, They/them, attends high school in Santa Cruz and is a traditional artist and aspiring graphic designer. Check out their work at @carmendiazcashatt on Instagram.

The winning designer will receive a hoodie with the design and a $25 gift card.

QT Community Clothing Swap

You’re invited to the Summit’s Clothing Swap!

Through generous donations from our community partners, we can’t wait to welcome you into a luxury “shopping” experience — finding new-to-you clothes that fit your style and don’t cost you a cent. Feel free to bring a swap item or just bring yourself and your unique fashion sense!

Community Service Hours for Students

Accessibility Information

If you require anything accessibility-related (e.g.: sign language interpretation, captioning, or any other accommodations) please contact us at CoordinateSummit@gmail.com

Specific accommodation requests should be made by September 20, 2023.

The Safe Schools Project, a program of the Queer Youth Task Force, is committed to providing universal access to all of our events. Please contact us to request accessibility accommodations. Advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility needs.

In the News

  • Closet Free Radio
    • Stay tuned to KZSC 88.1 FM / Monday, September 25 / 7:00-8:00 pm
Logo

Learn About the Summit Organizers

Fall 2023 Student Summit Planning Committee — Students from Monterey County and Santa Cruz County, including students from Watsonville High School, Aptos High School, Scotts Valley High School, Soquel High School, and Carmel High School, are part of the planning committee. We thank them for their commitment, leadership, and work in planning the Summit during their weekly meetings!

  • Aaron Gonzales, any pronouns, Student, City of Watsonville, Santa Cruz County — Aaron uses any pronouns and is Non-binary. He enjoys baking and cooking, and they also like helping others learn more about the LGBTQIA+ youth community.
  • Daphne Johnson, any pronouns, Student, City of Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz County — Daphne is a rising senior in high school, where they enjoy working in their leadership class/ASB, and clubs like the Queer-Straight Alliance and the Project LIT bookclub. She’s passionate about history, social science, and literature. They hope that college next year, majoring in sociology, brings both cool new classes and mosh pits where no one stomps on her glasses again.
  • Izzy Brandon, she/they, Student, City of Watsonville, Santa Cruz County — Izzy is a junior in high school who is an advocate for safe schools for the LGBTQIA+ community. In the future, she hopes to be a journalist and provide stories about her community.
  • Juniper Brown, he/they, Homeschool Student, Santa Cruz County — Juniper is a transgender homeschool student and uses he/they pronouns. He is extremely passionate about LGBTQIA+ and social justice issues, and dedicates a large part of his life to advocacy work. He has a special interest in cavies/Guinea pigs and loves practicing martial arts such as Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and boxing.
  • Sion Erkiletian, they/them/theirs, Student in Aptos, Santa Cruz County — Sion is a queer junior who has a burning passion for Social Justice and LGBTQIA+ rights. They enjoy playing with their cat and spending time with loved ones. Sion loves working for better futures in their community.
  • Zahir Sabbah, he/him, Student in Aptos, Santa Cruz County — Zahir Sabbah is a senior in high school. He enjoys traveling, learning about history and enjoys playing basketball. He plans to major in Data Science. He is passionate about environmental justice and diversity, equity, and inclusion for all.
  • Additional students TBA!

We are looking for additional students to join the Fall 2023 Student Summit Planning Committee – learn more here!

LGBTQIA+ Youth Programs in Monterey, San Benito & Santa Cruz Counties

Diversity Center Youth Program — Watsonville & Santa Cruz

Our Gente, a program of the Epicenter — Salinas

Queer Trans Health 831+

Queer Youth Updates – Monterey & Santa Cruz Counties

LGBTQIA+ & Ally Youth Calendar — 2023-2024

Check out the 2023-2024 LGBTQIA+ Youth Calendar — TBA soon!

Additionally, the Safe Schools Project is proud to present…

Parent/Guardian, Educators & Adult Allies Workshop

Understanding Gender

A free bilingual workshop for parents, guardians, adult allies, and educators who want a deeper understanding of gender and youth in Monterey, San Benito, & Santa Cruz Counties.

Saturday, September 30, 2023
9:30 am – 2:00 pm
Watsonville High School, Watsonville

Find us on Facebook

Simultaneous Spanish Translation provided

Información en Español

About the Parent/Guardian & Adult Allies Workshop

Understandings of gender are changing rapidly and it can be challenging to keep up! Parents might believe that they only have to pay attention to their child’s gender if it falls outside of traditional gender norms. While it is true that transgender, non-binary, and otherwise gender-expansive children are particularly at risk, every child is limited by traditional gender roles and stereotypes. Parents and allied adults play a crucial role in creating a safe and supportive environment for all young people around their gender.

We hope you’ll join us for a day of learning, conversation, and reflection about youth and gender.

Learn more about the Parent/Guardian, Educators, and Adult Allies Workshop

Registration Open!

Questions? Contact the Parent/Guardian Workshop organizers at Gendersummitsc@gmail.com or call (831) 427-4004.

Presented by TransFamilies of Santa Cruz County and the Safe Schools Project of Santa Cruz County

[smls id=”3065″]

Creating gender sensitive and inclusive environments for all children and teens

Summit Partners, Supporters, & Sponsors

Sponsored, in part, by the Santa Cruz County Office of Education (SCCOE), Gender Spectrum, and additional community organizations in Monterey, San Benito, & Santa Cruz Counties. Please check our complete list of partners, supporters, and sponsors — thank you!

[smls id=”3179″]

Monterey County

[smls id=”2386″]

San Benito County

[smls id=”2469″]

Santa Clara County

Santa Cruz County

[smls id=”2373″]

National LGBTQIA+ Organizations

[smls id=”2416″]

Sponsorship Opportunities

For information on how to become a sponsor at the Fall 2023 Summit, please email us at CoordinateSummit@gmail.com or call (831) 427-4004

Thank you Bay Federal Credit Union!

Bay Federal Credit Union volunteering at the Queer, Trans, & Allied Student Summit — Fall 2022
  • Special thank you to Bay Federal Credit Union who has volunteered for the Summit since 2019. In 2021, Bay Federal assembled and distributed over 160 summit goodie bags for the Fall 2021 Queer, Trans, & Allied Student Virtual Summit of the Central Coast! Their continued support of the Summit, helping with registration in 2019, with the virtual summit in 2020 and 2021, and once again volunteering in 2022 and 2023, is a tremendous boost and support. 

Student Summit Flyer Download

Please help spread the word by sharing via social media to your followers and fellow community members — help us reach students in Monterey, San Benito, & Santa Cruz Counties! Thank you.

Infographic Summit Poster for Instagram — JPG & PDF

Infographic Summit “Call for Workshops” for Instagram — JPG & PDF

Infographic Summit “Call for T-shirt Design” for Instagram — JPG & PDF

For downloadable JPGs and PDFs of all of our Summit flyers and Instagram infographics, visit our Summit Outreach Hub on the Safe Schools Project Website!

Volunteer at the Summit

Please help us make the Summit run smoothly. We are looking for volunteers to help with a few aspects of the event and if you have an hour or two to spare during the day of the event between 7:15 am – 3:00 pm on Saturday, September 30, 2023 at Watsonville High School in Watsonville, please contact contact the Fall 2023 Summit Volunteer Coordinator at CoordinateSummit@gmail.com or (831) 427-4004.

The Summit is providing transportation or arranging carpools for volunteers who sign up for multiple volunteer shifts. Please let us know in the sign up form if you need a ride or can offer a ride. Thank you!

—> Check out the volunteer opportunities & Sign Up Now HERE!

Archives of Past Summits

Thank you to school and elected officials from Monterey, Santa Clara & Santa Cruz Counties for supporting LGBTQIA+ students!

Student Summits

Parent/Guardian & Adult Allies Summits

Glitter Kids Camp

The Safe Schools Project is a program of the Queer Youth Task Force of Santa Cruz County.

(Edit)