Student Workshops

This interactive workshop provides an introduction to the LGBT community by defining common terminology, explaining the difference between sexual orientation and gender identity, and exploring both risk factors and resiliencies. The training will conclude with a discussion of best practices to create safer and more supportive environments for LGBT people.

*Session 1 only

Know your rights under one of the world's most robust civil rights laws. Learn about protections against discrimination in areas of employment, housing, public accommodations, as well as prohibitions against discriminatory harassment and bias-based profiling by law enforcement. We will cover all of the nearly 30 protected classes, with a focus on sexual orientation and gender identity & expression.

*Session 1 only

Session 1 (HIGH SCHOOL ONLY!!!): A drag storyteller will read excerpts from a Young Adult book and lead a discussion on the book's themes, with interactive activities.

Session 2 (MIDDLE SCHOOL ONLY!!!): A drag storyteller will read excerpts from a Middle Grade book and lead a discussion on the book's themes, with interactive activities.

Join the Alice Austen House teaching artists to discover our LGBTQ+ photographic storytelling program and learn about lesbian photographer Alice Austen (1866-1952). Students will connect with our GSA leaders and take their own portraits. Photographs will be printed to take home at the conclusion of the workshop. Teachers are welcome to join the session.

Students will be given an introduction to how queerness has played a role in the world of superheroes, then will be given materials to create their own capes, masks. and flags to represent their own super powers and super identities.

Using an amalgam of grounding meditation exercises and art therapy techniques, this workshop will provide foundational mindfulness skills as well as a means to express meaningful imagery that creates a sense of emotional safety.

While respecting others’ boundaries is an important way to build trust and intimacy, being able to set boundaries is also an act of self-love. Setting a personal boundary is a skill that improves with practice and in this interactive session, students will discuss the components of an effective boundary, examine the importance of setting boundaries, and practice boundary setting in a safe, instructional space.

Is love really that important? What about love for oneself, love for your community, and those around you? This workshop will talk about different definitions of love, brainstorm healthy boundaries in friendships and romantic connections, and discuss the idea of chosen family.

This educational and interactive training will improve understanding of the unique experiences of people who identify as transgender, gender non-conforming and non-binary (TGNCNB). We will discuss some of the various ways in which TGNCNB people may or may not transition and how to support each person’s individual journey. Topics covered will include knowledge of the social and health needs of the community, creating safer and more affirming spaces, and identifying local TGNCNB affirming resources.

This interactive workshop is a game that provides a deep dive into the history of LGBT People. Students will learn about various landmark events for the LGBT community going back hundreds of years, discovering that various issues related to LGBT people are not new to today.

This workshop will address dating while young and queer. What to look for in a partner and how to stay safe in the world of queer dating. We will discuss how to communicate, what consent looks like, and the sexual health rights of LGBTQ+ youth.

This workshop will be a fun and interactive way to encourage healthy relationships and friendships among LGBTQ youth.

Within this session, through a team building exercise, club members will further develop their sense of community and belonging by connecting to each other via providing compliments. Furthermore, by then drafting individual or group affirmations, club members will further develop their sense of self-worth & self-esteem. The session ends with LGBTQ+ focused self care tips.

In this session, participants will learn about the legacy of Marsha P. Johnson, Sylvia Rivera, and others who fought for LGBTQ+ rights during the Stonewall uprising and the years following. We'll take a look at the causes of the uprising and discuss what the actions of these historical figures can teach us about advocating for the LGBTQ+ community. Participants will then take part in a mini advocacy training exercise where we'll highlight the creation of Stonewall National Monument as an example.

Drag has been around forever...right? When did drag actually begin, and when did drag as we know it now begin?

Led by drag and trans artists, this workshop will take you on a journey through time as we look at where drag started, drag icons through history, and what the future of drag holds for all of us.

*Session 2 only

This session will use youth created videos showcasing scenarios where the issue of consent arises. Participants will explore the topic of sexual consent, communication, and learn what a "no" can look like.

*High School only

*Session 1 only

In the screening workshop, we aim to eliminate stigma around self-harm, start a conversation about mental wellness for those who engage in self-harm and those who may support, love, and interact with them. According to WebMD, the rate of self-harm among LGBTQIA+ teens (38-53%) is twice as high than for heterosexual teens (10-20%).

*High school only

*Session 1 only

From ancient to modern times, systems of oppression have sought to either repress sexuality, or to use sexuality to achieve their oppressive goals. In this workshop we will discuss some of this historical context, and how the same tools used to dismantle oppression in history may be used to dismantle it today. This workshop contains potentially-triggering content and mentions power imbalances in sexuality, the Nazi Party, the AIDS crisis, and modern-day anti-LGBTQ organizations.

*High school only

*Session 2 only

The Pandemic Puppet Project allowed space for queer youth members to gather in community to process their grief and bereavement in relation to Covid-19 artfully and creatively. During their time together, the group worked to co-create a piece of virtual theatre using theatre, playwriting, puppetry and drama therapy techniques. LGBTQAI+ youth members engaged with their personal and collective narratives of isolation, grief, and loss connected to the enduring pandemic.

The presentation will offer a screening of the performance, followed by a thoughtful reflection on grief work and Covid-19, and will conclude with group experiential work using expressive arts therapies.

*High school only

*Session 2 only