Pride Today, Pride Everyday.

A week ago, on June 7th, we celebrated youth, the lives they lead, and the stories they tell.

We felt it important to share the words spoken at the Scenarios Awards / Gala by some of the young people and adult allies who were honored. These words are especially poignant in the wake of the hate crime in Orlando where 49 LGBTQI lives were extinguished (remember them, and learn about them here.)

These words reinforce why living one’s truth and telling one’s story is at the core of the work of Scenarios.

Alexandra Shapiro, Scenarios Board Member / NBCUniversal EVP of Digital and Marketing, USA Network and SyFy / REAL DEAL Honoree

Image may be NSFW.
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“Through Scenarios curriculum, stories, and films the organization gives youth license and agency to engage in one of the most fundamental human acts – civilized personal expression. Through ways big and small Scenarios let young people know that their lives matter. Their opinions have meaning. And that they are worthy of more.”

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Clik here to view.Skyler Edge, 18 years old, Cleveland REAL DEAL writer of House Not Home

“As a transman, ‘House Not Home’ is everything I wish I had when I first came out. When I started writing House Not Home, I struggled with how to express my identity to people who might not care or understand. I wrote this story to illustrate the transphobia that trans kids face. It’s powerful to have a transgender character to look up to as a kid in the LGBT community.”

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Clik here to view.Joshua Butler (The Magician, The Vampire Diaries), Director of House Not Home / REAL DEAL Honoree

“I said yes [to being a Scenarios director], and there began an amazing journey. I met the amazing young writer Skyler Edge, who had written a story giving voice to modern-day trans teenagers discovering who they are inside. This story became the film ‘House Not Home’, and one month after we finished shooting it, a Cincinnati teenager killed herself by walking in front of a truck on a dark highway.

Her name was Leelah Alcorn. Leelah left an incredibly emotional suicide note on Tumblr, which was also a call to action and we quote it at the beginning of ‘House Not Home’:

‘The only way I will rest in peace is if one day transgender people aren’t treated the way I was, they’re treated like humans, with valid feelings and human rights. Gender needs to be talked about in schools, the earlier the better. My death needs to mean something.’
Leelah’s words are being read in high school classrooms all across the country. And Skyler, your story is being told to so many people that need to hear it.”

Scenarios is celebrating Pride Month by offering LGBTQ youth-written films, including Veracity and House Not Home, for free for the month of June: http://bit.ly/pridescenarios as well as our Asking for Help and Healing lesson plan from our Love and Solidarity Curriculum : http://bit.ly/helpandhealing

ScenariosUSA is a nonprofit that uses film and writing to amplify youth voices on social justice issues.