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  • Home
  • 40th Anniversary
  • Our Programs
    • U-21
    • HIV Emergency Project
  • About
    • Annual Reports
    • Board of Directors
  • Community Resources
  • Donate
  • Contact
  • Social Security News

U-21 Youth Program

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For more than thirty years, our U-21 program has provided one of the few places for Albuquerque’s LGBTQ+ youth to socialize in a safe, welcoming, and affirming environment. Every Friday night, participants under the age of 21, come together to hang out with friends and take part in events. Our events range from DnD nights to craft nights to cooking nights. We also have a thriving book club and a variety of guest speakers. 

​Participants in U-21 reflect a wide spectrum of race, religion, and socio-economic backgrounds. The participants are all different and understandably have different reasons for attending U-21.  Most young people come every Friday night because they enjoy playing games and socializing with their peers.  U-21 is a place where you can be fully you and have a great time. In a world where LGBTQ+ rights are still being debated and members of the community are still victims of prejudice and abuse, organizations such as U-21 are critical to the health and well-being of our city’s youth.

U-21 Calendar

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If you have questions about events please contact us. U-21 is observing current health and safety precautions.
 

U-21 Book Club

Every month U-21 participants vote on the book we'll be reading. Participants keep the book and are welcome to talk about the book however they feel comfortable. All books are LGBTQ+ and a great time to read. If you'd like to donate money to help us buy books please do so here. The April theme is Pansexual and Panromantic books and the pick is The Brilliant Death by A.R. Capetta. Feel free to see our book choice as well as the ones we considered below.
A city skyline borders the left and right edges of the photo. A blue back drop is behind the city skylines. We Could Be Heroes is across the whole cover in green and yellow gradient letters. Two human silhouettes hang from the word Be.
A dagger with a white feather for a blade sits behind the words The Brilliant Death in thin script. A raven is on the hilt of the dagger with its wings unfurled. A gold backdrop with slightly lighter gold swirls sits behind it all.
The backdrop is purple. The top half has the words Miss Meteor in whimsical script. The bottom half has a compact mirror sitting open on a vanity table surrounded by hairspray, a comb, a cupcake, lipstick, and other makeup products. In the compact one side shows a young feminine presenting individual with short black hair popping their collar. The other side shows a young feminine presenting individual with long black hair swirling a lock of hair with their finger.

"It Gets Better" U-21 Alumni Video

Hear U-21 alumni talk about how it gets better, and how U-21 played an important role in their lives.

For Parents:

The U-21 youth program is facilitated by an inspiring group of volunteers that have all been vetted by the Program Director and agree to abide by strict confidentiality policies. Facilitators have access to resources including several licensed counselors and contacts at the Children Youth and Families Department, should the need arise to refer a matter out to a trained social worker.
Do you have questions about raising an LGBTQ+ youth?  You are not alone.  There are lots of resources that you can access to get answers to questions.

   Parent-only Facebook group
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You can discuss issues with other parents by joining our parent-only Facebook group. Our Facebook group is a great place to find useful resources, ask questions, and make connections. Updates about the U-21 schedule as well as changes due to weather or other emergencies will be posted there as well. All discussions and posts are confidential. Your children do not have access to the page.