Episode Details

Did you assume college would be the safest place for your LGBTQ+ child, only to feel shaken by rising anti-LGBTQ+ sentiment, even on progressive campuses?

As Pride centers are defunded, book bans expand, and anti-trans legislation spreads, college is no longer the automatic safe space many parents hope for. In this urgent episode, Jorge Valencia shares his journey and the powerful work of the Point Foundation to support LGBTQ+ students with mentoring, scholarships, and advocacy.

✔️ Learn what parents often misunderstand about LGBTQ+ student life on college campuses

✔️ Discover how the Point Foundation is creating safe, affirming educational pathways

✔️ Understand why voting, advocacy, and allyship matter more than ever, especially now

✔️ Get practical resources and next steps to support LGBTQ+ students before, during, and after college

Listen now to discover what LGBTQ+ students need most right now and how you can be part of protecting their future, both on campus and beyond.

Takeaways:

• LGBTQ+ students are navigating rising hostility even at colleges once considered safe
• The Point Foundation provides vital scholarships, mentorship, and community support
• Many parents underestimate the emotional and political challenges LGBTQ+ students face
• Advocacy and civic engagement are essential to protecting queer youth’s future

Bio

Jorge Valencia serves as the Point Foundation’s Executive Director and CEO.  Before Point Foundation, Jorge served as Executive Director and CEO of The Trevor Project and has worked in the corporate, government, and nonprofit sectors. He brings to Point a wealth of experience in managing and growing nonprofit organizations, a proven ability to design and manage the infrastructure of expanding organizations, and extensive experience with, and sensitivity to, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) youth issues.

Important Links from this episode:

Point Foundation

Campus Pride

OutVote

Hi, I’m Heather Hester, and I’m so glad you’re here!

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