In this episode of Just Breathe, I welcome Jorge Valencia, Executive Director and CEO of Point Foundation. Jorge shares his journey from being raised in a Mormon family in Texas to leading prominent LGBTQ+ organizations like the Trevor Project and Point Foundation. The discussion delves into the challenges and needs of LGBTQ+ youth, focusing on the importance of community, mentoring, and educational support. Jorge emphasizes the role of voting and advocacy in protecting LGBTQ+ rights and provides resources for students and families seeking support. The episode concludes with a call to action for allies to remain active and vocal in the fight for equality.

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

Summary:

00:00 Welcome and Introduction

01:35 Meet Jorge Valencia: Background and Journey

03:57 The Trevor Project: Beginnings and Impact

05:20 Transition to Point Foundation

08:47 Challenges Faced by LGBTQ Students

11:23 Mentorship and Support Programs

15:10 The Importance of Voting and Advocacy

19:36 Finding Community and Support

27:28 Final Thoughts and Call to Action

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Jorge Valencia

So grab a pad of paper and a pen and enjoy. Jorge, I am so delighted to have you with me today and I cannot wait to have this conversation, both because I'm so curious and my audience is this is just, so much good information to share. So welcome to just Breathe. Thank you so much for coming on the show. Thank you. It's such an honor.

I'd love to start with just your background. Who are you? And, a little bit about how you grew up, how you got into what you're doing, and then we'll really get into that because it's so, so cool.

You know? I have to say, reading, reading your story and, and Connor's story and your journey, I can relate so much. Growing up, I felt different, you know, not only because I was Mormon, but because I was gay at the time. I didn't. Recognized myself as a gay person. I just knew I was different. And growing up in a religious environment, it wasn't, it wasn't very easy.

I worked in the for-profit sector in Washington, dc. Then I worked in the Clinton administration as a political appointee, and then it just so happened that some managers and agents wanted me to use my fluency in Spanish, Portuguese, and English, so they signed me up.

Moved to LA and in the course of trying to do the whole acting thing, you know, one needed to live right and be able to put food on the table. And I got this job at a nonprofit and that led to attending an event for the Trevor Project. They were looking for their first employee. I applied, they took a chance on me.

That's a, Celeste was just on the show a few months ago. I love Celeste. I mean, right. Just kind of a magical human. One of the ones that that hired me actually. So, yes. So cool. It's such a small world. That is amazing. So you really got to help shape what Trevor Project. Is today. I was a part of that, you know, with with a very committed board.

And it was, a love of mine to do what we were able to do. of course it was. I love that so much. So, you know, the Trevor Project with which, everybody listening knows because I talk about it like a crazy person all the time. but moving from that space into point Foundation, which is really working on and looking at, scholarships.

Correct? Yes. Correct. talk a little bit about that. Your listeners obviously know that the Trevor Project is the nation's largest suicide prevention helpline for gay and questioning teens. And Point Foundation is the nation's largest scholarship granting organization for L-G-B-T-Q students.

But one of the reasons why I ended up going to Point Foundation was because I remember. Hearing about those calls to the Trevor Project when I was there, I would listen in on some, and for many young people, they had no role models. For many of them, there wasn't a light at the end of the tunnel, understanding how one could live authentically and be out and proud.

And it was at that moment that I thought. This is how I can continue the work and have been here again for 17 and a half years. It's, it's pretty incredible. And I, I love how they do work together so well. and that is such an important thing. As you were talking, I was thinking, I.

Remember, experiencing it, through my son. And of course, Connor even though he had his own struggles, he had us, right? And he did have a family who loved him. And as he went off to college, he would come home and he'd be like, oh my gosh, my, my roommate or this person that I met.

And I think, you know, those stories continue today and you know very much like you, college was good, but now that he's out, he's really finding his people, right? Like he's really finding that community that is so important and that's what we want our kids to know is out there, which I think is such an important message of Trevor Project.

Their grades suffer. And so this idea of one day having a specific type of life or a career. All of a sudden feels that much further because they didn't do well in school. So how Point Foundation comes in is threefold. We not only provide financial support for students to pay for their education, we provide mentoring and we provide community and leadership training for that community.

Knowing that not everybody is going to be accepted into a four year institution because perhaps their grade suffer the cost of a high, of a, of higher education is horrendous we have a community college, scholarship that allows young people to begin there if we want to transition. We have scholarships for those that are also at a four year institution in undergraduate or even graduate school.

We have scholarships that are specific for BIPOC students and we just launched a trade and vocational school scholarship as well, because everyone's path is different and we want L-G-B-T-Q people to thrive in whatever place they wish. so for instance, a child who.

Is this something that you do And if it is, talk me through it. Yeah, so our mentoring program is specific for those that have our scholarships. it's not really advising for school, although you bring up a very good point because one of the things that we'd like to pilot in the next year or two is how to prepare L-G-B-T-Q identified individuals that are in high school.

Right. Right. Well, and kind of to that point where it's safe for them to go. Exactly. And and I really think that that's something that, you know, I hear a lot like people do ask me a lot like, where are the safest schools for kids to go? And there is definitely this rumbling out there. somehow people think that it's safer now for kids in college that it, that it, and, and that is, could not be further from the truth. And so I'm sure you have, you know, tons of, of statistics and everything on that. But I'd love to hear your thoughts on that because I just kind of speak anecdotally from things that people have shared with me and, and little, you know, stories that I've read here and there.

That's a great resource to look into to begin with because it does give parents, it gives students an opportunity to look at any specific university. Even when students get to campus, they often find that administrators and staff are discriminating against them because of their sexual orientation and gender identity.

So it's one thing to have the school, you know, note that we have these programs. It's another thing, in the way that others treat them. And so that's also very important to look at, to ask around, find maybe a student that's going to that university and see what their experience.

They find that they need community, and certainly now at this time with the dismantling of DEI and PRIDE offices at universities across the country, this community is more needed. So we have group mentoring, not the one-on-one. We bring the students together with a couple of mentors so that they feel safety and numbers, they can hear from each other on their experiences and what's working.

Sure, sure. That is really incredible. so I'm gonna preface this next question with, if you do not wanna go here, please just tell me. But it's something that I, am feeling particularly passionate about these days and that is, what do we need to do in the next four months to keep. Our kids and well all L-G-B-T-Q people, not just our kids, but safe and to not have, I mean, I keep, I have been, reading and educating myself and I just read through Project 2025 and I have nightmares and I am just wondering your thoughts on what we can do to make people understand or to help people understand.

without saying anything too political, what I would offer to anyone that is concerned about those issues is to look at the individuals that are on ballots, see what they stand for. See what you can do. one vote. In favor of your loved one who may be a member of the L-G-B-T-Q community is gonna make a huge difference.

When they start to question it, it's like, think about me, think about my rights. Just like I think about your rights and I think that's important. Thank you. That is very well said. And I think, that is one of the. More effective ways to share things is by really appealing to, people's humanity and seeing humanity in others.

In a very calm way. I feel like calm always kind of overrides hysteria, even though there are times it's challenging. Sometimes. It's, I was gonna say, even though I feel hysterical on the inside, I really work hard to, as my youngest says, use my podcast voice. So, that is, that can be challenging, but I appreciate that.

And it is, I was actually talking to Connor yesterday about this and I said, you know, I kind of feel like I need to say something like these next four months.

And then clearly with over 600 anti L-G-B-T-Q bills across the country at state legislators, it is incumbent upon us to talk about it and how dangerous those bills are, not only for those.

But for what it's gonna do to the future of populations and Absolutely. So happy you asked and and hopefully someone will think about those around them when they get to the ballot box. Yes. Thank you. Very well said. I appreciate that so much. such a good way to talk about it. I, I would like to kind of circle back because there was one thing that I forgot to ask you about.

What are the things that. We can do actions, we can take resources that we can point people toward when they're just feeling lost or don't have support.

It was that office that made them feel community. And what they're trying to do is lump it all into one particular area and. Perhaps some people think, well, you know, everybody should be able to get the support that they need. And somebody on one of my social channels commented, you know, why would, why would we want to have specific, you know, support for one group within, everyone's gonna ask for it.

I would say find a place in their local community where they can find that community. If ever it was necessary that we find our own and our allies, it is now, it is an opportunity for us to really hold hands with those that are going to support us at a time that we feel attacked in so many different ways.

thank you so much. That is extremely helpful. And I think that is something that often, you know, when you are in that position, you're thinking, what do I do? Like, where can I turn? And so it's helpful to. Just have this be like, oh, I can look in the community, look outside of the university, look in the community that the university is in, and you know, certainly online resources that could point you in the right direction.

There are the voices that are saying, it's not a big deal and this isn't necessary. and we've shown that this isn't necessary. But what they're saying is not actually what's going on. So it's like that weird, it's not what I'm seeing, but it's I guess like being gaslit a little bit, which is a term that I feel like my 22-year-old saying that.

To lock arms with other allies and to fight, and we're not gonna sit back. We're, we're just not. You know? So maybe a pride office or a di office getting dismantled on a campus is one way that some, universities find that as a win. we're gonna find each other.

We're gonna find a way to get together, and we're gonna find a way to form community and fight back. We're not going away. No, no. I just think it's, like, we'll take this away, and then they don't exist. Sorry, because there's so many voices out here that you know your own and your allies and your advocates.

Absolutely. Absolutely. We had two of our alumni, one of them is, in, at Oxford right now actually, and two others actually was a group of, three of them got together. They created an organization called Out Vote, and it is a 5 0 1 C3, and young people are the largest voting block in the United States.

I have a couple who are in high school still, and it can seem very overwhelming and like, how can we make a difference and is this going to make a difference? And, you know, all of those questions or they get like, singularly focused on one thing, right? and as a young person, like I remember that.

And so it's hard sometimes to see the bigger picture or to understand how all of these. I mean, it's not really that complicated, but it could seem more complicated. How that all works. So, but I appreciate this so much because organizations like this speak to them far better than I can.

And they are so strong and they're so well-spoken, and they get on there and they're just. Fired up talking about all this stuff that's so important. I'm like, good for you. Like your mothers better be proud of you because that is amazing. Right? and so, I like forward these all the time to everybody.

I'm like, look at this. They know what's going on. If we could get young people to watch that TikTok video or that video, and then turn it into action, right. Because it'll take you just as long. To watch X number of TikTok to go and cast your ballot, you know, and just need to do that. Need to do that, everyone needs to do that.

And it was such a fun conversation to have, in a way right now where it's not like hair on fire, but just like, just interesting exchange. I'm like, these are the conversations that, you know, all of your friends may not be having with their parents, or guardians or adults in their lives.

Definitely feel free to pass it on. Good for you. Share with your friends.

And when I look at things like even gun violence and young people that have had to live through this, I mean, the only way to change that is at the ballot box for so many of the challenges that we face. But just, you know, I hope your listeners know that point. Foundation is here to make life.

A bit easier for post-secondary education, you know, individuals, and that anything that we do is really about empowering our community and our allies, and we love what we do. We continue to grow. We're so grateful for our partners, individuals like you, that give us an opportunity to talk about these important matters.

You know, there, there's all sorts of support that we offer and, and that's where they can find us. We're also on. TikTok, we're on Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, you name it. We have a presence in all of those. Wonderful. Well, I am so happy you were here today and I just appreciate all of your insight and your wisdom and your encouragement.

Thank you The world needs more people like you and your family, so thank you. It's truly my honor.

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