Inside Out Youth Services

Citizens Project is proud to present the second annual Beats and Ballots Music Festival. This free, family-friendly event re-imagines youth civic engagement and celebrates all members of the Pikes Peak region through a day filled with local music, vendors, activities, and food. Beginning at noon, attendees will experience a full lineup of musicians and DJs from across the Front Range. In addition to a fleet of local food trucks, attendees will be able to hear from state and local civic leaders and officials, visit booths from local vendors and nonprofits, and enter to win loads of giveaways. We hope you come to this amazing event, and make sure to stop at the IOYS table ❤️🧡💛💚💙💜🖤🤎🤍

Thank you so much, Andrew (he/him), for coming to the IOYS community center last month to do a two-week workshop with IOYS participants about self-defense and being aware of your surroundings. Thank you to the young folx who participated, Julez (they/them), Noah (they/them), and Kaitlyn (she/her), and of course a big shoutout to IOYS Progam Lead Chris (he/they/zir) ❤️🧡💛💚💙💜🖤🤎🤍

Happy Labor Day from IOYS! In recognition of the people who keep our communities running, we are highlighting three Labor Movement figures: Hattie Canty was a staunch supporter of the Labor Rights and Civil Rights Movements. She helped establish the Culinary Training Center (now known as the Culinary Academy of Las Vegas), which primarily helps women of color enter the hospitality industry and retain jobs. Emma Tenayuca was a labor organizer and is well-known for having led 12,000 pecan shellers, mostly Mexican American women, to march out of factories in San Antonio to demand better working conditions and higher wages. A. Philip Randolph was a labor organizer and one of the most influential political strategists of the 20th century. He founded the A. Philip Randolph Institute with Bayard Rustin in 1965 to continue the struggle for social, political and economic justice for all working Americans. IOYS is closed for Labor Day, but we will reopen tomorrow. ❤️🧡💛💚💙💜🖤🤎🤍

This month is Suicide Prevention Month. LGBTQIA2+ youth face higher risks of suicide than their cisgender and heterosexual peers, and LGBTQIA2+ Youth of Color and Youth with varying abilities face even more risk. Here are some facts about suicide in the LGBTQIA2+ community and some prevention factors. If you or someone you know is feeling suicidal, please use the following resources: · Call or text: 988 · Text "home" to: 741-741 · For LGBTQIA+ youth 13-24, call: 1 (866) 488-7386 · For Trans/Nonbinary folx, call: 1 (877) 565-8860 · Veterans can call 988 and press 1

Colorado has the highest number of youth who vape in the nation. Colorado is trying to change that and we are too. For free resources to quit vaping, visit www.coquitline.org.

Thank you so much to the Pikes Peak Roller Derby Juniors who came to the IOYS community center this month to talk about roller derby and how to get involved! ❤️🧡💛💚💙💜🖤🤎🤍

Our School Advocate Jaxon (he/him) led an OARS presentation for our youth leadership program this month! "OARS" stands for Open-ended questions, Affirming, Reflective listening, and Summarizing and is a technique that IOYS encourages practicing and using when conversing with young people (and people of all ages) ❤️🧡💛💚💙💜🖤🤎🤍

Y'all have to check out our veggies from the IOYS community garden! ❤️🧡💛💚💙💜🖤🤎🤍

This month our amazing Communications and Advocacy Director Ollie (they/them) ran a workshop around flash fiction, which teaches character development and how to identify and manage emotions ❤️🧡💛💚💙💜🖤🤎🤍

🎉 Congratulations 🎉 to IOYS Board Member Alana Lipscomb (she/they) for being recognized this month as the Southern Colorado Women's Chamber of Commerce Young Professional of the Year! Alana does so much for our community and we are thrilled to see her recognized for all her hard work, passion, and impact. Congrats, Alana ❤️🧡💛💚💙💜🖤🤎🤍