Picture of Jaymes Black posing with Grey Jacket with a blurred background.
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Reflecting On My First 100 Days as CEO

As I reach my 100th day as CEO of The Trevor Project, I want to take a moment to reflect on some of the invaluable insights and experiences I've gained. These first few months have been inspiring and enlightening, and I’m excited to continue our shared journey toward a brighter and more joyful future for LGBTQ+ young people. Understanding Our Mission in Action One of the most profound lessons I've learned is how seamlessly our crisis intervention and suicide prevention programs work together to achieve our mission. By integrating these efforts, we ensure that every LGBTQ+ young person reaching out…
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Heartstopper’s Alice Oseman on Season 3, LGBTQ+ Representation, and Asexual and Aromantic Identities

The Trevor Project connected with Alice Oseman (she/they), the author and illustrator for Heartstopper, which was adapted into a Netflix series in 2022. Heartstopper has won multiple Children's & Family Emmys, including awards for acting and overall excellence, and the series’ third season is out now. How do you think your series contributes to positive representation of LGBTQ+ youth in the media, and why is this so important for young viewers today? Heartstopper shows a diverse range of queer experiences and portrays these characters going through very relatable, universal teenage experiences such as falling in love, friendship drama, figuring out your…
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On Influencing, Mental Health, and Being LGBTQ+ with Jake Shane (Octopusslover8)

Jake Shane (Octopusslover8) is an influencer and comedian who went viral for his hilarious reenactments of historical events on TikTok. He was nominated for a Streamy Award in 2023 and included in TikTok’s inaugural LGBTQ+ Pride Visionary Voices List. Jake consistently posts about his mental health on social media, and has publicly shared with his followers about his anxiety and obsessive-compulsive disorder. In January 2024, Jake launched his Therapuss podcast, a talk show that puts Jake in the proverbial therapist's chair. He recently interviewed with Charli XCX, Joe Jonas, Saweetie, Lizzy McAlpine, Glen Powell, and many more. The Trevor Project…
Photo of author, Nico Lang (they/them)
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Nonfiction  “American Teenager” Meets Trans Young People Where They Live

Nico Lang(they/them) is a journalist, editor, culture critic, and essayist. Lang is the founder of Queer News Daily and has previously worked as the deputy editor of Out magazine, an LGBTQ+ correspondent for VICE, the news editor at Them, and a contributing editor at Xtra magazine. Their work has been published in Rolling Stone, Esquire, The Daily Beast, HuffPost, and BuzzFeed News, among others. Lang was named the 2023 Online Journalist of the Year by the Los Angeles Press Club Association and is the recipient of 10 awards from the National Association of LGBTQ+ Journalist, a GLAAD Award, and the…
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Title IX and Back to School: What it Means for LGBTQ+ Young People

It’s back to school season, and millions of young people across the country are returning for another academic year. Returning to school can bring up a multitude of feelings — excitement to see old friends and make new ones, anticipation of meeting new teachers, and even some nerves about more difficult course material. LGBTQ+ young people experience all of the same emotions when returning to school, but there’s often additional factors including  anxiety, depression, and other adverse mental health outcomes depending on how supportive and affirming their family, community, and school environment is.  This past April, the U.S. Department of…
Photo of The Trevor Project's Saurav Jung Thapa (he/him/his), Jaymes Black (he/she/they), Mark Henson (he/him/his) myself) with the Assistant Secretary for Health Admiral Rachel Levine, MD.
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Celebrating Two Years of 988 LGBTQ Youth Specialized Services at The Trevor Project: Lessons Learned and the Path Ahead

By Saurav Jung Thapa, Senior Federal Affairs Manager, The Trevor Project This National Suicide Prevention Month, The Trevor Project is incredibly proud to commemorate two years of being the leading provider of LGBTQ Youth Specialized Services in the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.  The 988 Lifeline has provided crisis services through more than 200 crisis centers to over 10 million people since its launch in 2022. LGBTQ youth specialized services — a component of 988 alongside the Veterans Crisis Line and Spanish-language services — has served a significant portion of these contacts. In 2023 alone, Trevor served over 278,000 contacts…