Encircle - LGTBQ+ Family and Youth Center Sharing as Allies

Encircle

February 13, 2020
The Great Hall

Reflection | Podcast | VideoPhotos


Encircle seeks to deepen and enrich the conversation among communities of faith and LGBTQ+ people. By teaching individuals to love themselves and empowering families, Encircle helps cultivate an environment where LGBTQ+ individuals can thrive. Their programs and services meet people wherever they are in their lives with cultural competency and sensitivity, using community partnerships, best practices, and innovative techniques.

Reflection

 

As part of its annual Allies event, APEX Events hosted Encircle, a non profit LGBTQ+ organization based in Provo, Utah. Encircle is a Family and Youth Resource Center for LGBTQ+ individuals that offers support and resources. Encircle seeks to deepen and enrich the conversation among communities of faith and LGBTQ+ people, and teaches individuals to love themselves and empowering families, cultivating an environment where LGBTQ+ individuals can thrive. The six representatives from the organization were Dr. Stephenie Larsen, Dr. Jared Klundt, Jordan Sgro, Marilyn Taylor, Amber McMillan, and Jacob Dunford. They were introduced to the stage by the 91ɬÂþ College of Visual and Performing Arts student senator, Billy Clouse.

Dr. Larsen, Dr. Klundt, Jordan, and Jacob were joined onstage with Dr. Lynn Vartan. Dr. Larsen began the conversation with sharing with the audience her personal story which led to the beginnings of Encircle as well as learning about the high suicide rates of young people who identified as LGBTQ+. Upon realizing the massive number of LGBTQ+ youth who didn’t and don’t have love and support from their families, Dr. Larsen, with the assistance of her uncle who had come out as gay, set forth to build a home in Provo, Utah that LGBTQ+ individuals could come to and be in a safe environment where they experience love and support for who they are.     Due to the large numbers of LGBTQ+ youth and families that had traveled hours to come to the home, Encircle began building another home in Salt Lake City and will soon be opening a home in St. George on April 18th, 2020 as well as working hard to expand Encircle to more locations in Utah and even outside the state. Each of the representatives onstage talked about the many programs and therapy options that an Encircle home has to offer before engaging the audience in a brief Q&A session, asking questions ranging from how to volunteer at an Encircle home and fighting for LGBTQ+ rights from a legislative standpoint. 

 

- By Emily Sexton


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