DREAMS OF HOPE
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Mission Statement
Dreams of Hope is Pittsburgh’s only arts-focused organization for queer and allied youth. Recognizing the need for creative outlets for youth in Pittsburgh, and for positive queer role models and messages in society, our Artistic Director, Susan Haugh, founded the organization in 2003. In March 2005, the organization received its 501(c)(3) designation from the IRS and formed a board of directors. Through the power of the arts, Dreams of Hope provides the region’s queer and allied youth a welcoming environment to grow in confidence, express themselves, develop as leaders, and learn to create positive change in their communities.
About This Cause
Dreams of Hope is Pittsburgh’s only arts-focused organization for lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, queer, questioning, intersex, and allied (LGBTQA+) youth. Recognizing the need for creative outlets for youth in Pittsburgh and the need for positive LGBTQA+ role models and messages in society, Susan Haugh, Artistic Director, founded the organization in 2003. The model was to have working artists mentor youth in creating their own artwork, and that remains our model today. Dreams of Hope is uniquely diverse. The young people we serve come from all parts of Pittsburgh and surrounding municipalities, within an intersection of socio-economic sectors, religions, ethnicities, races, sexual orientations, and gender identities. Our staff teaching artists are just as diverse as the youth they mentor, also coming from a variety of backgrounds, ethnicities, races, sexual orientations, and genders. LGBTQA+ youth are an under-served, minority population. Compared to their counterparts, they are placed at greatly increased risk of being homeless, not finishing high school, depression, substance abuse, and suicide – largely because they are not fully welcomed in many parts of our community. 40% of homeless youth identify as LGBTQA+, while making up only 5-10% of the general population. 25% of LGBTQA+ youth are thrown out of their homes when they come out. LGBTQA+ youth are twice as likely to not finish high school, and four times as likely to attempt suicide. Very few schools are welcoming environments for LGBTQA+ students. The Persad Center has worked with Duquesne University to research local conditions, and the findings confirm abundant anecdotal evidence that LGBTQA+ youth are the only demographic not to have benefited from recent investments in anti-bullying education in schools. There are few LGBTQA+ youth programs in our region and, unfortunately, most LGBTQA+ youth live in difficult environments that frequently harbor open hostility and, sometimes, physical violence. Research shows that safe havens are a key to developing resiliency in young people. And, nurturing healthy, confident youth leaders is important not only for the LGBTQIA community, but also for the overall health and wellness of our entire region. The statistics cited point to issues that affect not just LGBTQIA youth, but also their families, their friends, our schools, our religious institutions, our social service agencies, and ultimately everyone in the community. Dreams of Hope addresses these serious issues with programs that: * Provide a safe space and community for youth * Raise youth voices * Develop youth leaders * Educate youth to critically analyze works of art to deepen their understanding and develop their ability to create art to tell their own stories and to facilitate difficult conversations * Educate audiences on LGBTQ topics in order to increase understanding and acceptance of LGBTQ people in our community Dreams of Hope operates three programs: The theatriQ Youth Performance Ensemble, our signature program, is now in its 13th season. To date, it has developed dozens of LGBTQIA youth leaders and, including broadcast performances, has reached 100-200,000 people. It has performed as far away as New York City, Miami, and Denver, to audiences that include children’s hospital physicians, family court judges, probation officers, clergy, and U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan and his staff. The program has two components: * Main Stage begins in the fall and culminates in the spring with five productions – including a student matinee – of an original full-length, fully-scored play at the Alloy Studios. * Outreach – happening year-round – focuses on adults who work with youth, and other communities. This program delivers customized performances, artwork, and workshops to a wide variety of audiences in different locations by different means. sQool, which was piloted in the 2013-14 season, uses the arts to increase visibility and foster dialogue on queer topics in schools and community centers throughout the Pittsburgh region. We offer in-school programs that connect Dreams of Hope teaching artists with classroom teachers to augment curriculum with arts practice and dialogue on queer themes in a manner that is aligned with common core standards. In partnership with in-school allies (e.g., GSAs), we also offer out-of-class programs, in youth-curated environments, to engage students in art creation and conversation on queer topics.