He Say She Say..Now What Do You Say

Approximately 40% of homeless youth are LGBTQ. Nearly all homeless youth service providers in the U.S. now serve our youth but very few are exclusively by, for and about LGBTQ Youth. Joining Ina, Teresa and Michelle on CAN WE TALK FOR REAL on Wednesday August 20, 2014 is Jerry Peterson, Executive Director of The Ruth Ellis Center in Highland Park, Michigan serving the metro-Detroit community.  The Ruth Ellis Center is a youth social services agency that serves the needs of runaway, homeless and at-risk youth. Incorporated in 1999, it is one of the nation’s leading organizations focusing on vulnerable youth who are experiencing residential instability Being homeless brings its own level of stigma to LGBTQ youth and the definition for homelessness defies traditional boundaries. Many youth say “I have a home. I just don’t want to go there”. Opting for alternative housing (couch surfing, etc.) and/or the streets over unstable households. Sex trafficking transactional sex, even suicide are day –to-day realities.