Gwen O’Hearn: It sounds like the team has been busy! What are some highlights you’d like to share from the past year of work?

Maruka Rivers: So many highlights! I am very proud of the work the team has done to complete our pilot offering of Next Level. In partnership with two community-based organizations — Bradbury-Sullivan LGBT Center in Allentown, Pennsylvania and the MOCHA Center in Rochester, New York — we’ve reached more than 40 participants and have gotten powerful feedback about the ways the course is decreasing isolation and improving confidence. The program has exceeded our expectations in some ways – five participants have received employment or internships as a direct result of the program.

O’Hearn: Darnell and Nia, you both were hands on with participants each week during the program. What was the pilot process like for you?

Nia Clark: We were very intentional about applying a critical consciousness lens at the beginning of the course. Our participants have all experienced discrimination, but learning about the “-isms” — cissexism, heterosexism, colorism and nativism, to name a few — helps these young people become less likely to internalize those forms of oppression and more likely to take actions to promote their own growth and wellness.

O’Hearn: I’m glad you mentioned those different forms of oppression. The community survey you conducted asked about experiences of discrimination. What insights did you gain?

Rivers: The data we collected showed that roughly one in three LGBTQ+ adults have experienced discrimination while accessing financial services. And half of LGBTQ+ adults say they are financially unwell, compared to one-quarter of the general public. When you dig down further, there are strong intersections between age, race and ethnicity — both BIPOC and younger adults were even more likely to say they were financially unwell and reported higher levels of financial discrimination. These inequities are especially pronounced for young folks, as LGBTQ+ youth experience more social vulnerability, have less access to health care and more housing instability. Many of our youth don’t know about the financial resources that are available to them, which is a need that we’re addressing through WorthIt.

O’Hearn: I’ve certainly felt that vulnerability as a young person, and I know others do as well. How does the WorthIt app intentionally connect with a younger audience?

Clark: WorthIt is structured like a peerto- peer conversation. The language in the app is non-judgmental and offers individualized recommendations and resources to improve users’ financial wellness. The app is like a springboard — it provides the tools, and the users make the change. Folks should check it out at worthit.hrc.org.

O’Hearn: Looking ahead to the next year, what else is the team working on?

Green: We’re continuing to refine our current programming and expanding Next Level to another implementation site in the fall. We’re also looking for ways to get these resources to new audiences, both through partnerships with existing programs like the HBCU team and Transgender Justice Initiative, and new initiatives like The Sankofa Table, a collective space for Black and Brown LGBTQ+ community leaders to learn about and engage in our programming which launched in March.