Allen A. Flood, M.D.

Claire P. Cargill, DDS Capitol Hill family Dentist We offer complete Dental Care for adults and children. Eastern Market Metro Stop 1009 E Street, SE • Washington, DC SMYAL It’s Okay to Be Gay! I t’s rough enough growing up, exploring who you are and what you’re becoming, often under conflicting influences of parents, friends and hormones. Throw in gender or sexual identity issues, and you have mental chaos. The Sexual Minority Youth Assistance League (SMYAL) seeks to assuage the turmoil by offering support services to area lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning (LGBTQ) youth. Free parking • Handicapped Accessible • Major Insurance Plan Accepted 202-547-2491 SMYAL’s Role Plain and simple, SMYAL – pronounced smile – seeks to better the lives of local LGBTQ youth. In by Heather Schoell, photos 1984, two boys were sent to St. Elizabeths Psychiatric courtesy of SMYAL Hospital for cross-dressing. SMYAL was born from this, at first only offering referral assistance to families in need of support. Today, they offer support for mental SMYAL’s mission: and physical health through counseling and HIV preTo promote and support self-convention, and they provide a forum for youth to hang fident, healthy, productive lives for out and be themselves after school. SMYAL offers lesLGBTQ youth ages 13 to 21 as sons in life skills, drug and tobacco use prevention, and they journey from adolescence into employment readiness programs. They offer youth-led training to schools and organizations to lessen misunadulthood. To fulfill our mission, we derstanding and increase awareness of issues surroundconcentrate our commitment and ing LGBTQ youth. energy on five focus areas: 1) Life Skills & Leadership Development, 2) SMYAL Operations SMYAL, a 501(c)3, is in fact the only metro-area Counseling & Support, 3) Health & organization that devotes itself entirely to the well-beWellness Education, 4) Safe Social ing of LGBTQ kids. Andrew Barnett, acting director Activities, and 5) Community Out- of SMYAL, looks young enough to be a peer of the reach and Education. youth that SMYAL seeks to assist and is likely that much more effective for it. “We instill comfort with who they are,” he began, “talk about what is on their minds. So often, at home or in school, it’s not okay to be who they are.” SMYAL gives them a venue to “be around others who are like them, be their full selves,” he explained. One stand-out component of SYMAL is their youth-led training, wherein LGBTQ youth themselves facilitate teaching awareness in schools and other organizations. They are at first shadowed by SMYAL staff but learn to conduct training on their own. This invaluable experience looks great on a résumé, polishes public speaking, and, as Barnett pointed out, the message is far more effective coming from a peer than from an adult. “We are really proud of ourselves for involving youth in advocacy. It shows them that they can really make a Andrew Barnett of SMYAL difference and not be a victim,” said Barnett. Eve G. Jorgens, M.D. Adult Psychiatry Convenient Hours Including Weekends By Appointment 202.547.6928 Allen A. Flood, M.D. DERMATOLOGY DISEASES OF THE SKIN, HAIR AND NAILS SKIN REJUVENATION • MICRODERMABRASION 650 PENNSYLVANIA AVE., S.E. SUITE 420 WASHINGTON, D.C. 20003 TELEPHONE: (202) 547-9090 FAX: (202) 547-9092 Acupuncture Massage Meditation Reiki Wholistic health care for adults, children and teens. 320 G Street, NE • 202.544.9389 www.healingartscapitolhill.com Psychotherapy * Past Life Regression Therapy 202-544-6060 1308 Constitution Ave., NE Center for Traumatic Stress Studies, PLLC Thoughtful treatment of trauma, depression, and stress the Judy B. Okawa, Ph.D. Licensed Clinical Psychologist, jokawa@gmail.com Therapy, psychological evaluations, consultation and training 136 ★ HillRag | September 2008 Some of what Barnett and other staff do is examine and deter unsafe behavior that is higher among LGBT youth – behaviors such as unsafe sex, homelessness and suicide. A recent survey compiled by the National Centers for Disease Control, the Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System (http://apps. nccd.cdc.gov/yrbss/), showed LGBT teens twice as likely to experience dating violence. Further, 37 percent had been bullied, and 37 percent had attempted suicide (as opposed to 8 percent of their heterosexual peers). SMYAL and a volunteer statistician are delving further into the data to extract more information, such as a possible crossover between bullied and attempted suicide youth, to better understand and help LGBT youth in violence prevention. Summer May Be Gone, But Your White Smile Shouldn’t Be! Laser Whitening $200 off through September 30th • Convenient Hours Including evening and weekend appointments • In Your Backyard Located next to the new Washington Nationals Stadium, and 2 blocks from the Navy Yard (Green Line) Metro stop • Cutting Edge Technology We offer the latest in dentistry techniques and “pain free” solutions for adults and children • Complete Smile Makeovers Including teeth laser whitening and Invisalign braces • Special Dental Needs Ask about our Neuromuscular and Sedation dentistry procedures How You Can Help SMYAL’s door is always open to those who want to volunteer, no matter your sexual orientation. “We’re seeing more people wanting to get involved because of a sibling, child, or friend who is LGBT,” said Barnett. Specifically, SMYAL is working on improving their physical space and would like help from handy neighbors. They also welcome people with experience in working with youth. And of course, there’s always room for monetary support. SMYAL is celebrating with a super fabulous 11th Annual Fall Brunch in the Grand Ballroom of the Mandarin Oriental Hotel, Sept. 28, emceed by Fox 5’s Will Thomas, and with the keynote address by Jorge Valencia, executive director and chief executive of Point Foundation (www.pointfoundation.org), which provides scholarships to outstanding and marginalized LGBT students. Tickets for individuals and table leaders are available until Sept. 23 at www.smyal.org. Check out the special weekend package to prolong the decadence! For more information, see www. smyal.org or call 202-546-5940. SMYAL is located at 410 Seventh St. SE. This is part of a monthly series profiling nonprofits that serve our community. To suggest an organization to be profiled, please e-mail Heather Schoell at hschoell@verizon.net with “suggestion” in the subject line. ★ Dr. Sheila Samaddar Make an appointment by September 30th and mention this ad and get an extra 10% off all non-insurance covered services on your first visit! Let us give you something to smile about! 1313 South Capitol Street SW www.SouthCapitolSmileCenter.com South Capitol Smile Center 202-488-1313 PLEASE RECYCLE THIS PAPER www.thevillageoncapitolhill.com www.thevillageoncapitolhill.com www.braleyart.com Come see our Come see our new series new series of collage of collage paintings by paintings by Alan Braley. Alan Braley. VILLAGE GALLERY OF ART & CLOTHING 705 North Carolina Ave. SE on Capitol Hill 202 • 546 • 3040 Wed.- Fri. 11-6, Sat. 10-5, Sun. 12-4 Capitol Hill Presbyterian Church 201 4th St., SE Call Rebecca for more info (202) 299-9146 capitalcommunitynews.com ★ 137