The Cast of TREVOR: A NEW MUSICAL, Billy Porter & More to Take Part in Event on LGBTQ+ Youth Mental Health

Join The WNET Group tomorrow, Wednesday, October 27th at 7:00 p.m. EST, as they bring together students, educators, journalists, and experts to discuss pressing mental health issues for LGBTQ+ youth. This event will focus on how to create and maintain safe spaces for LGBTQ+ youth, allyship for all ages, and resources for how to support LGBTQ+ youth mental health.

The event will kick off with an introduction from special guest, Billy Porter, who will welcome attendees to the event.

Following the introductory clip, the event will transition into a panel with mental health experts: Lizzie McAdams, RDT/BCT, LCAT, Director, Counseling and Case Management at the Hetrick-Martin Institute; Eric Vaughan, former Associate Director of LGBTQ Programs and Policy at the New York City Department of Education; Chris Bright, Director of Public Training at The Trevor Project; and Dustin Liu, Founder of gatherED studio. The discussion will be moderated by Jenna Flanagan, Correspondent and Anchor at MetroFocus and WLIW.

The panel will discuss important topics around mental health and LGBTQ+ youth. As many young people begin to explore their identity in adolescence, youth who identify as LGBTQ+ may often experience unique challenges with mental health. This can stem from feeling a lack of acceptance in their community or a sense of isolation from their peers, creating an increased rate of anxiety, depression, and suicidal thoughts among LGBTQ+ youth. The panel will discuss how attendees can be strong allies for young people in the LGBTQ+ community, and create safe spaces for them to build trust and have open conversations about mental health.

Concluding the event will be a special performance by the cast of Trevor: A New Musical, a new musical production telling the story of a young gay teen and his journey to explore and embrace his identity. The musical is based on the 1994 short film Trevor, which won numerous awards and is the basis of inspiration for the launch of The Trevor Project, a 24/7 crisis and suicide prevention helpline for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning youth.

The Trevor Project is the world's largest suicide prevention and crisis intervention organization for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and questioning (LGBTQ) young people. Through legislation, litigation, and public education, The Trevor Project is the leading advocate for LGBTQyouth mental health through efforts at the federal, state, and local level to address factors that place LGBTQ youth at significantly higher risk of suicide.

Trevor: A New Musical tells the funny and heartwarming story of Trevor Nelson, a teen in 1981 America. Trevor is busy navigating adolescence in suburbia while dreaming of a life in show business. When an embarrassing incident at school suddenly puts him in the wrong spotlight, Trevor must summon the courage to forge his own path. Trevor: A New Musical will premiere in New York City on October 25 at Stage 42. For more information on the musical, visit www.trevorthemusical.com.