Arianna de la Mancha
Sam Akers, MSW
March 21, 2025
A
t our Healthy Teen Network Annual Conference, we offer two additional networking sessions— “BIPOC Connect” and “Queer Connect”—created specifically for people who hold Black, Indigenous, and People of Color identities and LGBTQ+ identities, respectively. These networking spaces are intentionally curated to foster community, provide validation, and center the experiences of sexual health professionals who often navigate systems that marginalize or overlook them and the communities they work with.
We understand that all conference attendees, specifically allies, may want to participate in these networking sessions, so they can learn how to offer their support. Some folks also think that designated identity affinity groups are racist or separatist. We’re here to explain why they’re not.
The Need for Dedicated Spaces
When we talk about diversity and inclusion, it’s important to acknowledge that different communities have unique needs and challenges.
When we talk about diversity and inclusion, it’s important to acknowledge that different communities have unique needs and challenges. BIPOC and LGBTQ+ individuals often face systemic inequities, cultural erasure, and daily microaggressions that create an additional layer of emotional labor and exhaustion. For many, these challenges are compounded by the expectation to educate others about their lived experiences.
Creating dedicated spaces like “BIPOC Connect” and “Queer Connect” acknowledges these realities and offers attendees:
- Safety: A space free from judgment or the need to explain their existence. A #HealthyTeen24 attendee said, “Thank you for creating a safe space for queer attendees to make community!”
- Community: The chance to connect with others who share similar lived experiences. One #HealthyTeen24 attendee shared, “I loved this session. It was so cool to be able to connect with other attendees in a smaller group setting. I thought the question prompts were good, and it was a bonus that there was food. The queens were fabulous and so funny, and I loved that we all ended our time together with some great performances. Definitely one of the highlights of the entire conference.”
- Empowerment: A platform to explore personal growth, healing, and advocacy without the burden of educating allies.
Protecting Identity-Centered Spaces
While allies play an essential role in supporting marginalized communities, their presence in spaces designed for BIPOC or LGBTQ+ individuals can inadvertently shift the focus. Here’s why these spaces and their attendees were intentional:
- Centering Lived Experiences: These sessions aimed to create a space where participants could share their struggles, successes, and identities freely, without filtering their words. For instance, someone with a same-sex partner might hesitate to discuss their family, fearing the emotional labor of explaining their experiences or answering intrusive questions.
- Avoiding Emotional Labor: Explaining systemic oppression or answering well-meaning questions from allies can be draining. These spaces allowed participants to focus on their own needs and stories.
- Building Authentic Connections: When a space is exclusive to people with shared experiences, it fosters deeper connections, trust, and vulnerability.
A Word From…
A word from me, Sam, a white woman…let people have their space. We don’t need to be everywhere all the time. We can let folks have their space to talk about what it is they need to discuss on their own; not every space is ours. These networking events were a great example of how I have been socialized to believe that every space is mine to take up—when that is not the reality!
Do we, as white people, have a space in resistance and dismantling white supremacy? Do straight folks have a place in calling out LGBTQ+ discrimination? Absolutely! But that is different work to do…so we need to take time to reflect on what IS our space to take up and what we can do to use our own privilege to enact change.
Affinity groups are not exclusionary—they are a warranted reaction to an inherently discriminatory system. So of course, folks who have been oppressed want and need space where their oppressors cannot ask questions of them, where they don’t have to explain their experiences, and where they can connect with others like them. It’s more than cute totes and drag performances…it’s about the rare space for folks to exist in a community—where they can just exist.
Moving Forward
Excluding allies from these sessions doesn’t mean we don’t value their support. It simply recognizes that allies have other avenues to learn, grow, and contribute. Our goal with “BIPOC Connect” and “Queer Connect” is to honor the voices and experiences of communities that too often must carve out spaces for themselves. By intentionally creating these sessions, we hope to model what true inclusivity looks like: acknowledging the unique needs of people with marginalized identities while empowering allies to support from their own lanes. We’re so proud of the conversations and deep connections that emerged from these spaces, and we’re committed to continuing this work—not just at our annual conference—but in all areas across our work.
