Natalie Adey is a graduate student at the University of Southern California’s Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work, focusing on Social Change and Innovation. Natalie graduated from the University of California, Santa Cruz, receiving a bachelor’s degree in Anthropology. Natalie is passionate about educating and empowering LGBTQ+ youth and advocating for social justice. Her background in researching the impacts of climate change on low-income communities of color inspired her to pursue a career in social work to address larger social issues. Her interest is to advocate for inclusive and welcoming spaces for LGBTQ+ youth in schools and communities. Natalie is a second-semester intern and plans to focus on LGBTQ+ education and policy while at SISGI. Her future goals are to develop supportive and inclusive legislation for young people in the hopes of creating a more accepting world.
Author's posts
Apr 08
Day of Silence, 2022
Annually, April 8th honors the LGBTQ+ students who are regularly silenced in the classroom. Their stories and authenticity are stifled by anti-trans and anti-LGBTQ legislation that too often infiltrates the public school curriculum. Recently, the Florida government signed into law their “Don’t Say Gay Bill.” This bill prohibits teachers from discussing gender identity or sexual orientation …
Mar 30
Minority Stress Effect & The Impact on LGBTQIA+ Youth
What is the Minority Stress Effect? The Minority Stress Effect is a model used to assess how the dominant group’s values stack up and affect the minority groups’ values. In our society, the dominant discourse is white, heterosexual and male. This means that in the United States, the “norm” is centered around those people, what makes them …
Mar 28
Being Queer: New Trend? Or Do We Just Not Know Our History
LGBTQIA+ HISTORY DEBUNKED “Being gay is new,” “No one was gay when I was young,” these are things we have heard in recent years as the number of out and proud youth increases. While the people saying these things may think being part of the LGBTQ+ community is new, the wide spectrum of sexuality has …
Feb 27
The Avenue to Seeing BIPOC Girls in Leadership
Girls Leadership reports that while 48% of young Black, Indigenous, and girls of color identify themselves as leaders, 50% say that racism has hindered them from attaining leadership opportunities. Some adults in these girls’ lives say that the young ladies are simply not confident enough to pursue leadership roles, but we know that is not …