SShAGLY's Beliefs
SShAGLY believes in creating brave spaces. That queer and trans need space to be themselves, to grow, to learn, and to feel welcomed, safe, and comfortable. That youth are capable of defining and making positive decisions for themselves & that youth matter and should be appreciated. That youth make a difference everyday.
SShAGLY Covenant*
- Vegas Rule/Confidentially
- Have respect for:
- The space
- Each other
- Yourself
- One Diva, One Mic
- Don't Yuck My Yum/Don't Call My Baby Ugly
- Don't make sweeping generalizations that could alienate someone. Mindfully address conflict.
- Challenge by Choice
- You are empowered to decide whether to participate in an activity and encouraged to evaluate your own comfort level with each option.
- Oops/Ouch
- Say "ouch" if someone says something that hurts — provide the space to own your feelings.
- Say "oops" and genuinely apologize for the ways your intention did not match your impact.
- Be present and have fun!
*Written by our youth attendees and peer leaders for meetings. This version is a hybrid of our in-person and virtual Covenant.
SShAGLY's History
The following is an excerpt from the AGLY Network’s history in Massachusetts:
“In September of 1992, BAGLY convened a meeting of youth workers from community-based LGBTQ youth groups throughout Massachusetts to discuss the need to create a community of collaboration in support of their work. In 1993, after meeting regularly for a year, the group founded the GLBT Youth Group Network of Massachusetts so that they could reflect on their practices and identify competences fundamental to their work with GLBT youth. Today known simply as the 'AGLY Network,' this entity continues to exist as a statewide support and development partnership of community-based direct service organizations with the goal of ensuring that
1) LGBTQ youth from the Commonwealth have access to a broad array of supports, services, and opportunities and
2) LGBTQ youth workers are supported in becoming resources for youth and each other.”
SShAGLY was founded in 2011 and has since been a proud member of the Massachusetts AGLY network; we strive to fulfill these same goals and to create a safe haven for queer youth.
Indigenous Land Acknowledgement
SShAGLY acknowledges that the land of our youth members and the land on which we meet is the traditional and ancestral homeland of the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe, also known as the People of the First Light. This tribe has inhabited present day Massachusetts and Eastern Rhode Island for more than 12,000 years. We recognize and respect the enduring relationship that exists between many Indigenous peoples and their traditional homelands.
What is a Land Acknowledgment?
"A Land Acknowledgement is a formal statement that recognizes and respects Indigenous Peoples as traditional stewards of this land and the enduring relationship that exists between Indigenous Peoples and their traditional territories." -- Northwestern University
Why do we need Land Acknowledgements?
"The purpose of these statements is to show respect for indigenous peoples and recognize their enduring relationship to the land. Practicing acknowledgment can also raise awareness about histories that are often suppressed or forgotten." -- Teen Vogue
What is a Land Acknowledgment?
"A Land Acknowledgement is a formal statement that recognizes and respects Indigenous Peoples as traditional stewards of this land and the enduring relationship that exists between Indigenous Peoples and their traditional territories." -- Northwestern University
Why do we need Land Acknowledgements?
"The purpose of these statements is to show respect for indigenous peoples and recognize their enduring relationship to the land. Practicing acknowledgment can also raise awareness about histories that are often suppressed or forgotten." -- Teen Vogue