Hollingsworth LLP designates Supporting and Mentoring Youth Advocates and Leaders as July 2021 Community Engagement Partner
news | July 7, 2021
Continuing our commitment to the Washington, DC community and in observation of Pride Month in June, the Firm designates Supporting and Mentoring Youth Advocates and Leaders (SMYAL) as its July Community Engagement Partner. The Firm will donate to SMYAL and match donations made by Firm employees in July.
Founded in 1984, SMYAL is a local non-profit for LGBTQ youth in the Washington D.C. metropolitan area. Its programs include Breaking Ground, a theatre arts and music summer program for LGBTQIA+ youth and young adults. SMYAL also provides a housing program for youth ages 18-24 that offers skills courses in cooking, financial literacy, and resumé workshopping. SMYAL has partnered with other LGBTQ youth-serving organizations to host the 2021 Rise Up! Conference that will feature workshops focusing on intersectionality, creating sustainable activism, and social justice.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, SMYAL created the Youth Care Navigation Hotline to help callers find resources, such as free groceries, legal services, unemployment benefits, health clinics, and rental assistance.
It is our hope that members of the Washington, DC legal community, the larger business community, and individuals in our area will recognize the value of SMYAL and give generously. As they say at SMYAL, “We advocate for LGBTQ youth so they can seize each day and prepare for the future.”