This conversation will walk participants through the basics of creating supportive environments for transgender and nonbinary youth. We'll review language and vocabulary, do a deep dive on the statistics around increasing numbers of youth coming out, and I'll share lots of my own stories around coming out at 15 in a small town. This event will include plenty of time for discussion and Q&A.

This event is open for any parent of queer youth, educators of queer youth, or anyone who wants to learn more about how to best support the queer youth in your life!

• Date & Time: Thursday, March 28, 5pm (PT) /8pm (ET)

• Hosted By: Ben Greene

• Location: Zoom - Participants will receive a zoom link sent via email on the day of our meet up!

This Mental Health Processing Space will be a space where we  can come together and process the tragic loss of Nex Benedict and the constant struggle queer and trans people in this country are facing. Facilitated by two of our Brave Trails therapists Becker and Allyson, there will be both structured processing (questions to reflect on, optional art and journal responses) and room for folks to share their thoughts and feelings on the topic.

• Date & Time: Monday, March 11, 5pm (PT) /8pm (ET)

• Hosted By: Becker and Allyson, Brave Trails Mental Health Team

• Location: Zoom - Participants will receive a zoom link sent via email on the day of our meet up!

Cheer our skaters on as they fight for their pot of gold during the 2nd Annual St. Patty's SMASH UP. Teams made up of skaters from all over the Midwest compete in back-to-back games at the roller derby fundraiser. Tickets are $5 at the door with snacks and drinks available for purchase. VIP seating will be provided to Brave Trails campers and members of local QSA/GSAs.

• Date & Time: March 9th, 2024 from 10:30am-3:00pm

• Ticket Price: Some money for ticket entry ($5) plus any money for snacks or drinks you want to purchase

• Location: Kansas City, KS (an exact location will be sent out after registration)

Join us for our first official Brave Trails Atlanta event with an ice cream social and community hang out event hosted in Atlanta. 

This event is open to any queer youth ages 11-18, Brave Trails campers, their families, and Brave Trails staff, volunteers and alumni!

• Date & Time: Saturday, March 2 from 12-2pm ET

• Hosted By: Blake (they/them)

• Location: Atlanta, GA. An exact location will be sent out to registered participants prior to the event. 

Come join your friends at a December campfire! We'll be playing some campfire games and having a gay ol' time!

This event is open to any queer youth ages 11-18, Brave Trails campers, their families, and Brave Trails staff and alumni! We can't wait to see you there!

• Date & Time: Saturday Feb 24th, 12pm-2pm - this is the rescheduled date

• Hosted By: Basil (they/them) and Vienna

• Location: Eldersburg, MD. An exact location will be sent out to registered participants prior to the event. 

• What to Bring: Feel free to bring along your campfire favorites! We'll be bringing s'mores materials, veggie and non-veggie hot dogs, and some more goodies to share. Make sure to also wear warm clothes as it might be chilly!

If you’re into trivia & if you’re into anything queer, November 16th is the perfect time to showcase your knowledge at our virtual, queer-themed Kahoot! All queer youth ages 12-18 are welcome to join in the game! Make sure you have something you can play Kahoot with (like on your phone, tablet, or laptop) and join in on the virtual trivia fun!

• Date & Time: Thursday, February 22, 5pm (PT) /8pm (ET)

• Hosted By: Tessa (she/her)

• Location: Zoom - Participants will receive a zoom link sent via email on the day of our meet up!

Come kickstart the New Year by unleashing your creativity and manifesting queer joy through the art of making vision boards! Vision boards are all about good vibes, positive energy, dreaming big, and manifestation magic but you’ll also probably want to bring craft supplies to help your personal roadmap for the new year come to life! Think glue, glitter, magazines, scissors, paper, markers, etc. If crafting isn’t your thing, you can also make a digital board using something like Pinterest, PowerPoint, Canva, etc. We hope to see you there!  

This event is open to any queer youth ages 11-18, Brave Trails campers, their families, and Brave Trails staff and alumni! We can't wait to see you there!

• Date & Time: Thursday, January 18 5pm PST/8pm EST

• Hosted By: E (they/them)

• Location: Zoom

Come join your Brave Trails family for a fun and queer day as we reunite in California & Maryland! Reconnect with some old friends, meet some new friends, and say hi to your favorite camp staff members!

Come join your friends at a December campfire cookout! We'll be grilling, playing some campfire games, and having a gay ol' time!

This event is open to any queer youth ages 11-18, Brave Trails campers, their families, and Brave Trails staff and alumni! We can't wait to see you there!

• Date & Time: Sunday, December 10th, 12pm-2pm

• Hosted By: Basil (they/them) and Vienna

• Location: Eldersburg, MD. An exact location will be sent out to registered participants prior to the event. 

• What to Bring: Feel free to bring along your campfire favorites! We'll be bringing s'mores materials, veggie and non-veggie hot dogs, and some more goodies to share. Make sure to also wear warm clothes as it might be chilly!

Come be in community with your Brave Trails crew in this Park and Potluck Brave Space! We'll be playing some camp games, singing some songs, eating some food, and having a ball!

This event is open to any queer youth ages 11-18, Brave Trails campers, their families, and Brave Trails staff and alumni! We can't wait to see you there!

• Date & Time: Saturday, December 9th, 11am-1pm

• Hosted By: SJ (they/them)

• Location: Los Angeles, CA (near Downtown). An exact location will be sent out to registered participants. 

• What to Bring: Bring along your favorite picnic food to share with the group! Also make sure to bring a blanket to sit on and a jacket in case it gets chilly. If you have any fun games you want to play, bring 'em along for the ride, too! 

Join us for an hour long one-shot game of DnD (Dungeons and Dragons), the adventure based TTRPG (Table Top Role Play Game). This game is designed to cultivate creativity and critical thinking as well as explore safety tools and strengthen social skills. Get inspired to join or run your own TTRPG with loved ones or new friends!

Interested in learning how to run a game as a DM/GM/Storyteller? Plan on arriving 30 Minutes ahead of start time for a crash course in running a game, any experience level is welcome!

• Date & Time: Thursday, December 7th, 5pm PST/8pm EST

• Hosted By: Nick (they/he)

• Location: Zoom - Participants will receive a zoom link sent via email on the day of our meet up!

What's better than zines, art, stickers, and BT besties?! Join us at DC Zinefest on November 18 for all 4! Zinefest is a market full of self-published zines (small art books with comics, art, poetry, activism, and more from punk and queer communities) and other fun art, with lots of queer creators. We'll have a table to distribute zines made by campers!

We will be having a meetup at a coffee shop in the area at 1pm. Details will be sent upon registration. 

• Date & Time: Saturday, November 18th at 1pm

• Location: MLK Library (901 G St NW) in Washington DC, 5th floor rooftop

Join the Brave Trails crew to see a performance of CRACKED- a new ballet by the Leigh Purtill Ballet Company! It's a new Nutcracker story with a twist! This CRACKED version Intertwines the beloved Tchaikovsky score and story with a Celtic-inspired whimsical Land of the Fae. Our ballet will take you on a captivating journey through the portal of a snowglobe created by Drosselmeyer. Follow the family maid, Nora, on the adventure of a lifetime into a new world of magical creatures like Naiads, Dryads, and Selkies.

This event is open to all LGBT youth ages 12-18, plus their families. Please be aware that tickets are limited, so we are giving them out on a first come, first served basis. Those who do not receive tickets initially will be put on a wait list. 

• Date & Time: Saturday, November 11th at 7pm

• Location: The Lanterman Auditorium in La Cañada Flintridge

So you're ready to graduate from high school! What's next? How about a technical program? What about attending a 4-year university? How does a 2-year degree sound? How do you know which university is right for you? This Brave Space will help you prepare for college applications, campus tours, and navigating higher education as an LGBTQIA+ individual. Together, we will create game plans for how to determine if a college is right for you!

• Date & Time: Thursday, November 9th at 5pm PST/8pm EST

• Hosted By: Roxanne (She/her)

• Location: Zoom - Participants will receive a zoom link sent via email on the day of our meet up!

Join Brave Trails staff Basil for a gentle hike looking at nature! We'll walk a little over a mile, stopping to sit quietly a few times along the way. If you like mushrooms, trees, rivers, really cool rocks, or just being out in nature with members of your community, this is for you! Please wear clothes you feel comfortable sitting in nature with! This event is open to any queer youth ages 11-18, Brave Trails campers, their families, and Brave Trails staff and alumni! We can't wait to see you there!

• Date & Time: Sunday, October 22nd from 12-3pm (ET)

• Hosted By: Baisel (they/them)

• What To Bring: Clothes and shoes you can walk around in! The hike won't be strenuous, but please wear sturdy sneakers or hiking shoes. Bring layers in case it gets chilly too! Make sure to bring your water bottle and a snack for the hike as well.

• Location: Columbia, MD (an exact address will be sent out upon registration)

Join your Brave Trails community and make new friends with our very first Midwest Brave Space at the Chicago Lincoln Park Zoo! Come look at some cool animals, hang out, and have a Zoo-tastic time! This event is open to any queer youth ages 11-18, Brave Trails campers, their families, and Brave Trails staff and alumni! We can't wait to see you there!

• Date & Time: Saturday, October 21st from 12-3pm (CT)

• Hosted By: Jess (she/her)

• What To Bring: The zoo itself is free, but feel free to bring some money for lunch or any souvenirs you want to purchase. Please wear comfortable clothes that you can walk around in and bring layers in case it gets chilly!

• Location: Lincoln Park Zoo, Chicago (an exact meetup location will be sent upon registration)

Come join Matthew (they/he) at this month's virtual Brave Space for a discussion on gender expression and queerness in the outdoors! We'll look at different people and things happening right now in the outdoor and environmental movements to create more accessible and queer friendly spaces, while also looking at some ways you can get involved and get empowered to go outside. Whether it is sitting and having a picnic in your local park to get some fresh air, or going on a 10-day backpacking trip, we want to hear the different ways you express yourself when you go outside! The outdoors are SO gay and we'd love to hear how you bring your full and beautiful self to every space you grace and why its so important to continue showing up!

• Date & Time: Thursday, October 19th at 5pm PST/8pm EST

• Hosted By: Matthew (They/he)

• Location: Zoom - Participants will receive a zoom link sent via email on the day of our meet up!

Brave Trails is thrilled to announce that we'll be tabling at the 31st annual Models of Pride event in Los Angeles next month! Join us for an amazing day with our Associate Director Taylor and some other familiar camp faces. Get ready to be inspired and connect with other change-makers like yourself!

Models of Pride is back for its 31st year with a completely refreshed event! Celebrating 31 years of success, the new Models of Pride Festival will bring us into a new world of fun with an all new venue, exciting and interactive activities, dancing and music from awesome DJ’s and heart stopping performances! This festival will also include all new Chill Lounges, Resource, College, and Job Fair, carnival games, delicious food trucks, and more – all FOR FREE! All youth ages 24 and younger and their friends and families are invited to attend.

• Date & Time: Oct, 14th from 10:30a-5p

• Location: California Science Center 3737 S. Figueroa St., Los Angeles CA 90007

Brave Trails has been invited to the LA Lakers Basketball Pride Night in DTLA. Join us for an exciting night of sports and recreation. We will meet outside the Arena and sit together as a group as we cheer on the LA Lakers. This event is open to all families, youth, and current or past Brave Trails Staff. 

We have a limited supply of tickets so they will be given on a first come, first served basis. If you sign up and are unable to attend, please contact Sophia at sophia@bravetrails.org so we can release the tickets out. 

• Date & Time: Friday October 13th, 7:00pm

• Location: Crypto.com Arena DTLA

Join Trailmixer, Brave Trails, and other LGBTQIA+ community organizations for a Harvey Milk Day of Service with Audubon Center at Debs Park! We'll work on habitat restoration and get our hands dirty. Help us build sustainable habitats for local bird populations and other wildlife. Volunteers will be helping to maintain habitat restoration sites through, invasive species removal, watering, and more. This is a great opportunity to learn about local wildlife and CA native plants! We will be providing snacks, drinks, and lunch after we're done.

• Date & Time: May 21st, 2023, 8:30am

• Location: Audubon Center at Debs Park

• What to Bring: Wear closed toed shows, layers, and clothes you don't mind getting dirty in! We highly recommend bringing a hat, sunscreen, and a reusable water bottle. If you have your own gardening gloves, feel free to bring those along too! Please leave your furry friends at home. 

Join us for the one-day-only grand opening of BRAVETOPIA! Bravetopia is a virtual world where you can walk around and talk to people like in real life. This is a great way to meet new campers (or see old friends!) and staff before the summer even starts. Learn about camp and get full of the Brave Trails spirit in this virtual party! Topia is 10x better with a camera and mic, though you can join without if needed. Play games, join a dance party, find the doge, and sit by the virtual campfire.

• Hosted By: Mars (they/them)

• Date & Time: May 18th, 2023, 5pm PT/8pm ET

• Location: Zoom (the comfort of your own home!)

• Free: This event is Free and open to all queer youth ages 11-18, Brave Trails campers, and past and present Brave Trails staff. We can't wait to see you there!

Join your Brave Trails crew and Joshua Tree National Park park rangers for an awesome day of exploring the park, learning about nature photography, and learning about the park around us! Learn how to tell stories through your images and photograph responsibly in nature. We will discuss lighting, composition, color theory, and camera basics to capture beautiful nature imagery at Joshua Tree National Park. This event is open to brand new photographers, experienced content creators, and everyone in between. 

• Date & Time: May 13th, 2023, 8am-9pm

• Location: Joshua Tree National Park (Transportation from LA provided!)

• Cost: Free! (Thanks to our friends at Bronco Wild Fund) Photography equipment, transportation, and meals are all covered. Feel free to bring extra money for additional snacks or souvenirs from the park. You can also feel free to bring your own photography gear if you have it. 

• Application: This event is open to current and past Brave Trails campers and UJLs. Please note that space for this program is extremely limited. Please fill out this form thoughtfully by April 14th for your application to be considered for the event. Chosen participants will be informed by late April and all others will be entered into a waitlist and notified. 

Let's bring home that rainbow bacon with some practical job applicant skills! Learn how to craft a stellar resume, show off your all-star self in an interview, navigate and excel with your queerness in the workplace, and land your dream job. We're here, we're queer, and we're getting hired.

• Hosted By: Angela (she/her)

• Date & Time: May 11th, 2023, 5pm PT/8pm ET

• Location: Zoom (the comfort of your own home!)

• Free: This event is Free and open to all queer youth ages 11-18, Brave Trails campers, and past and present Brave Trails staff. We can't wait to see you there!

Join your Brave Trails family in a wonderful day at the DC Zoo! The day will be filled with fun animals, queer community, and lots of joy!

• Date & Time: Saturday, May 7, 2023, 2-4pm (RESCHEDULED)

• Location: DC Zoo. A more detailed description of where to meet will be provided to registered guests closer to the event. 

• Cost: Free Event. This event open to all queer youth ages 11-18, Brave Trails campers, and past and present Brave Trails staff. We can't wait to see you there!

Join resident puppeteer MC in a potluck & puppetry picnic at Griffith park! Craft supplies will be provided, but bring your favorite picnic food, a nice towel to sit on, and your puppteering spirit! This event is open to any queer youth ages 11-18, Brave Trails campers, and Brave Trails staff! We can't wait to see you there!

• Hosted By: MC (they/he)

• Date & Time: April 8th, 2023, 1-3 PM

• Location: Griffith Park, Los Angeles, CA. A more detailed location will be given to registered guests prior to the event. 

• Free: This event is Free and open to all queer youth ages 11-18, Brave Trails campers, and past and present Brave Trails staff. We can't wait to see you there!

Join Jeanette Jennings, star of "I am Jazz" on TLC and president of Transkids Purple Rainbow Foundation to talk about her experiences being the parent of a queer child and being involved in the community. Come have an open discussion, ask advice, and be in community with fellow parents!

• Date & Time: Monday, March 20th, 6pm PT / 9pm ET

• Location: Zoom. A zoom link will be sent out to all RSVP’d guests the day of the event

• Free: This event is open to all parents and families of queer and trans youth. You do not have to be a Brave Trails parent or guardian to attend this program. 

Come spend the afternoon with us at the Smithsonian National Museum of American History for a special behind the scenes look at some objects from the museum’s queer holdings. Speak with a curator and collection specialists on what it’s like to collect these objects and what they can tell us about our shared history.

After the program, explore the museum (on your own) including the museum's latest exhibit - Entertainment Nation - the museum's collection of movie, television, theater, and music objects. Lunch is available for purchase at the museum's cafe.

• Date & Time: Saturday, March 18, 2023, 12-2pm

• Location: American History Museum. A more detailed description of where to meet will be provided to registered guests closer to the event. 

• Cost: Free Event. This event open to all queer youth ages 11-18, Brave Trails campers, and past and present Brave Trails staff. We can't wait to see you there!

Fashion is such an integrated part of our queer journey. We think about fashion every day, whether we are choosing to express ourselves or if we're simply drawn to certain things that make us feel good in the clothing we wear. Come break down gender barriers and expression with Serena through talks of androgyny, what fashion means to each of us, and how we use it for self liberation while listening to fun runway music and creating some cool DIY household fashion accessories to wear all year round! 

• Hosted By: Serena (she/her)

• Date & Time: March 16th, 2023, 5pm PT/8pm ET

• Location: Zoom (the comfort of your own home!)

• Free: This event is Free and open to all queer youth ages 11-18, Brave Trails campers, and past and present Brave Trails staff. We can't wait to see you there!

Join BT staff Luke as he takes you through a guided forest bathing experience! No, we're not going to be taking a mud shower, but rather using our senses to connect with the natural world and our whole selves. The event will include short walks, exploring, sharing with each other, and taking a deeper look at the environment around us. 

Luke is a certified Nature and Forest therapy guide and is certified in Wilderness First Aid.

• Hosted By: Luke (he/him)

• Date & Time: March 11th, 2023, 9:45am-12pm

• Location: Coldwater Canyon, Beverly Hills, CA. A more detailed meeting description will be provided to register guests as the event gets closer. 

• Free: This event is Free and open to all queer youth ages 11-18, Brave Trails campers, and past and present Brave Trails staff. We can't wait to see you there!

Do you like writing poetry? Do you like listening to other people’s poetry? Do you not know anything about poetry but are looking for something fun to do on February 16th and 5pm PT/ 8pm ET? Join Brave Trails staff member Emma-Claire for a workshop that includes guided poetry prompts and an optional open mic.

• Hosted By: Emma-Claire (she/her)

• Date & Time: February 16th, 2023, 5pm PT/8pm ET

• Location: Zoom (the comfort of your own home!)

• Free: This event is Free and open to all queer youth ages 11-18, Brave Trails campers, and past and present Brave Trails staff. We can't wait to see you there!