As D.C.’s LGBTQ+ youth center, SMYAL has witnessed firsthand the resilience, brilliance, and struggles of Washington, D.C.’s young people. At SMYAL, we believe in the power of young people and actively work to build a world— and a city— where they thrive.

Yet, the Trump administration’s alarming authoritarian takeover of Washington, D.C., frames young people as criminals rather than as community members deserving of resources and opportunity.

The real emergency facing D.C. isn’t what headlines suggest; the real crisis is the lack of investment in resources that support and uplift the people who live here. One in five D.C. youth face housing insecurity, and more than 21,000 children live below the poverty line, as funding for critical supports, like housing and healthcare, is threatened a

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