TransActive Gender Project Announces New Leadership

Hayes Young, TransActive Program DirectorHayes Young (they/them/Hayes) joins the Lewis & Clark Graduate School of Education and Counseling after 20 years of advocacy in their home states of Mississippi and Oregon. From holding support spaces in their living room in Mississippi to being a resource for trans people across the state of Oregon, Hayes is anchored by compassion, empathy, and the belief that all corners of the work are important. They attended college in Jackson, MS, where they were educated as a historian and co-founded multiple LGBTQIA+ organizations. Since then, they have worked to support youth-serving organizations across the country and break new policy ground with service organizations across the Pacific Northwest.

“I am passionate about changing the present,” says Hayes. “Growing up in Mississippi kept my mind in a place of waiting and wanting for the future to arrive so everything would be better, be equal, be good for all. Waiting for it to get better is not enough and equality is not enough. I am passionate about the power of our voices to make change happen now and to build something to last for tomorrow.”

Hayes describes themself as dedicated to education and to learning together how we can handle each other with kindness, curiosity, and accountability, while fighting for a world that welcomes and celebrates diversity as a strength.

TransActive has a long history of fighting for transgender and gender diverse young people. It is worthy work to engage our neighbors, coworkers, schools, healthcare providers, and to educate each other about how incredibly normal and good gender diversity is. We are in an important moment in history as we reckon with how we will protect children now and in the future.

A captivating speaker, Hayes summarizes TransActive’s complex work into a beautifully simple question: how can we make sure that gender diverse children and youth get to be here now and as they grow into adults?

“I’m here for that question and the many people it will take to support trans kids now and later,” says Hayes.

Hayes is an out queer and trans person who values collaboration, being outside in the sun, and stewarding community interdependence.

More information about Hayes’ background and previous work can be found on their LinkedIn.