Becky from the hometown Explorer here at food trucks on the river in Shelton with BISTRO BUDDY. We are here with Patty from Proud Academy. So Patty, tell us a little bit about Proud Academy. Patty: Well, Proud Academy will be New England's first school for LGBTQ youth and their allies, and we are landing in Ansonia, Connecticut, at the Boys and Girls Club. Becky: That is awesome. So how long has Proud Academy been around? Patty: It hasn't been around. It'll open up in September, but this will be the fifth in the nation. So the first school to go was the Harvey Milk School in New York, but then there are three others: one in Alabama, one in Ohio, and one in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. So we will be the fifth. Becky: Okay, that is awesome. What grades do you guys have in the school? Patty: We're going to start with grades seven and eight, but we'll eventually be adding on a grade every year. So we'll add 9, 10, 11, and 12. So eventually 7 through 12, and eventually we'll own our own building. Becky: That sounds awesome. Is there anything that would stand out, I guess? Oh no, I'm sorry. I'm trying to think. One of the reasons that I was starting this school was because, as an LGBTQ teacher myself, I had kids saying, We have a dyke for a teacher and scratching Les in my car. And so I thought, this isn't feeling very good as a teacher. I can't imagine what it's like if a kid is questioning their sexual orientation because they go home maybe to somebody who may not feel good about them being gay, or maybe they can't even go home and say they're being bullied because why are you being bullied? They don't want to say they're gay. So it got me thinking, I need to create a safe school for LGBTQ youth. Fast forward all these years, I ended up coming out in 1997 alongside Ellen DeGeneres, which was a defining moment in my journey because I no longer lived in fear. So being an out teacher is so empowering now. When kids bully you, you get to say, Yeah, you know, you didn't know that I was gay? You didn't get that memo? And it disarms the kids. So that's why I'm opening the school, to empower kids to feel good about who they are. Becky: That's awesome. So what kind of curricular programs will you guys have in addition to just the standard academics? Patty: Right, well, we'll have the core Reading, Writing, and arithmetic and all that. And then we hope to have Mandarin and drama, art, music. So all of that's very important, and the SEL component, the social-emotional learning component, and whatever else the students suggest because we want their input for the courses that we teach also. And oh, I forgot, one of the most important ones, we also purchased the LGBTQ history curriculum. It's called History UnErased, and so we're the first in Connecticut to purchase that. So we will teach LGBTQ history. Becky: That's really exciting, and that's really awesome. There is no other school in New England, you said, or no other school in just Connecticut? Patty: No other school specifically for LGBTQ youth and their allies in New England. So we will be the first in New England, but the fifth in the nation for that particular course. I mean, there is that... Becky: Oh, for that course. LGBTQ course. Nobody in Connecticut's teaching that course? Patty: Nobody purchased that course, that curriculum. Becky: Is there options for students to take individual courses over the years, or is it strictly full-time? Patty: We haven't gotten that far yet, you know, we'll get to that. Becky: That's fair, that's fair. And so, the goal is to open in September, you said? Patty: That's it. We need 20 students and we're good to go. We already have the building. I have a stack of resumes like this from people all over the country who want to teach at Proud Academy. We have a Yale professor who wants to come down and teach one day a week, University of Hartford, PhD teachers who want to teach at Proud Academy. Overwhelming support and enthusiasm for this school. We're excited. Becky: That's good. And where can people find you online? Patty: Good question. So at our website, proudacademyct.org. Becky: Awesome. All right, well thank you so much. Patty: Thank you. Join us in celebrating LGBT Pride Month with an exclusive look at the Food Trucks on The River event held on June 2-3, 2023, featuring Becky from The Hometown Explorer and BISTRO BUDDY. This vibrant event, hosted in Shelton, brought together food lovers and the LGBTQ+ community in a celebration of diversity, inclusion, and delicious cuisine. In this video, Becky explores the event and interviews Patty from Proud Academy, New England's first school for LGBTQ+ youth and their allies, set to open in Ansonia, Connecticut. Patty shares the inspiring story behind the school’s inception, its curriculum, and the support it has garnered from educators across the country. The interview highlights the importance of creating safe and empowering educational environments for LGBTQ+ youth. Celebrate with us as we showcase the energy, joy, and unity of this fantastic event. Let’s continue to support and uplift the LGBTQ+ community during Pride Month and beyond. #LGBTPrideMonth #FoodTrucksOnTheRiver #BISTROBUDDY #TheHometownExplorer #ProudAcademy #LGBTQYouth #DiversityAndInclusion #CelebratePride #PrideMonth2023 #LoveIsLove #SupportLGBTQ #FoodFestival #CommunityEvent #SheltonCT #InclusiveEducation #PrideInNewEngland Transcript