ELYSARC – A Look at Everett’s First LGBTQ+ Resource Center

By Richie McNamara

During the summer of 2020, Kay Mangan had just moved back to their hometown in Everett, Massachusetts. “It was the beginning of the pandemic, and I was reflecting on my high school experience in the closet. And when I came back to Everett after graduating (college), I felt eyes on me now that I was visibly queer.” 

Kay, who uses they/them pronouns, could not recollect a single instance when the City of Everett acknowledged “LGBTQ anything.” Kay’s father, Michael Mangan, has previously served on Everett City Council and is currently on the School Committee representing Ward 4. Kay grew up very aware of Everett's priorities and knew that LGBTQ+ rights and protections were not on the city’s radar. Realizing there was a lack of resources in Everett is what pushed Kay to make a change, so they joined forces with co-founder Dom Washington, who has an extensive background in community organizing, to propose ELYSARC to the city.

Kay and Dom sent a proposal for the youth center to the city, which included details like utilizing an unoccupied space in a former public school building. After months of waiting, the city reached out to tell them they had a space, and they opened their doors on June 1, 2021. Since they got that call, Dom explained that the ball moved quickly, which felt “surreal, exciting, and overwhelming.”

ELYSARC stands for Everett LGBTQ+ Youth Space and Resource Center and is for queer youth to have a space to hang out and be themselves. They offer gender-affirming products and resources, as well as provide connections to resources with STI testing, food, and healthcare in their space in the Old Pope John High School.

“We wanted to prioritize creating a physical space because that's often the biggest barrier for an organization”

— ELYSARC co-founder Kay Mangan

ELYSARC also has vocational and volunteer opportunities for LGBTQ+ youth, as they currently have an intern helping them out for college credit. They’ve also hired LGBTQ+ youth artists to paint a mural. The organization has joined forces with Everett Public Schools to assess the needs of LGBTQ+ students and to create professional development opportunities and resources.

ELYSARC has faced some backlash from a small handful of locals, as heightened visibility can lead to more outward hate. However, for Dom and Kay, the Everett Public School system has been truly supportive of their organization in the face of hate.

Kay and Dom were incredibly proud to help create Everett's first Queer Prom.

Kay and Dom cited Queer Prom as their most proud moment relating to ELYSARC. “A lot of us have weird feelings about prom, and high school in general,” says Kay. “We wanted to reclaim authenticity with this event.” The droves of support this event received made it apparent how necessary a Queer Prom was in Everett. Not only did people want to see the event happen, but they also wanted to attend and volunteer. 

To put on their biggest event, ELYSARC collaborated with YouForward (a Lawrence nonprofit promoting self-discovery and well-being in young adults through shared experiences and resources), and Lowell’s YouthQuake (an access center serving young adults in need of mental health support). Queer Prom at ELYSARC included a live ballroom performance from the House of Escada who has been featured on the first season of HBO’s Legendary. 

Currently, ELYSARC is focusing on providing mutual aid in the form of gender-affirming products, and professional development workshops with Everett Public Schools. You can find them on Instagram @elysarc_ and linktr.ee/Elysarc for other ways to show support!

Richie McNamara graduated from UMass Amherst with a BA in Communication and a published thesis project titled Beyond Our Boundaries, which looks at how face-to-face, personal narrative storytelling can create social change. Currently, Richie works in social media marketing for a local general contractor. Interests include reality television, pop culture, content creation, and cross country running.

At 50, SpeakOUT Recommits to the Work Ahead

SpeakOUT is coming to the end of our 50th anniversary year and it feels like a good time to assess, as one does when one turns 50.

First there is the looking back.

Over the course of 50 years, there have been thousands of SpeakOUT speakers who have shared their personal stories in order to raise awareness about LGBTQ+ people. Through the AIDS crisis, the movements for anti-discrimination protections in work and housing, the fight for marriage equality, the struggle for transgender civil rights, and during so many other significant milestones for our community, SpeakOUT speakers shared their experiences and perspectives of life within the LGBTQ+ community to shatter stereotypes and to put a face on the unknown. 

SpeakOUT has been just a part of the whole community’s work for equality, respect, and justice for LGBTQ+ people over these five decades and we want to acknowledge and thank all of our co-conspirators who have amplified the voices of our community and enhanced the lived experiences of LGBTQ+ people.

Then you wonder about the impact you’ve had on others in your 50 years.

Kathy Brophy, a teacher at Wellesley High School shared this with us: 

“Having been a SpeakOUT speaker for a short time back in 2010, I appreciate the impact that the speakers have in our classes. They share their life experiences, offer their perspective of the history of the movement, and they come equipped to answer a range of questions that the students have. I am an out and proud educator, and when I witness the SpeakOUT sessions, I am proud that this is happening in my classroom.”

And from a Boston business where we conducted an online engagement during Pride Month:

“For myself it really helped me to gain a better understanding of the perspective of someone who is gay or transgender…SpeakOUT is truly a great resource for the community and we would hope and encourage other organizations to take advantage of the programs being offered. I think the discussion last week will have a lasting effect on the culture [of our business].”

And, finally, there is looking ahead to what comes next.

We’ve had a strong year in 2022, indicating that our programs are in demand by the schools, colleges, businesses, organizations, and faith communities that we work with. But with the increasingly hostile legislation and violence that is targeting our community, we need to do more. 

Our intention in the new year is to continue to build our capacity beyond the one staff member and our board of directors and volunteers in order to do more and reach more people. We need to train more speakers to expand our reach through our online programs beyond the Boston area. And we need to create a stronger financial base for that expansion. That’s where your support comes in to help us succeed.

As our 50th anniversary year comes to a close, we ask you to make a gift to support the important work that we are doing throughout the Greater Boston area and beyond. Make your tax-deductible donation today by making an online donation, either a one-time gift or become a monthly or quarterly donor!

There is no resting on our laurels in 2023. The work continues and SpeakOUT is committed to doing our part by opening minds and changing attitudes. We appreciate your support in helping us do that!