SRQ Strong: Trauma & Resilience in the LGBTQ+ Community
Dr. Essence and Emily joined a panel hosted by SRQ Strong as part of their "Community Conversations" series, alongside Zander Moricz of the youth-led SEE Alliance, and Becky McDonough Wiemers of ALSO Youth. The conversation centered on a question worth sitting with: what actually helps LGBTQ+ people not just survive, but thrive?
The panel dug into the sources of resilience that show up again and again — an affirming home, school, or community; political action; creative expression and self-care; and knowing when and how to reach for mental health support.
Key Takeaways from the panel
Resilience is built, not innate. – An affirming home, school, and community environment is what allows people to thrive, not just survive.
Political action is a form of care. – Advocacy and organizing are themselves protective factors for the LGBTQ+ community.
Self-care and creative expression matter. – They're not extras, they're part of how people process and recover from a world that isn't always built for them.
Identity doesn't operate in isolation. – Being queer, a person of color, chronically ill, and neurodivergent all at once means resilience has to account for more than one thing at a time.
Resources Mentioned
🏳️🌈 SEE Alliance – Youth-led nonprofit building political power for young people in Florida.
🤝 ALSO Youth – Sarasota-based support organization for LGBTQ+ youth.
