United States
Originally from Honduras, Arely Westley is a trans-Latinx woman who moved to Louisiana with her mother many years ago and began working in Louisiana as a youth organizer, engaging young people to end the criminalization of LGBTQ youth. Arely is dedicated to ensuring her state’s Latinx and immigrant communities have a voice.
With the support of the Youth Champions Initiative, BreakOUT! will build a stronger base of youth, majority Black and Latinx transgender women or other gender-nonconforming youth who will undergo intensive political education together, across language barriers, address systemic factors leading to health disparities, and develop their leadership and capacity to wage and win campaigns.
As a youth membership-based organization, BreakOUT! organizes predominately Black and Latinx transgender and gender non-conforming youth in New Orleans to change policies that will have a direct positive benefit to their communities.
Rise Up Cohort: Youth Champion 2017