YES Institute has partnered with the Episcopal Diocese of Southeast Florida and the Episcopal Diocese of Colombia to open unprecedented dialogue on gender and orientation, set in motion by religious leaders. Youth who identify as gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender are at high risk of suicide, physical violence, and substance abuse. Episcopal leaders began to address this issue head-on in the mist of controversy surrounding the ordination of Gene Robinson, the first openly-gay Episcopal bishop.

Episcopal leaders in South Florida initially partnered with YES Institute to prevent membership loss and quell upsets related to Bishop Robinson’s appointment. They soon recognized the opportunity they had to really make a difference by using their voices powerfully to dispel fears and speak boldly for the inclusion of every person. YES Institute and Episcopal leaders now have a long-term partnership to address fears and misinformation within religious communities to ensure that all youth and families are safe and supported.

		Interview with Bishop Frade, Southeast Florida Diocese, Miami
“Communication is key to living together in this country peacefully. Thank you for starting us on this path to finding solutions.” - Rev. Germán A. Giraldo
“I thought I was an expert in communication, but now I can really work to address the issues dividing our country.” - Rev. Juan Carlos Restrepo		Eva Leivas-Andino leading course in Spanish in Bogota,Colombia for Episcopal Bishops and Priests.
“I leave with renewed inspiration to fulfill my ministry. It’s like I’m seeing clearly for the first time without a smoke screen of biases and agendas.” - Rev. Jorge Martinez		Interview with Bishop Murray, Panama,Central America
“There are so many things I would have handled differently during my years of ministry if I had had this education from the start. I recommend this course to all new clergy and lay leaders.” - Rev. Fritz Bazin
“For so long I have remained silent for fear of rejection and scorn. Now I am eager to take initiatives and make my community safer.” - Rev. Sergio Leon Alvarez

When our partnership first began, Episcopal leaders were afraid to speak up or cause controversy. They didn’t know how to initiate dialogue or open doors for new information on gender and orientation. Since then, YES facilitated dialogue on these topics with both Episcopal Haitian clergy and Episcopal Hispanic clergy. Read more. Leaders of the Episcopal Diocese of Southeast Florida--including bishops, administrative staff, and family members--participated in YES Institute’s Communication Solutions™ course. Read more. Families from the Village of Key Biscayne, who are members of St. Christopher’s by the Sea Episcopal Church, participated in YES educational workshops on gender and orientation. Read more. YES Institute also trained all bishops from the nine-state southeastern region of the U.S. (Province IV) at their annual meeting in Key West, Florida. Read more.

Inspired by the results produced in South Florida, The Rt. Rev. Francisco José Duque-Gomez, the presiding Bishop of Colombia, invited YES Institute to deliver our educational courses to all Episcopal priests in Colombia. This groundbreaking initiative opened purposeful dialogue on gender and orientation in South America for the first time. Conversations among Episcopal leaders in South America have already led to further requests for YES education. Read more.

 

 

 

 

 

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