SAY Sí is thrilled to announce their LGBTQ+ Pride Month Event Series, “Youth Voice, Youth Pride,” that will take place this June. The local nonprofit is committed to supporting and amplifying the voices of young artists and also recognizes the importance of highlighting the voices of the LGBTQ+ community. “Youth Voice, Youth Pride ” will feature an online film series and discussion, as well as a writing workshop. Both will be held virtually later this month. (SAY Sí,2021)

The online film series will be held on Tuesday, June 22 via Zoom, with a live discussion to follow that will be streamed live on SAY Sí’s Facebook and YouTube channels. The film series will feature three LGBTQ+ youth films created by SAY Sí alumni Carlo Rodriguez, Alejandro Peña and Yoomi Park. Links to the films will be provided to participants to watch before the livestreamed Q&A with the filmmakers at 6p.m. that evening. Students will have the opportunity to ask SAY Sí alumni questions about their roles in the film industry, the inspiration behind their films and their experiences with the LGBTQ+ community. Summaries of each film can be found below. To register for the event, visit SAY Sí online. 

Featured films include:

PEDAZOS – Alejandro Peña

After a garish and violent ceremony, two lovers are thrown into a mysterious cave inhabited by flying creatures. A reflection on the beautifully loud dress of the ancients, a meltdown of repressed romance and a hyper vision of a fantastical world. PEDAZOS is a series of technical video-art experiments strung together by a narrative about restrained, intimate feelings between two friends.

Skye – Yoomi Park

Skye is a semi-autobiographical short film about a young teenage girl who starts to question her sexual orientation after yet another break up with a boy. The film follows Skye as she talks things out with her friends, has discussions with her church youth group, and even as she comes out to her mom through an email. The biggest hurdle for Skye is if and how she will ever tell her best friend that she is gay, and whether or not she is ready for her reaction, good or bad.

Ty – Carlo Rodriguez

Ty was being homeschooled by Claudia when he was diagnosed with Asperger’s. Although hesitant, she was persuaded to let him experience his last year of high school. On Ty’s first day, he experiences ableist comments from both staff and classmates. However, Austin, a classmate, befriends him. As weeks pass, Ty and Austin become good friends, to the point where Austin invites Ty over, and kisses him. Unable to process this, Ty stays home for a couple of weeks to sort out his emotions. After a needed conversation with Claudia, he returns to school.

On Tuesday, June 29 from 6p.m. to 8p.m., SAY Sí will present a virtual writing workshop, “Documenting Joy,” with acclaimed poet and public speaker Yosimar Reyes. Open to high school and college students 14-22 years of age, the two-hour virtual workshop will give participants an opportunity to take inventory of the rich cultures they come from and build narratives of strength. The goal is to honor the powerful legacies everyone comes from and envision futures in which each individual and collective thrives. Registration is required to participate and can be done online. 

Yosimar Reyes is a nationally-acclaimed poet and public speaker. Born in Guerrero, Mexico and raised in Eastside San Jose, Reyes explores the themes of migration and sexuality in his work. Reyes was named one of “13 LGBT Latinos Changing the World” by The Advocate and Remezcla previously included Reyes on their list of “10 Up And Coming Latinx Poets You Need To Know.” His first collection of poetry, For Colored Boys Who Speak Softly…, was self-published after a collaboration with the legendary Carlos Santana

“As a young queer person growing up in San Antonio, I desperately searched for community spaces that accepted me. Now, as a leader at SAY Sí, I am able to contribute to a community that welcomes and empowers all marginalized groups, including our LGBTQ+ community. It’s important for us to amplify voices that have historically been silenced and celebrate creative youth exploring their identities. We invite the community to join us in celebrating LGBTQ+ youth voices who can show us how to be a more inclusive and equitable society.” – Stephen Garza-Guzman, SAY Sí Co-Executive Director

Alejandro Peña is an LA-based experimental artist. Born and raised in San Antonio, TX, he first began making short films at the age of 17. Ranging from handmade animation to special effects, his short films mix acting with distorted narrative structures and vibrant, fever-dream textures and colors. His body of film work from 2012 to 2016 includes a music video and four short films, two of which screened at festivals around the world. Currently, Alejandro is primarily a painter and photographer, hoping to start making short films again.

After graduating from Texas with degrees in Radio-Television-Film and Sport Management, Yoomi Park worked as a set PA for a few years before moving to NYC, then worked at Instagram in content and policy review. They serendipitously landed at HBO’s Creative Services department as an editing PA in 2019, contributing to campaigns for shows such as Westworld, Room 104, Legendary, and the upcoming reboot of Gossip Girl. At WarnerMedia, Yoomi continues to advocate for LGBTQ+ employees and other marginalized groups in the workplace while also focusing on connecting fellow creatives to each other to continue telling new and personal stories.

Say Si Alumni, Carlo Antonio Rodriguez, was born in San Antonio, Texas. Carlo’s art focuses on how personal experiences influence human connection. He utilizes his own experiences as a gay man to portray the obstacles that prevented him from making human connections with others. He hopes that anyone who encounters his work will reflect and break down any borders that they placed around themselves. Carlo believes that once people rid themselves completely of these borders, it would allow them to establish deep, strong, and powerful connections with others and themselves, allowing the world to become a more unified and accepting place.

Founded in 1994, SAY Sí is a national award-winning, art-based nonprofit youth development program located in San Antonio, Texas. The goal of the organization is to provide San Antonio area students in grades 6-12 with the opportunity to develop artistic and social skills in preparation for higher educational advancement and career building. SAY Sí programs serve over 200 students from all of San Antonio’s school districts – in addition to serving 4,000 youth in community programs. SAY Sí’s unique approach to education has placed the organization on the national stage, with recognition as one of the top out-of-school-time organizations in the country by The Wallace Foundation, as well as serving as one of seven international youth arts organizations chosen to receive an inaugural Creative Catalyst Award by Adobe Project 1324 in 2016.