SOUTHERN INDIANA-For New Albany High School senior Chloe Edwards, it was tough when she came out to her family as bisexual last year.
As one of the first recipients of a new scholarship for local LGBTQ students, she hopes to inspire others to feel comfortable in their own skin.
The Floyd and Clark (Flark) Stonewall Democrats recently announced the recipients of its inaugural scholarship program for out LGBTQ seniors in Clark and Floyd counties. In addition to Edwards, the organization selected Charlestown High School senior Brenley Berger for the scholarship.
The organization will present a scholarship luncheon at 11 a.m. Sunday at TheatreWorks of Southern Indiana in New Albany to honor the recipients. The guest speakers will include Sen. J.D. Ford, D-Indianapolis, the first openly gay person to be elected to the Indiana State Senate, and Dana Black, president of the Indiana Stonewall Democrats.
Missy Smith, vice chair of administration for Flark Stonewall Democrats, said each student will receive at least $250 for the scholarships, but the exact amount will be determined by the amount of funds the organization raises.
Sunday's luncheon will serve as a fundraiser for the scholarships, and the students should receive the funds at their senior nights, according to Smith.
Brandy Brewer, Clark County chair of the Flark Stonewall Democrats, said this is the first LGBTQ scholarship program in Southern Indiana. The organization reached out to all of the high schools in Clark and Floyd counties to let them know about the opportunity.
In the past, the organization has primarily focused on advocating for LGBTQ political candidates and constituents in Clark and Floyd counties. Now, the organization plans to expand its mission by focusing on students.
"What we realized, is that while we will still be doing that [political advocacy], and that will receive no less attention going forward, we had an opportunity to really make a difference creating a safe place and a safe space for students, and to let them know they are supported," Smith said.
Applicants submitted two letters of recommendation and an essay outlining how they would use their education and future to support the LGBTQ community. In the essays, the students emphasized that they would "use their voices and their spaces to amplify other voices and make the community safer for other out teens," Smith said.
"These seniors provided outstanding essays, and they really spoke from the heart about what they planned to do, and we were just really impressed," she said. "Both of them spoke about the need for greater acceptance, both within families and in the school setting, and how that impacted them and their peers when they were coming out, and their recognition that not every family or community is supportive."
INSPIRING CONFIDENCE
After graduation, Edwards hopes to attend Western Kentucky University to study psychology, and she is interested in pursuing a career as a therapist. Berger declined to be interviewed for this story.
In her essay, Edwards focused on her experience of coming out and being her "own person." When she came out, she didn't find immediate acceptance from certain members of her family, and she even avoided spending certain holidays with them to avoid conflict.
"It hurt my feelings a lot, but we're all good now," she said.
She said she was both excited and surprised to receive the scholarship, and she hopes by winning the award, she can give other kids confidence in coming out as LGBTQ.
"New Albany is small, and I feel like since it's so small, people are scared to come out because of a lot of other people's opinions, and I just think that me winning the scholarship will help the kids realize that it's OK," Edwards said.
Brewer said while the organization didn't receive many submissions this year, the organization will continue raising awareness of the scholarship so that more people know about the opportunity in coming years.
Smith said she understands that some teenagers might not feel comfortable applying for the scholarship.
"We were aware and very mindful that this is a big ask for teenagers, to say we need you to be willing to put your name in the public and say, this is who I am, and I'm part of the LGBT[Q] community," she said. "We were asking a lot of these students, and we know adults who struggle to do just that. We understood when we didn't receive as many as we thought we might."
Smith said she hopes the scholarships help LGBTQ students understand that they do belong - and "it's not in spite of who they are, but because of exactly who they are."
Additionally, "It is important for us to send a message to the wider community that we will be a welcoming place, that there are LGBT students and that there should be an inclusive space, and that it's not something we should be afraid to talk about," she said.
Brewer said, as a member of the LGBTQ community, she was inspired by the confidence expressed by the scholarship recipients as they told their stories of coming out, and she is proud that they have the "capacity and wherewithal to know exactly who they are."
She wants LGBTQ students to know that they are loved, even if they don't always find acceptance within their families or communities.
"Obviously we want to help kids lessen their financial burden with their next step, but more importantly, we want them to know that they have a cheering section from their hometown in Southern Indiana, which is not necessarily something they would think would be a thing," she said.