Youth Gender Project
Jaron Kanegson, 31, is the founding Executive Director of Youth Gender Project (YGP). YGP is a peer based, pro-feminist, anti-racist transgender, genderqueer, intersex and gender-questioning (TGIQ) youth and young adult organization seeking social change and social justice through education around gender and gender identity, as well as the development of TGIQ youth/young adult resources. Jaron, along with an amazing Advisory Board, started Youth Gender Project in August of 1999. Youth Gender Project has a small but dedicated staff of youth interns and offices in downtown Berkeley, the San Francisco LGBT Center and hopefully soon in Atlanta.
Jaron, the parent of three dogs and a proud uncle, was born in New York City and grew up near Boston. S/he attended Dartmouth College in Hanover New Hampshire for two years before running away to California. S/he completed a BA in Women's Studies at UC Berkeley in 1994, then went on to earn an MA in English/Creative Writing at San Francisco State University in 1999. Jaron has been an instructor at the Harvey Milk Institute since 1996 and has worked at LYRIC from 1997 to 1999 as their Educational Services Coordinator. In addition, Jaron revived Changeling, the LYRIC trans/genderqueer youth group and helped it become a success.
Jaron has taught courses on Jewish folktales, gender and Judaism and additional subjects at Congregation Rodef Sholom in Marin. S/he taught second grade at Congregation Sha'ar Zahav's fabulous religious school in San Francisco. Jaron writes poetry and non-fiction and will have an essay published in the upcoming anthology Queer Jews, edited by Caren Aviv and David Shneer, which discusses being a non-traditionally gendered Jewish religious school teacher. Hir poetry has also appeared in On the Page, Spoonfed Amerika and several anthologies. Jaron has performed at LunaSea, The Fairy Butch Show, Intercourse and other venues.
"Genderblast!," YGP's annual conference on TGIQ youth issues, will have its fourth incarnation on Saturday, September 21, 2002 at the SF LGBT Community Center -- all are welcome to attend.
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