Texas is home to approximately 7 million youth under 18, and holds the second largest LGBT youth population in the United States (approx. 195,000). Youth homelessness is a pervasive and understudied problem, and a burgeoning body of research suggests that lesbian, gay, bisexual, questioning/queer, gender nonconforming, and transgender (LGBQ/GNCT) youth of color may be particularly vulnerable to housing instability and homelessness due to structural barriers that disproportionately disadvantage them from resources, care, and services to promote their wellbeing. In Texas counties of all sizes, the needs of youth who face the intersection of housing insecurity, discrimination based on LGBQ/GNCT identity, justice involvement, and racial discrimination are not holistically understood due to lack of interconnecting data. Philanthropists seeking to better understand the driving factors behind homelessness for LGBQ/GNCT youth of color, and subsequently work to address the root causes, can invest in local organizations conducting crucial data collection and build capacity to bring together these disparate data sources. Given the proper funding and resources to increase the data and actionable solutions in this area, we can advance positive outcomes for youth of this generation and beyond.
Display Date
File
File
(215.07 KB)