Nat’l Coming Out Day presents unique challenges for communities of color

The LGBTQ+ youth suicide prevention organization the Trevor Project announced in an email sent out Friday that it has removed Amit Paley as the organization’s CEO and Executive Director.The organization has been attacked in recent months by far-right politicians and influencers over its work with queer youth.In the email, the Trevor Project said that the decision came after staff members voiced doubts over the group’s leadership and its recent expansion.“Over the past week, several staff members across our organization, particularly our BIPOC, transgender or nonbinary and disabled staff members, as well as members of our Crisis Services and training teams, have raised serious concerns about leadership and our rate of growth,” the email stated.The announcement stressed that the Trevor Project will continue to provide 24/7 crisis services and programs to support queer youth.The organization said in a separate statement that Peggy Rajski, the founder of The Trevor Project and longtime board member, will serve as interim CEO until a permanent CEO is found.“Relentless attacks against LGBTQ youth and their families also continue to raise the temperature for our crisis services, advocacy, research, and education work,” it read. “This intense climate has led to significant stress on our organization, and many members of our staff have raised concerns about workplace well-being, professional development, prioritization performance metrics, and resourcing compensation — particularly as they impact our BIPOC, transgender, nonbinary, and disabled team members.