MassLive recently asked readers to identify people who are leaders from the LGBTQ+ community throughout the state, working to make a difference in their own area of interest, be it politics, education, business or the arts.
Profiles of these leaders will be published through the rest of February. These are people our readers have identified as inspirational, who may be doing good acts for their communities. They are being recognized for their accomplishments, leadership and commitment to inspire change.
Age: 50
Community: Marlborough
Her story: Through her work, Dawn Sorensen’s job is to bring people together to support queer youth of all religious backgrounds.
A lifelong activist, Sorensen is certified in Fath Formation and Youth Ministry by the Southern New England Conference of the United Church of Christ.
She is also the co-founder of Southborough Safe Spaces, a support and advocacy group that strives to “equip secular communities and faith-based organizations to support queer youth and families,” she told MassLive. The group’s vision is focused on creating “a society where parents are unquestionably understood as their LGBTQIA+ children’s strongest allies and fiercest advocates,” according to its website.
The group was founded in 2021 as a response to mental health crises among young people following the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic, Sorensen said. Youth meetings are held bi-weekly while parent meetings are held four times a year.
“I feel called to work in queer activism at the intersection of mind, body, and spirit, honoring the fullness of queer identity by healing the moral injury and religious trauma that many queer people face,” she said. “I also feel called to help religious institutions learn how to do no harm when it comes to queer inclusion.”
Sorensen’s role has been to develop curriculum and programming, facilitate meetings and plan outreach and advocacy events that will allow queer youth to “experience queerness as the dominant culture and engage in shared dialogue and communal understanding,” she said. Meetings are held bi-weekly and work to give young people the tools they need to strengthen their resilience and sense of inherent self-worth, she added.
In her words: “You have to be passionate about working with youth because teenagers can be really challenging, and this critical point in their development is so incredibly special. They will push buttons and boundaries, repeatedly. This is hard work…and yet, it’s an incredible privilege to walk with them through this journey, supporting youth and their families through unfathomable lows and celebrating successes, seeing them thrive. The outside world can be scary, and it is our job to speak kindly, even to those that don’t understand.”
We’re always open to hearing about more inspiring people. If you’d like to suggest someone else who should be recognized, please fill out this form.
