Creative Cuisine ATL and GLAAD Center LGBTQ+ Youth Voices Through Powerful Community Conversation

Community, visibility, and honest storytelling took center stage as Creative Cuisine ATL partnered with GLAAD for an impactful evening dedicated to LGBTQ+ youth, HIV awareness, and authentic dialogue surrounding identity, stigma, and healing.

Bringing together creatives, filmmakers, advocates, artists, students, and community leaders, the event created a space intentionally designed for connection and truth telling. Rather than relying on a traditional panel format, the evening focused on community led conversations shaped in collaboration with GLAAD’s Youth Advisory Council, ensuring that young LGBTQ+ voices remained at the center of the experience.

The discussions explored topics deeply affecting queer youth today, including navigating Black campus environments as LGBTQ+ students, the ongoing realities of HIV stigma and misinformation, visibility through social media, and the importance of storytelling as a form of advocacy and survival. Conversations also focused on building safer and more affirming spaces where LGBTQ+ young people can exist fully without fear or shame.

Featured participants included Digital Organizer and GLAAD Community and Media Junior Associate Ty Ballard, Georgia State University Associate Professor Dr. Daniel B. Coleman, artist and activist Naima Starr, who was also recognized as a GLAAD x Teen Vogue 20 Under 20 honoree, Black Filipina singer and songwriter MK xyz, and HIM+ co-director Creed Smith.

The evening’s energy continued with a special performance from Atlanta drag performer Cookie D’Lite, bringing celebration, artistry, and joy into the room while reinforcing the importance of queer expression and visibility within culture.

Attendees were also given an exclusive trailer presentation for HIM+, introduced by Creed Smith alongside cast member Seven James and producer Jhaneal Kelli. The moment highlighted the power of film and media to tell stories that reflect LGBTQ+ experiences with honesty, nuance, and humanity.

Community engagement remained a major part of the evening as audience members actively participated in discussions and conversations throughout the experience. Atlanta based LGBTQ+ youth organization Lost N Found Youth also played an important role in the event. At the beginning of the evening, Neena Beausoleil spoke with attendees about the organization’s mission supporting LGBTQ+ youth experiencing homelessness and housing instability, while also sharing valuable resources and information directly with community members.

More than just an event, the evening served as a reminder that representation, education, and safe spaces continue to matter deeply, especially for LGBTQ+ youth navigating systems and environments that often overlook their experiences.

By centering conversation, community care, and authentic storytelling, Creative Cuisine ATL and GLAAD created an atmosphere where voices were not simply included, but truly heard.

Because visibility alone is not enough.

Real impact happens when people feel safe enough to speak, heal, and exist fully as themselves.