Making an Impact January–June 2019

Our mission is to prevent suicide and ensure the healthy development of all youth

through powerful communication and education on gender and orientation.

Engaging with Parents to Eliminate Anti-Gay Bias

“I learned that bullying behaviors

originate from a place of trauma,

hurt, and rejection, and it’s a

communication.” – Faculty member

A national survey of parents found that 40% said they would reject their child if they came out as gay or lesbian

(2015, Pew Research). YES Institute’s unique approach of including and honoring diverse cultural and religious

backgrounds into our dialogues makes our work with parents critical in reducing anti-gay stigma in all families.

YES Institute provided dialogue and education sessions on anti-gay and gender-related bullying prevention for

school communities in Miami-Dade including: Archimedean Academy students, Citrus Grove Middle faculty,

Feinberg-Fischer K8 students, Gulliver Primary, Lower and Middle faculty and parents, MDCPS Title 1

Resource Center parents, Miami Country Day School faculty, parents and students, Westland Hialeah Senior

and Turner Tech Senior students.

Parents with Miami-Dade County Public Schools (MDCPS) Title I Resource Center at a YES Institute presentation.

Parents at Nova University Middle School engaging with the work of

YES Institute.

Educational sessions in Broward County

reached Pines Charter High School

students and parents, and Nova

University Middle School parents.

Broward County Public Schools Equity

Liaisons received two training sessions.

HistoryMiami Museum staff participating in Communication Solutions™.

Opening Community Dialogue with HistoryMiami

“Communication Solutions™ was an eye opening experience. I learned to focus less on how I react and

more on listening and acknowledging another’s viewpoints and opinions. I tend to always push my ideas

on others. I value everything I learned for my professional and personal needs.” – HistoryMiami staff

As HistoryMiami was preparing to launch the QueerMiami exhibition

in April 2019, numerous incidents of anti-gay slurs and negative

communications about the exhibit began to overwhelm HistoryMiami

staff at all levels. This would mark the first time in the museum’s 80

years of service that an entire program would document and feature

the lives and histories of youth and adults who identify as gay,

transgender, or are HIV positive. Negative communications included

posts on the museum’s social media channels, and some patrons

verbally threatened to pull their memberships and financial support.

HistoryMiami, a Smithsonian Affiliate institution, invited YES Institute

to conduct our signature Communication Solutions™ course for their

entire staff over two days. Participants highly rated the training, and

have reported they are now handling anti-gay comments in a way

that defuses tension, focuses on listening, and acknowledges

patrons’ emotions – all while providing high quality customer service.

Staff are also implementing the YES Institute communication model

to address and resolve interpersonal staff conflict on other topics,

while increasing team building and cohesiveness.

The curated exhibit produced by Dr. Julio Capó details Miami's rich

recorded heritage of gender and orientation diversity, and social and

human rights equity progress, extending as far back as 1842.

Dr. Julio Capó Jr. (left), who was born

and raised in Miami, is an associate

professor of history at the University

of Massachusetts, Amherst, pictured

with Jennifer Lopez, MS Ed., YES

Institute Associate Director &

Education Specialist. Dr. Capó

curated the exhibit, which runs

through September 1.

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Introducing Our Youth Advisory Leadership Council

“Being a part of the Youth Advisory has opened doors for me, and allowed me to branch out to make

new valuable friendships. From talks, to trainings, to events, these inclusive environments help me

make real progress with myself and others.” – Gaby, High school student

Their first major project was the creation of an art installation prominently displayed in the HistoryMiami main

lobby during the QueerMiami exhibition, which runs through August. Youth created self-expressive messages

on doors about their experiences overcoming gender and orientation-based discrimination. The exhibit also

features youth video testimonies in English and Spanish, and resource handouts about YES Institute. Starting

this summer, youth will be trained in developing their presentation and public dialogue skills so they can

accompany YES Institute staff on speaking engagements at K-12 and college classes.

Dani Dominguez (left) with Youth Advisory Leadership Council members.

With our mission to prevent gender

and orientation-based youth suicide

and violence, young people in our

community provide invaluable

insights about challenges they are

dealing with every day in their

schools and families. This year we

initiated the Youth Advisory

Leadership Council, which offers

youth safe, empowering, and

inclusive opportunities to develop

themselves as community leaders

and contributors.

Valentina puts finishing touches on their exhibit. Two of the door installations featured in the exhibit.

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Leading in Early Childhood Gender Equity

YES Institute is the leading

organization in Florida that is

providing professional training for

Early Childhood (ages 0–5)

teachers on gender equity, gender

and orientation bias reduction

knowledge, and inclusion of

diverse family structures. YES

Institute is a partner provider for

the Early Learning Coalition of

Miami-Dade & Monroe which

allows teachers to earn CE hours.

YES Institute has also developed

bullying prevention curriculum for

K–5th graders that meets Florida

State Standards in Health

Education.

In addition to providing six “Playing with Gender” professional development courses for hundreds of teachers

and directors, YES Institute also fulfilled a request to offer our Communication Solutions™ course for staff at

the Early Learning Coalition’s headquarters in Coral Gables and their North Service Center in Miami Gardens.

“I am Christian, and all this gender and orientation stuff goes against my beliefs. But I care about kids

being safe in my facility. I realize we have a family board with all the children’s parents. But a little child

who has two moms, she only has one photo of one of the moms. I am going back to my child care

center and will ask the parents if they would like to put up both moms’ photos.”

– Child Care Center Director

The “Playing with Gender” course was also conducted at The United Way Center for Excellence in Early

Education and Citrus Health Network’s Healthy Me program. YES Institute also presented at the Monroe Early

Childhood Conference, reaching the Keys community in both English and Spanish languages.

“I learned a better way to communicate and listen to beliefs of others on gender and orientation topics.

I learned how I can implement this in a classroom, and how to address families with gender concerns.”

– A United Way Center for Excellence participant

Bullying prevention and gender equity classroom presentations for

kindergartners at Miami Country Day Lower School.

YES Institute also presented at several local and statewide conferences, being the first presenters to bring

awareness and focus to gender equity for the early childhood years. To request a training for your Early

Learning facility, please contact YES Institute and ask for Jennifer Lopez, MS Ed. at 305-663-7195.

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Forwarding Diversity and Inclusion at Work

Corporations and businesses seek out YES Institute to

deliver powerful and impactful conversations and

trainings that accelerate conversations and momentum

on equity, safety, and inclusion in the workplace.

This year, Florida Power & Light (NextEra Energy)

hosted a Pride month lunch and learn event at their

Juno Beach headquarters, which was packed with

standing room only. The event was so successful,

Florida Power & Light is exploring additional dialogues

at their other office sites across South Florida.

“This was one of the most impactful employee

resource group events I've ever attended. When

someone is married at work, I would automatically

assume a heterosexual partner. This has made me

aware of my unconscious assumptions.”

– NextEra participant

Banco Santander International, headquartered in

Spain, invited YES Institute to conduct a one-hour

lunch and learn at their Brickell offices.

The Ft. Lauderdale Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and

Transgender Chamber of Commerce and Ft.

Lauderdale Chamber of Commerce hosted YES

Institute to lead two workshop sessions focusing on

racial and gender equity in businesses. Museum of

Discovery & Science in Broward hosted several staff

trainings with YES Institute. Influenced by their work

with YES Institute, they are moving forward with

installation of gender neutral restrooms and using

more inclusive language on standardized forms for

their summer camp.

The Standard Hotel & Spa on Miami Beach received

a Pink Flamingo training, a specialized program for

hotels and restaurants. Pink Flamingo is a partner

program with the Miami-Dade Gay & Lesbian

Chamber of Commerce. YES Institute also presented

to SAP Miami and Marsh & McLennan Agency offices

across South Florida.

Left to right: Michael Fowler, NextEra Vice President

Chief Information Officer, Izzy Leon, NextEra Senior

Business Analyst, Noah Pantaleon, YES Institute

speaker, Ashley Cabrera NextEra Employee

Engagement, Diversity & Inclusion, and Christie

Cohn with child, YES Institute speaker.

Left to right: Emilio Vazquez, YES Institute Board

member and Senior VP of Premier Group at Grove

Bank & Trust, Francisco Perez, Banco Santander,

and Jennifer Lopez, MS Ed., YES Institute Associate

Director & Education Specialist.

Call YES Institute at 305-663-7195 to discover

how our evolve | workplace customized

business presentations can fulfill your needs.

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Engaging with Communities of Faith

Training Foster Care Agencies

Originally founded as the Miami

Coalition of Christians & Jews (MCCJ)

in 1935 to promote interfaith

conversations, MCCJ hosted YES

Institute to further MCCJ’s Clergy

Dialogue goals of building and

sustaining bridges of understanding,

respect, and appreciation across

Miami’s multi-faith and multi-cultural

communities. Clergy in attendance

included Christian, Jewish and Muslim

faith leaders.

YES Institute was invited by St. Mark’s Lutheran Church during a

Sunday service to learn about our suicide, bullying, and violence

prevention programs available to religious and school

communities.

Grace Lutheran Church in Miami Springs invited YES Institute to

host a conversation about transgender and gender non-binary

youth and adults in the context of their faith community. We

thank Rev. Kit Robison and Rev. Dale Young for connecting the

work of YES Institute to the Lutheran community.

MCCJ Clergy Dialogue faith participants.

Lutheran ministerial leaders.

YES Institute’s Communication Solutions™ continues to be sought after by foster youth organizations such as

Family Resource Center, a leading child welfare agency in Miami. Over 100 of their staff including leadership,

supervisors, mental health therapists, and Case Managers participated in one of two training sessions.

Agencies who engage with YES Institute are powerfully forwarding organizational communication and conflict

resolution initiatives, as well as gender and orientation inclusion for their clients.

“The communication course had a

major impact on me. It gave me a

better way to interact, and it

helped me think of some broken

relationships in my life and will

help on mending those.”

– Family Resource Center staff

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Family Resource Center participating at Communication Solutions™.

Educating Judges and Attorneys

The 2019 National Racial and

Ethnic Fairness in the Courts

Conference in Miami provided

150 judges and state supreme

court justices the opportunity

to learn about equity topics.

YES Institute provided a two-

hour training on how the

justice system and legal

professionals can better

include and respond

respectfully to youth, adults,

and families in court.

Judges who are hearing cases related to gender and orientation equity

received critical knowledge and pertinent case law to better inform their

court rulings.

As a result of this conference, YES Institute is now being invited to work in

additional state juvenile justice systems in North Dakota in 2020.

Preliminary plans include opening these trainings to the North Dakota

public school principals and school administrative leaders.

“I learned a lot about

language use, and how I can

proactively create a more

welcoming space by using

gender-affirming language in

all circumstances.”

– Judicial participant

Dani Dominguez, YES Institute, speaking to judges & state supreme court justices.

YES Institute was invited by

Hon. Scott Bernstein to

present to the Miami-Dade

11th Judicial Circuit Family

Courts in January, to inform

and educate on the unique

circumstances when gender

and orientation topics arise in

family disputes.

From left to right: Dr. Terilee Wunderman, Psychologist, Erika Ruiz, MS, RMHI,

Family Court Services Manager, Judge Scott Bernstein, 11th Judicial Circuit

Court, Dani Dominguez, YES Institute, Eugene Carral, Esq., Family Division

Director, and Noemi Marquez, LCSW, with Counsel & Connect.

“As a therapist who testifies

in court regularly, I worry if

the judges have enough

knowledge about gay and

transgender youth to make

fully informed decisions. YES

Institute is providing the

knowledge they need.”

– Noemi Marquez, LCSW

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Summit participants engaged in interactive sharing and reflection.

Empowering and Training Medical Providers

More than 300 leaders from Baptist Health South Florida received an interactive talk on “Providing Gender and

Orientation Affirming Patient Care” by YES Institute. Healthcare administrators and clinical professionals are

now understanding the importance of ensuring all patients and their families are welcomed with inclusion and

respect. Baptist Health, one of the largest healthcare organizations in South Florida, is engaging with YES

Institute’s training and consultation services. They are demonstrating purposeful commitment to include gender

and orientation awareness and sensitivity in their work with the people they serve.

Organizations request YES Institute to reduce health disparities impacting youth and adults who identify as gay

and transgender. Our work has shown to increase patient satisfaction rates, which may reduce risk of lawsuits.

In September, Baptist Hospital Homestead

will host YES Institute for a continuing

education session for their nursing, social

work, and respiratory therapy staff.

In October, YES Institute is scheduled to

provide a two hour Continuing Medical

Education (CME) Bioethics session on

providing gender and orientation affirming

patient care. The session will be held live at

Baptist Health Kendall Hospital and will be

simulcast online. Contact YES Institute for

more information on how to register and

participate in the event.

Joseph Zolobczuk, MS Ed., presenting at the Baptist Health South Florida 2019 Diversity & Inclusion Summit.

YES Institute also participated at the 25th Annual Health Choice Network conference for Federally Qualified

Healthcare Centers. Contact YES Institute to explore the benefits of continuing education sessions for your

healthcare organization. Choose from a variety of clinical, as well as diversity and inclusion topics, at

305-663-7195 or info@yesinstitute.org.

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Jamaican Community Initiative Begins

Engaging with Police Departments and Local Municipalities

In a 2013 survey conducted by Human

Rights Watch, more than half of gay

Jamaicans said they had been victims of

anti-gay violence. These attitudes also

impact South Florida by virtue of our large

Jamaican and Caribbean populations

residing in South Florida.

YES Institute welcomed the world’s

foremost expert on anti-gay bias in

Jamaica, Dr. Keon West from Goldsmiths

University in the United Kingdom. Over 100

people participated in person or in the

Facebook live broadcast.

Thanks to a generous donation by Dr. Tom

Jackson, a Kiaora Society member, YES

Institute has now launched our Jamaican

Community Initiative, which will provide

open dialogue, bias reduction education,

and community leadership for Jamaican

youth and families.

Dr. Keon West has received numerous international awards for his

research, teaching, media engagement, and social activism. He

has also appeared as a psychological expert and presenter in a

variety of international media including the BBC World Service,

Radio 4, Channel 4 and the Guardian. He is especially well known

for his research on prejudice, sexual orientation, and sexual health.

Bay Harbor Islands Police

Department invited YES Institute

to conduct two trainings for their

officers on teenage suicide

prevention and intervention. The

session also included program

leaders from the Parks &

Recreations Department, which

operates summer camp and

after school programming for

K-12 students in their

community. YES Institute has

been invited to conduct student

bullying prevention dialogues for

their after school youth

participants in the Fall.

From left to right: Officer Marsha Sanchez, Bay Harbor Islands Accreditation

Manager, Samantha Dietz, YES Institute Board member, Michael, YES

Institute youth speaker, Dani Dominguez, YES Institute Community

Education Coordinator, Breanne Taylor, YES Institute speaker, with a Bay

Harbor Islands Police Officer.

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Kiaora Society Members We thank and greatly appreciate all Kiaora Society and Professionals Society members who generously

contribute annually to YES Institute. Kia Ora is a Maori-language greeting meaning “welcome” and “friend”.

Pioneer $75,000 Bruce A. Christensen Trust

Trustee $50,000 Joseph W. Blount Educational Fund at YES InstituteJoseph M. KrausF. Lynn Leverett & Lane W. Park

Luminary $25,000 Toby D. Lewis Philanthropic FundOsiason Educational Foundation, Inc.

Visionary $10,000 The Batchelor Foundation, Inc.Jonathan & Tina KislakJonathan LewisEd McAmis & Gerson GonzalezPatricia McKay VerbeeckThe Miami FoundationPaula Morabito & María M. Yip

Champion $5,000 Florida Power & LightMartha FugateTom JacksonThe Jack Kagan Foundation The Alex & Agnes O. McINTOSH FOUNDATION

Karen Raben & Andrea Pernick Patricia Caicedo & Eduardo SalazarCarol & Ed WilliamsonJose Luis Pere & Trae Williamson

Leader $2,500 Tim & Meredith BirrittellaVictor & Tracey BrownJohn Carey & Fiona Fay In Memory of Robert GrimsteadCitrixBob & Meghan HarrisJahn & Christie KirchoffHoward KurzweilThe Logan FamilyOur Fund, Inc.Cynthia & Emilio VazquezKevin Veilleux

Mentor $1,000 Lewis Aaron & Nigel StirkDr. Lauren AbernDr. Patrick Abuzeni & Angela PattLina Acosta SandaalJose AlonsoJorge AndinoGreg Baldwin & Jose CastroConnie BardenSarah A. BarrosoThomas Blount

Mentor $1,000 (continued)

Sam Blum Danny Cabrera & Krisztian KarsaiNaomi CanningCoral Gables Community FoundationCécilia de Almeida Frachesende Lamar FamilyOlga & Ignacio del ValleDeli Lane Cafe & Tavern William DewaldDharma Yoga Studio of Coconut GroveMaria Elena Diaz de VillegasSamantha DietzMelitza & Juan DominguezMichele & Jonathan DruckerUmut DursunDennis Edwards & Mark Steinberg FoundationGiancarlo FalcoFlirtbowl, Inc.Victoria GabrielLiebe & Seth GadinskyBarbara T. GrayMisae GrazianoJames GrossGrove Bank & TrustMargie HambroMarty Harris & Nikki KorvalRobert J. HediganJamie M. Joseph, Ph.D & Michael KrameisenKey Biscayne Community FoundationAlfredo & Cristy Leon Mairi MacLeanMarsh & McLennan LLC

Dr. John J. Martin, Jr. & Forrest McSurdyEvan McEwingRobert Oldakowski & Luis MendozaDr. Alan K. Roberts & Allan BargerBill RossSteve RuffeDon SadlerJoan SchaefferLee SchragerRichard Shannon & Mario J. ArnaezDr. Shelley Slapion-Foote & Dr. Frank FooteRoxana & Efrain SoraRoxy-Cary SoraGeoffrey Swetz & Carlos LeoTransKids Purple Rainbow FoundationNatalia VarelaJorge Vazquez & Robert ArmadaLaura WhiteDr. John WhiteheadDr. Terilee WundermanJoseph M. ZolobczukAnonymous

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Amigos! $500 Ingrid A.Daniel Benetti in honor of Andrea BenettiIsa Fernandez & Steve BowenFlorida Guardian Ad Litem Program David Lawrence Jr.Jennifer LopezThomas J. MurrellMyra & Company Spa Salon Studio CaféPilates in the GroveRiviera Presbyterian ChurchSora Global Insurance & Consulting, LLC

Carl TemplerTitan ReproUniversity of Miami Office of Institutional CultureTim WagonerJames Zimmerman

Dynamos! $250 Beach Club SalonTracey CarswellAmy I. ChavezDr. Carol ClarkDavid B. ColeDocurapid CorporationDulce del Pozo & FamilyDaniella DominguezSarah EddyLynn EvansAthena HadjixenofontosHans LauCaryn LondonKenneth LowyChristine MarquesRoger OprandiErin PelletierRebecca L. PenickScott ProsanMichael RuckerJessica SaiontzVisnia ScanioJouseph SlibaKarla Sobenes-DesmeElizabeth StackEnriqueta Vigil GarciaLibby WitherspoonStephanie YahnHector Zuazo & Bob MedinaAnonymous

Legacy Giving We all have a part to play. 

What difference will your legacy make?

Professionals Society Members

Patricia McKay Verbeeck’s 17-year-old child

took their life by suicide on March 6, 2018.

Hope, born as Eric Verbeeck, was in the

process of a gender transition to female.

People across South Florida are opening their

hearts and contributing to YES Institute in

Hope’s memory, honoring a request Hope

made in a goodbye letter.

Consider a contribution to the 2019 Hope

Verbeeck Fund that makes YES Institute

prevention education in schools, families, and

the community possible. This year, Patty is

matching total contributions up to $15,000.

Contact YES Institute at 305-663-7195 or

contribute online at yesinstitute.org/hope

The Hope Fund Suicide Prevention Initiative

Inspired? Share about our work and

invite your friends to contribute.

yesinstitue.org/give

11

Contribute to a mission that’s important to you

and at the same time ensure the work of YES

Institute for future generations.

Donors can establish a Legacy Giving plan to

support YES Institute as part of their charitable

giving in their wills and estate plans. Contact

YES Institute for more information and to start

the conversation about including YES Institute

in your legacy giving plans.

Your financial contributions to YES Institute are vital to sustain and build our innovative programs. YES Institute

invests 85% of every dollar directly into our education and prevention programs, which means your donation is

going directly to support the work you care about.

YES Institute is a Florida registered 501(c) (3) non-profit organization and is committed to the highest standards

of fiscal responsibility and financial management. Our financial systems and records are audited by an

independent accounting firm annually since our inception in 1997. Our 2018 audit has been completed and

copies are available upon request.

YES Institute has a “Gold Seal of Transparency” ranking with GuideStar

https://www.guidestar.org/profile/65-0646667

Give with Confidence yesinstitute.org/give

Gratitude from YES Institute Staff

With the high demand for our suicide and bullying

prevention work from every area of the community,

we are moved and inspired by the generosity of all

our donors, community partners, volunteers, and

youth advisory leaders who make it possible to fulfill

the requests for our work. We are thankful for each

and every contribution – be it your time, your talent,

your financial support or in-kind gifts. Your giving

truly prevents suicide incidents and reduces violence

across South Florida and the other communities we

work with regionally and nationally.

We thank our Board of Directors for their

commitment and leadership, several of whom have

served for over 10 years or more. We are forever

grateful for the vision and guidance of our co-

founders Connie Barden and Martha Fugate.

Left to right: Dani Dominguez, Jennifer Lopez, MS Ed.,

Tim Wagoner, Visnia Scanio, Joseph Zolobczuk, MS Ed.

See an Opportunity or Need? Contact us! We’re Here for You.

Phone: 305-663-7195

info@yesinstitute.org

5275 Sunset Drive

Miami, FL 33143