The True Colors Fellowship offers up to five young people ages 18-24 the unique opportunity to execute a six-month project that contributes to a more inclusive world in which lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender, queer, and questioning young people are included and affirmed in their identities. Throughout the experience, True Colors Fellows make lasting professional connections, gain hands-on organizing experience, and build their leadership skills.

The True Colors Fellowship program kicks off with a paid intensive skills building retreat in New York City. Workshop sessions include but are not limited to: Introduction to Community Organizing, Personal Branding, Digital Advocacy, Project Management, and Undoing Adultism. The True Colors Fellows will have the opportunity to connect with experts in the field, collaborate with peers, and foster professional development skills.

With the help of True Colors United staff, each of the True Colors Fellows will inform and expand the work of our three program areas: Training & Education, Advocacy, and Youth Collaboration. After the selection process, True Colors Fellows will receive nominal payments and expense reimbursements throughout the course of their Fellowship. True Colors Fellows are not employees of True Colors United and any nominal payments or reimbursements given to Fellows are not structured to be competitive with salaries or full-time employment.

True Colors Fellows will be provided with the necessary tools to work on their projects remotely, including a monthly nominal fee. It is expected that True Colors Fellows will obtain access to reliable internet, either at home or within the community.

*Former True Colors Fellows and current members of the National Youth Forum on Homelessness are not eligible.

True Colors Fellows Qualifications

  • I identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, or questioning.
  • I have former or current experiences of homelessness or unstable housing.
  • I am between the ages of 18-24.
  • I am not a former True Colors Fellow or current NYFH member.
  • If selected, I am available to travel for paid intensive training in Spring 2020 in New York City.
  • If selected, I commit to working 10 hours per week on my Fellowship project.
  • If selected, I commit to attending the 2020 True Impact Summit in September (expenses paid)
  • I can submit one letter of recommendation and two references.

Primary Responsibilities of True Colors Fellows

All True Colors Fellows are expected to:

  • Work directly on a True Colors United project with the support of a staff person.
  • Attend weekly and monthly check-in meetings with True Colors United staff.
  • Maintain timely and accurate records of the project.
  • Keep all scheduled appointments with True Colors United staff.
  • Identify and recommend opportunities for continuous improvement of the True Colors Fellowship program

Application Deadline

Monday, February 17, 2020

Past True Colors Fellowship Opportunities

True Advocacy
Advocacy Fellow

The Advocacy Fellowship gives one young person the opportunity to act as a national and state representative as it pertains to state administrative education, public policy, advocacy, and grassroots movement building.

True Education
Research Fellow

The Research Fellowship provides one young person the opportunity to update an educational resource. This Fellowship requires community involvement at both the national and local levels, tapping into experts working on issues that affect youth homelessness through an LGBTQ lens. This resource is a culmination and compilation of the most recent research in the field. The fellow will be conducting outreach to existing and potential contributors, leading the review process with the True Colors Fund team and youth reviewers. The Fellow will have an opportunity to be listed as an editor of the resource upon completion.

True Innovation
Innovation Fellow

The Innovation Fellowship provides a young person the opportunity to participate in the creation of unique content for the True Colors Fund online learning platform. The Fellow will gain experience developing curriculum, writing course scripts, researching e-learning best practices, and storyboarding original videos lesson formats.

True Production
Production Fellow

The Production Fellowship provides a young person the opportunity to co-coordinate an event dedicated to the issues surrounding LGBTQ youth homelessness. This True Colors Fellow will gain valuable experience in large-scale event production and peer collaboration.