UA Social Work Student Attends White House Roundtable

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — Sarah Young, a doctoral student from The University of Alabama School of Social Work, was invited to the White House for a roundtable discussion about issues facing the bisexual community at an event coinciding with international Bisexual Visibility Day, Sept. 23.

This is the second time Young, a McGraw, N.Y. native, has visited the White House. Last year, she attended a dinner with Vice President Joe Biden honoring the nation’s emerging LGBT leaders.

This is a first-time White House roundtable discussion about issues facing the bisexual community.  According to the White House Office of Public Engagement, “participants and administration officials discussed a range of topics including health, HIV/AIDS, domestic and intimate partner violence, mental health and bullying.”

“I’m one of a contingent of approximately 25 people who attended a bisexual round table discussion to discuss health, mental health, and other community needs and to make policy recommendations to the White House staff, and I’m honored to represent UA and Alabama at the table,” said Young.

Young has been actively involved in LGBTQ leadership positions.  She co-founded the Mississippi Safe Schools Coalition during her time as New Voices Fellow with the American Civil Liberties Union of Mississippi. She is also an instructor at Mississippi State University and is on the board for Equality Alabama.

In 2011, Young was selected as a Point Foundation Scholar, one of 16 graduate students in the nation and the first at The University of Alabama.

In summer 2012, while interning with the Southern Poverty Law Center, Young was one of three national Palette Fund interns and received a small grant to examine Safe Schools Coalition work in the South.