LGBT youth camp in Gros Morne earns human rights award for co-founder
Jessie Lawrence helped found Camp Ohana, with a focus on LGBT youth inclusion and engagement
A high-school student and advocate for LGBT youth has won the 2019 Newfoundland and Labrador Human Rights Award.
Jessie Lawrence is the co-founder and director of Camp Ohana, a four-day summer camp with a focus on LGBT youth inclusion and engagement. She helped run the first camp in 2018, and is expecting to lead the third iteration next summer.
"It kind of came out of the blue. The person who nominated me just told me, 'Hey, check your email,'" she told CBC Radio's Newfoundland Morning.
"I was over the moon. It was very nice to see."
The Human Rights Commission of Newfoundland and Labrador called Camp Ohana "innovative." Lawrence says she thought of the idea just before her 15th birthday, wanting to import a concept she saw elsewhere in Canada to her community.
"It was me and a couple of friends, and we wanted to create the resources that we wish we had had when we were coming out," she said.
"At our camp there's no wait times for mental health professionals, there's no hatred. It is purely a space of love and positivity, and kindness and education … I think that's just a magical experience."
Lawrence says they've already seen some of the impact that their camp has had on participants — whether it be campers planning for their return as soon as the 2019 camp was over, or seeing campers thrive after summer's over.
"We've seen it a couple of times where youth who have attended our camp have taken the resources that they've gotten from Camp Ohana and brought them back to their schools," Lawrence said.
"[They] either started [gay-straight alliances] or strengthened the GSAs that already existed within their school."
The Human Rights Commission also said it was recognizing Lawrence's participation in the francophone community in the province. Lawrence is the vice-president of a youth french group.
Camp Ohana is aimed at youth between 14 and 18 years of age. Lawrence, currently in Grade 12, said the team behind the camp is looking at ways to expand.
She said they are examining methods to increase the number of places available for campers.
And while Camp Ohana is focused on LGBT inclusion, everyone can attend.
"We always say if you are a kind human, you are welcome."