This is David Vance (they/them), The Center’s Director of Advocacy and Civic Engagement, and I’m excited to invite you to our Young Professionals Council (YPC) Academy graduation, taking place on Tuesday, June 30 at Mujeres Brew House!
The Center’s YPC Academy, founded in 2012, empowers young LGBTQ+ individuals and allies by enhancing their skills, networks, and connections with community leaders. The 2026 YPC Academy offered a wide array of presentations, skill-building exercises, and trainings to this year’s cohort. In response to federal funding threats targeting LGBTQ+ organizations, the curriculum had a special focus on the importance of city, county, and state budget processes, culminating in the class meeting with Assemblymember Chris Ward, chair of the California Legislative LGBTQ Caucus and one of our community’s greatest champions.
Our 2026 class represents a diverse range of professions and interests, from therapists to public school teachers to graduate students to performance artists, who all brought their full selves to the table throughout the YPC Academy’s six sessions.
Every year, we hear from our participants that the greatest value of YPC is the connections our participants form with each other, which they will carry forward in their mission to advance LGBTQ+ equity and justice. As our community faces attacks from the federal government on our identities, our fundamental rights, and the critical services that support us, now is the time to invest in the next generation of LGBTQ+ leaders in San Diego. These young leaders will be shepherding our movement into tomorrow, and they deserve our investment.
We are so excited to see the culmination of their hard work at the graduation ceremony, where we will honor their accomplishments and raise the necessary funds for next year’s YPC Academy. This year’s YPC class plans the ceremony, giving them an opportunity to practice what they’ve learned and celebrate their progress, while also paying it forward to future YPC leaders.
The 2026 YPC Academy Graduation will be held on Tuesday, June 30 at Mujeres Brew House from 6:30pm-8:00pm. Tickets start at $25 and sponsorship levels start at $100. Buy your tickets or make a gift to the YPC Academy today. All proceeds support the YPC Academy.
Whether you are a YPC alumni, have a personal connection to one of our class members, would like to learn more about the YPC program, or care about empowering emerging LGBTQ+ leaders, there’s no better time than National Pride Month to support the next generation of LGBTQ+ leaders.
We can’t wait to see the transformative impact our 2026 YPC class will make, and we hope you will join us in honoring them at their graduation!
In community,
David Vance (they/them)
Director of Advocacy and Civic Engagement