In 1984, community activists founded SMYAL in response to reports of young male students of DC Public Schools being incarcerated in St. Elizabeth's Psychiatric Hospital for acting "too effeminate."  Today, the organization continues to provide outreach, support, and advocacy for LGBTQ youth ages 13-21 in the Washington, DC metropolitan area.  At SMYAL, the region's premier organization dedicated solely to LGBTQ youth, our Capitol Hill youth center is a safe space for LGBTQ youth throughout the region.  SMYAL's reach includes youth people in the suburbs of both Maryland and Virginia, and throughout DC. 

SMYAL's official mission is to support and empower lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning (LGBTQ) youth in the Washington, DC metropolitan region. Through youth leadership, SMYAL creates opportunities for LGBTQ youth to build self-confidence, develop critical life skills, and engage their peers and community through service and advocacy. Committed to social change, SMYAL builds, sustains and advocates for programs, policies and services that LGBTQ youth need as they grow into adulthood.