Rainbow Youth Alliance

At Rainbow Youth Alliance (RYA), we’re creating a community where LGBTQIA+ youth feel supported, seen, and connected. A community where all identities are normalized and visible.

When you’re young, it’s easy to feel isolated because of your identity—even in a queer-friendly community like South Orange / Maplewood (SOMA). But identifying as LGBTQIA+ is much more common than you might think, even in junior high and high school.

When you make friends with other LGBTQIA+ teens, tweens, and allies, you’ll feel connected. You’ll be surrounded by people like you and people who like you just the way you are. RYA is somewhere between a support group and a club—our events range from speakers to social events.

Our queer and supportive community helps everyone feel comfortable and confident in their identities. We encourage you to bring straight- and cis-identifying friends to our events, so that a queer identity is normalized throughout SOMA.

We want to create a new kind of community where all young people, including LGBTQIA+ youth, have a strong sense of belonging and familiarity. A community where no one has to feel awkward, unseen, or alone. A community united.