Through a CARES Act Grant, Student Affairs’ Counseling Services will be working with nationally renowned Transgender educator and mentor, Ashton Colby, who will be serving briefly as an LGBTQ+ Mental Health Outreach Advocate.

Ashton founded Gender YOUphoria, a movement that flips the script on the diagnosis of gender dysphoria, which is required for transgender people to access medical transition. Gender YOUphoria gives name to the profound peak experience of finally aligning all areas of life through gender expression.

As the LGBTQ+ Mental Health Outreach Advocate, Ashton will be serving in a resource management capacity to identify LGBTQ+ mental health resources for Antioch students, including but not limited to, liaison with mental health agencies, assisting students with processing necessary paperwork, helping to identify insurance eligibility, transportation needs, etc. 

At the end of the funding period, Ashton will develop a resource bank of information, including agencies, providers, necessary steps for students to access resources in the future, as well as a summary of LGBTQ+ student recommendations to increase resource options and access to mental health-related resource services.

Students will have a chance to meet Ashton at a socially distanced event held Wednesday, November 4, from 6:30 to 7:30 PM in Weston. The event will also be streamed via Google Meet for off-campus students to participate and ask questions.

Ashton prepared a brief welcome video available on YouTube.