Hey Thanks, Oasis Center

As Tennessee’s queer-centered youth crisis intervention organization, the Oasis Center works with more than 3,500 young people and their families every year, providing trauma-informed care for those in need. More than 20 programs run through the Oasis Center, giving queer youth the resources, leadership training and community of care they might not receive elsewhere. Tennessee’s LGBTQ community has been heavily targeted in recent years, with the introduction of legislation designed to limit drag performances, the removal of books from public school libraries (many of them featuring LGBTQ themes) and the upcoming U.S. Supreme Court case United States v. Skrmetti, which will center on Tennessee’s ban of gender-affirming care for minors. 

This controversy can make Tennessee feel like an unsafe space for the LGBTQ community. In that struggle, the Oasis Center steps in as a safe space, acting as a bridge to diverse opportunities and a community where people can find a home. Their work is incredibly important not just in Nashville, but also for those in rural Tennessee. Not everyone has the opportunity to grow up in a home where they can be comfortable in their skin and have access to the resources they need. The Oasis Center is that place for so many young Tennesseans, and a cornerstone of the LGBTQ community here. Thank you, Oasis Center. Your work does not go unnoticed, and the sense of belonging you provide is immeasurable. 

—Katie Beth Cannon

Editorial Intern, Nashville Scene

Hey, Thanks: The Scene’s Letters of Appreciation 2024

Our notes of gratitude to animal rescue workers, arborists, homeless service providers and more