The 13th Annual Urban Retreat starts this week -  September 27 to October 1!

Each year over 120 youth activists gather in Washington, D.C. to share expertise with one another and Advocates for Youth staff; learn about the latest findings and legislation that affect reproductive health; participate in trainings; and make a commitment to be lifelong advocates for young people's reproductive and sexual health and rights. Then they head to Capitol Hill to educate their representatives on why comprehensive sexual health education is so important for young people. 

This year, the groups attending the Urban Retreat include:

1 in 3 Organizers.  These college students attend a special pre-conference where they will learn how to support abortion rights through sharing women's stories.  

State Youth Activist Councils from Alabama, California, Colorado, Florida, and South Carolina.  Working with partner organizations, these groups of young people will motivate for comprehensive sex education and other important youth rights at the state and community level.

Campus Organizers.  These students at colleges and universities organize their fellow college students to work for youth reproductive and sexual health and rights.  

International Youth Speak Out members from Jamaica, Nepal, and Nigeria lead councils in their home countries to promote youth inclusion and youth sexual health and rights.

International GLBT Health and Rights advocates work for the rights of LGBT people in their home countries.

International Youth Leadership Council members are US-based college students who advocate on behalf of young people in low and middle income countries.

Young Women of Color Leadership Council members advocate for HIV prevention and reproductive justice and the inclusion of young women of color in prevention programs.

YouthResource members advocate for LGBT rights in their communities and provide peer education and support to LGBT young people.

It's a diverse gathering, but these young people all have one thing in common:  they are fierce, motivated activists working hard to make youth voices heard!

Thanks to this year's generous sponsors! (Named after the jump)