Fire; Purple

Abstract

These poems were submitted through connections with Eli Dinh (they/them), founder of Galaxy Kids, a group for young people (4–12) about gender, gender identity, and the various ways humans can connect and be in relationship and/or community. Eli approaches their work through their own lived experience as a trans and nonbinary person working in early childhood education. Galaxy Kids invites children to be their authentic selves, offering a place where there's a shared understanding of the nuances of gender. Sessions are facilitated using a child-centered approach that's necessarily play-based, engaging, and incorporates the arts. Galaxy Community Circle is an organization that prioritizes the perspectives of children, and Arli's (pronouns: ze/zir, age 12) is one such perspective.