Registration opens:
September 12th, 2026 at 9:00am

AI & 2SLGBTQIA+ Youth: Who Gets to Shape the Future?

Know Media

Examine and engage with AI to shape emerging technology.

Registration Required. This event is intended for teens ages 13 to 18. No previous experience with artificial intelligence or technology is required.

This interactive workshop invites 2SLGBTQIA+ youth and allies to explore how artificial intelligence is already influencing identity, education, creativity, social media, privacy, and the information we encounter every day. Participants will experiment with accessible AI tools, investigate how bias and representation can become embedded in these systems, and discuss the particular opportunities and risks AI presents for queer and trans young people. Rather than approaching youth solely as consumers of emerging technology, the workshop asks them to consider their own agency, knowledge, and lived experience as valuable contributions to how AI develops.

About the Presenter:

Ruth Vernotico is the 2SLGBTQIA+ Student Program Coordinator at Central Oregon Community College and an Ed.M. candidate in Education Leadership at the Harvard Graduate School of Education. Their work focuses on belonging, access, youth development, and creating educational opportunities that equip 2SLGBTQIA+ young people to navigate and shape the institutions and technologies affecting their lives.

Questions? Contact jennym@deschuteslibrary.org