For the first time in his life, 17-year-old Alastair Mendoza didn\u2019t think twice about jumping in the water. He kayaked through tangles of reeds, taking in the schools of minnows beneath him and the hawks overhead. He splashed around with friends he had made only days prior.<\/p>\n
\u201cI actually felt comfortable,\u201d Mendoza said of swimming in public, something trans kids like him often struggle with. But at Color Splash Out, a four-day summer camp open to queer and trans youth in Texas<\/a>, Mendoza swam whenever he could. \u201cThere was less fear of judgment and anxiety knowing that you were safe around these people,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n Led by Yadi Mart\u00ednez-Reyna, a non-binary minister, Color Splash Out evolved from their inclusive religious practice into a secular, non-denominational space where LGBTQ+ kids like Alastair can play, create and connect without scrutiny.<\/p>\n Alastair Mendoza, 17, kayaks on the lake at Color Splash Out summer camp.<\/p>\n \u201cI wanted them to come and be themselves and have fun like you would at a regular summer camp, without the barriers of misgendering or feeling embarrassed or ashamed,\u201d said Mart\u00ednez-Reyna. \u201cIt\u2019s about creating this space for self-esteem, self-reliance and self-empowerment, things they can take with them.\u201d<\/p>\n Many of the attenders this year come from the Rio Grande Valley, a majority Latino region that is one of the poorest areas in the US. This is against the backdrop of a slew of anti-trans legislation and fearmongering rhetoric in the state. Last year, Texas passed seven anti-trans bills, including<\/a> a bathroom ban in government buildings, prohibitions on amending gender identity in certain records and the expansion of a 2023 ban on medical transition care for minors. Research<\/a> has shown that LGBTQ+ youth who have at least one LGBTQ-affirming space report lower rates of attempting suicide. In the Rio Grande valley, there are no queer youth organizations.<\/p>\n \u201cThere are not a lot of safe spaces,\u201d said Nix Pasivan, 13, of their Santa Rosa home town in the valley region.<\/p>\n Nix Pasivan, 13, presents their house\u2019s camp project on the final night of camp. <\/p>\n Pasivan identifies as non-binary and their public school required them to cut their hair short, a traumatic experience they said they sobbed through. At camp, Pasivan said, \u201cI\u2019m so excited to be here, I just keep saying that, and I\u2019m gonna keep saying it until mosquitoes start attacking me.\u201d<\/p>\n At Color Splash Out, campers pay what they can, which means many pay nothing. The venue location changes every year due to safety concerns and a shoestring budget. Cabins, referred to as \u201chouses\u201d \u2013 inspired by ballroom culture and drag balls \u2013 are named each summer by campers. This year, houses included the Glitter Gorgons and the Rainbow Legends.<\/p>\n Besides participating in games and activities, campers also talk about the range of LGBTQ+ identities and skills for overcoming stress. At the beginning of camp, house leaders ask kids to share the names and pronouns they would like to go by while there.<\/p>\n \u201cThis is the first time I\u2019ve ever heard someone say my name in public,\u201d said Velvet, 11, who is non-binary and not out to most members of their heavily Catholic family. Their mother requested not to use Velvet\u2019s last name for privacy.<\/p>\n Campers in the House of Rainbow Legends Velvet, 11, right, and Nix Pasivan, 13, left, sit by the lake. <\/p>\n Their parent, Ari Garza, who is non-binary and volunteered at the camp, worries about how Velvet will acclimate to starting middle school in the fall. A school-assigned therapist once told them to expect to be bullied.<\/p>\n Garza was one of several adults at camp who described the experience as meaningful, not just for the kids, but for them, too. \u201cIt\u2019s like you\u2019re healing your own inner child by making this happen for kids in this generation,\u201d Garza said.<\/p>\n After ending a 20-year marriage with Velvet\u2019s father, Garza came out as a lesbian, citing the need to set a strong example of bravery and break cycles of silence for Velvet and their older sister, who also identifies as a lesbian. \u201cIf I\u2019m not brave enough, how are they going to feel safe?\u201d they said.<\/p>\n Velvet, 11, right, poses for a portrait with their parent, Ari Garza, before the Variety Extravaganza show. Garza was a house leader for the House of Glitter Gorgons at this year\u2019s camp. <\/p>\n Camp director Adora Ysaguirre said it was the campers that inspire her. \u201cI remember being intimidated by the confidence these kids had,\u201d said Ysaguirre, about her first time at camp post-transition. \u201c[Their confidence] is something I still pull from.\u201d<\/p>\n Ysaguirre said she was doxxed and lost a teaching job in Boerne, Texas, for being trans. She has also faced harassment and multiple physical assaults. Eventually she took up sumo wrestling \u201cto be able to take hits\u201d, she said.<\/p>\n Ysaguirre said that kids often tell her she\u2019s the oldest trans woman they have ever seen, and that they did not know it was possible to make it that far. \u201cI have had a lot of heavy experiences \u2026 yet I\u2019m still here \u2026 if somebody is struggling, I can sit with them and I can carry their weight with them, and it\u2019s something I\u2019m privileged to do.\u201d<\/p>\n Color Splash Out invites former campers to become \u201cfellows\u201d once they turn 18 and help plan camps, fundraise and serve as a mentor to younger kids. House leader Cel Blanco understands how important it is to stay connected and supported \u2013 it\u2019s why they keep coming back to volunteer at camp. They said when they aged out of their Dallas queer youth group and lost their community, they fell into an abusive relationship. \u201cI know I\u2019m not the only one,\u201d they said. \u201cIt took so much to find me again.\u201d<\/p>\n House leader Cel Blanco, left, dances in a conga line with another house leader, Reed Kirkman.<\/p>\n