The organization enters its third decade with grace and promise for Boston's queer youth community.

Since the inception of the Boston Alliance of Gay and Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender Youth (BAGLY) 30 years ago, 30,000 kids and teens have come through the organization's doors, either through participating in weekly meetings, leadership roles, special event dances, or volunteering. BAGLY is a community-based, youth-led organization that offers programs for LGBT youth age 22 and under.

On April 8, BAGLY will host a cocktail event to celebrate its 30th anniversary at the Artists for Humanity Epicenter in South Boston. Distinguished leadership awards will be presented to both an individual and an organization for work that has had a positive impact on the LGBT community.

Grace Sterling Stowell, the executive director of BAGLY, said that the 1970s offered LGBT groups for adults that sometimes included youths, but weren't solely focused on youth issues. Several youths approached adult members with an idea of starting a youth-led organization, and BAGLY was born. "Young people had different ideas about what they wanted," said Stowell, who describes BAGLY as a youth-led group that is supported by adults.

BAGLY provides a safe place for LGBT young people to come and socialize, to make friends, and to develop leadership skills. "They can use the leadership skills to become whatever they want to be," said Stowell. Members use their skills to become queer activists, to further social justice, to practice public speaking, and to network in mainstream business situations.

Every Wednesday, youth leaders host a meeting that has a regular attendance of 75 to 150 youths from the greater Boston area. BAGLY events and meetings are attended by youths of multiple identities. Some members identity as lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender, some choose not to identify, and some are simply looking for acceptance and a place to socialize. "[Members] don't have to check one identity at the door," said Stowell. "We want to make sure they can be all of who they are."

A recent Wednesday meeting was a mini-function night, which began with a "welcome" meeting -- with new member introductions and icebreakers -- followed by breakout sessions. In the breakout sessions, members organized into groups focused on issues of MSM, women, persons of color, and people who identify as transgender, and were able to discuss topics of their own choosing for an hour. After the small group meetings, the mini-function -- a voguing competition -- began.

Dishon Laing, 22, a current youth leader, initiated the vogue competitions. "It changed the way BAGLY looks physically," Laing said. "It attracted LGBT youth of color, and it [increased] the attendance." Up to150 kids and teens can attend on mini-function nights.

Members lined up six rows of folding chairs, creating a 30-foot runway with three rows of spectator seats on either side. Music and a bass beat pumped through the speakers of the sound system, and two members emceed the event from the head of the homemade runway. The members competed in different categories, taking turns stomping the catwalk or voguing -- hand positioning, spinning, dipping, and duck walking -- down the catwalk.

"It's fun," said Daunasia Yancey, 17, a senior meeting facilitator, on participating in the voguing competition. "It's like you're on 'America's Next Top Model.'"

The audience clapped, whistled, and cheered in support of each contestant. It was a friendly competition, each contestant supporting one another from the sidelines before they struck a pose at the end of the runway signaling the start of their performance.

Approximately 30 young people, ages 14-22, participated in the voguing competition, each bringing their own flair to the performance. Though many performers were dressed in all black, there was one particular fashion statement that consistently stood out: the shoes. Plaid sneakers, gold sneakers, black with turquoise high tops, green and silver pairs of Converse lace-ups, cobalt blue sequined Keds, black combat boots, and furred Ugg boots all stomped and sashayed down the catwalk.

Some Wednesday nights provide a fun and creative outlet for the members, and other Wednesdays focus on health education and risk reduction or queer activist classes.

Recently, members used their leadership and public speaking skills to support House Bill 1728, which sought to expand existing hate crimes laws. In July 2009, several youth members gave testimony in front of the Joint Committee on the Judiciary at the State House.

"It definitely impacted the members," Jessica Flaherty, BAGLY director of programs, said of the legislative work. "It's educating youth on [political] issues. I think it gets them to see the issue and how it applies to their life."

BAGLY collaborates with other LGBT organizations throughout Massachusetts, and focuses on correcting disparities in the LGBT youth community, particularly the most marginalized youths, which Stowell said are usually transgender, persons of color, and homeless or lower income youths.

"We see ourselves as a social justice organization working to address root causes of oppression," said Stowell. Stowell defines social justice as working to create "societies or a world or communities where all people can be who they are, free of oppression, discrimination, and violence."

A commitment to social justice work within the LGBT community is a key factor in selecting the recipients of the distinguished leadership awards. Greg Brown of WCBG-TV 5 will host the 30-year anniversary event on April 8.

Abe Rybeck, executive artistic director of the Theater Offensive, will receive the individual Michael Pumphret Distinguished Leadership Award. Stowell said that Rybeck is a BAGLY alum and was selected for a body of work that is social justice oriented and spans 21-plus years.

The Theater Offensive's True Colors, Out Youth Theater Troupe will receive the organizational Deborah Levi Distinguished Leadership Award. Stowell said True Colors exemplifies a commitment to social justice through its unconventional presentations and is a theater company that provides leadership roles for youths and a place for youths to express themselves.

The BAGLY board, which includes youth members, nominates and selects the award recipients. "It's an opportunity to recognize an individual and an organization that in some way made the community better for LGBT youth," said Stowell.

For more information about BAGLY's upcoming anniversary celebration, please visit www.bagly.org/events. The cocktail fundraiser will feature a silent auction. Tickets are $100.