A summer safe haven for LGBTQ+ kids

Camp Indigo Point was founded three years ago by Shira Berkowitz, Dan Grabel and Daniel Bogard. They each brought unique strengths to the table to create a safe haven for queer and trans youth in the Midwest. They also each spent formative years attending sleep-away camps where they made lifelong friends and grew with others their own age. They all share a lifetime of love for camp and building rituals away from one’s immediate home environment — and wanted to create that same experience in a safe haven for LGBTQ+ youth.

The mission hits especially close to home for transgender co-founder Berkowitz. In their day job as a senior director of public policy in the Missouri legislature, they lobby against anti-LGBTQ+ laws.

Bogard, a rabbi based in St. Louis, fondly recalls his decades of involvement with Jewish sleep-away camps. He and his wife Karen wanted to give their transgender son the kinds of memories and values Bogard had during his own childhood. “We immediately understood that we were going to save lives, that we were just going to run a regular camp and there were going to be kids who would stay alive because of it,” Bogard said.

Upon arrival, I recognized the powerful camaraderie between campers and staff, as they shared a healing, uplifting space. “I think it’s really beautiful to be growing alongside your campers and you can learn a lot from these kids,” said Cecilia Tornetto, one of the counselors. “You can learn a lot about who you want to be and who we’re trying to be, and these kids are just really inspiring, and they remind us to play and to grow throughout our play and press ourselves and to try on new things, to just be wholeheartedly yourself because that’s the way to live.”

The campers look to counselors and staff as mentors, who work tirelessly to create a space full of exuberance. “You don’t have to limit yourself, and I really think that this camp is something that helped me do that and helped me learn and better myself,” said one camper, who is a minor. The camp agreed to let The Washington Post interview campers on the condition that they not be named. The camper added that they liked having “other people around me knowing different ways to spark conversation without having it to be awkward and different ways to find the little things that two people will have in common and really spark a friendship off of that.”

A portion of the camp’s families have fled Missouri and surrounding conservative states because of the onslaught of anti-LGBTQ+ laws that target trans and gender nonconforming youth. Berkowitz said that the majority of their campers remain in states where they could be easily targeted by their school districts — states that have also implemented legislation that put parents at risk for arrest for seeking medical care for their trans children.

No matter the level of support these campers received at home or in school, Camp Indigo’s atmosphere creates a lasting effect for campers year-round. At one point I released a sigh of relief that these talented, kind and brave kids could finally look in any direction and see someone that knew exactly what they were going through.

The campers’ phone-free presence with one another and their enthusiasm for the range of activities was extraordinary. In this powerful two-week period, they can leave behind the weight of the political and cultural crisis that faces them in the reality of daily life.

In a more remote corner of the grounds, a hammock village provides a quiet break from the action. As I strolled through queer book club, “GAYming,” arts and crafts and land sports, among numerous other quintessential camp pastimes, I felt that for the majority of the kids, I was witnessing the traditions and rituals they have always longed for.

Grady Lenor, one of the camp’s mental health specialists, works to help the campers to grow in their identity: “What I have to offer is emotion regulation skills. And I have got the chance to share that with campers and staff in a way that is not only helpful immediately in the moment, but several of them have said to me days later, I did this again.”

“Big feelings” is a commonly used phrase embraced by counselors and staff when the communal experience becomes overwhelming. A portion of campers often wore earmuffs or headphones during all-cabin gatherings — a solution that was celebrated during a silent disco held the first week.

For one of the culminating events of the session, a queer performer who bills herself as DJ Jillian, set up her booth on the usual performance stage adorned with a string of small pride flags for the queer “prom.” After dinner, throngs of vibrantly dressed kids gravitated toward the thumping pop music. Campers look forward to this evening all year, and when they arrive are already pondering who they want to bring as their date and how they choose to express themselves for the special occasion.

What I witnessed in those couple of hours was nothing short of extraordinary. Campers and staff of all ages danced together, with a spontaneous “voguing” flash mob — a truly blissful scene of solidarity that did not subside even with the lingering blanket of heat from the day. Hands gently held each other, hugs were shared without a time constraint and laughter echoed through the wooded surroundings. I felt an undeniable hope for this group of resilient, kind and loving individuals. Their unconditional joy, above all, was a reminder of just how strong we can be when we have each other.

In the closing campfire of the final evening, all of Indigo Point gathered for more singalongs with Bailey, the camp song leader. Campers shared their musical talents around the fire, while paper plate awards were given out. Each award came with a touching, personal message from a counselor, intended to exemplify the visibility of each child.

The next morning, pickup trucks filled with luggage transported the campers’ cargo to the baseball field where campers would reunite with their families. In the final morning circle of camp, everyone put their arms around one another to hold on to the final moments of the session for just a little bit longer. Within the next hour, a flurry of adults from across the country entered the campgrounds. It was overwhelmingly beautiful, feeling the power of the exchanged hellos and goodbyes shared among parents, camp staff and counselors, and the campers. My camera shielded my face from the tears that ran through a fresh layer of sunscreen and I remembered what it was like to return home with a subtle awareness that camp always reminds you who you are.