Our Staff
BECK MARTENS (THEY/THEM), Co-DIRECTOR - Programs
My name is Beck! I am a white, neurodivergent, fat, nonbinary and transgender, bisexual, and queer southerner; an organizer, an educator, a painter, a musician; a believer in autonomy and self-determination. I'm currently the Youth Programs Director where I get to build programming with and for queer and trans youth, but I began with the organization as a volunteer in 2018. Some of my favorite programs I get to work on as Programs Director are our annual events like the GSA Summit and Queer Prom. It's so inspiring to see queer and trans youth provide accessible education to each other in a conference space like our GSA Summit and Queer Prom is pure queer joy at its most magical. Alongside our larger annual events, the programs team, which includes two part-time Youth Fellows, implements monthly programming in Buncombe County that focuses on creative expression and comprehensive wellness such as queer sex ed and healthy relationships and virtual programs on Discord. Beginning in 2023, we have expanded monthly programs to rural counties and it has been such a joy to collaborate with local organizers to bring programming to Madison, Jackson, Yancey, and other Western North Carolina counties with the aspiration of reaching all 18 counties of WNC annually. I visit GSAs at middle schools and high schools across Western North Carolina to provide programs such as Queer History and Coming Out Support, as well as provide technical assistance to groups like leadership building, power mapping, and program design. As trans and queer youth in particular are under political attack, this work feels crucial and sometimes scary, but it's such a privilege to work with the next generation of queer and trans leaders and see them shine exactly as they are.
Contact Me!
Are you trying to sign up for youth programs? Do you need assistance from the Direct Youth Payment Program? Do you need resources to support Queer and Trans young people? Contact Beck at beck.martens@youthoutright.org.
Eddie yoffee (they/he), Communications Intern
Eddie is a white, queer, and trans young adult who has lived in Asheville for the majority of his life, and is therefore especially interested in connecting with and supporting the queer community in WNC. They have been thrilled to witness the evolution of resources in the region since their adolescence, and are excited for the opportunity to engage in youth-centered communications work.
Eddie comes to Youth OUTright after graduating with a B.A. from Sarah Lawrence College, where he focused on art history and creative writing. He is deeply passionate about art as a mode of self-expression, and about supporting young, queer artists in finding a platform.
Outside of their work with YO, Eddie can usually be found frequenting Asheville's many cafes with a good book (or three)!
Contact Me!
Are you interested in partnering with us on a campaign? Do you need assistance signing up for our newsletter? Do you have resources you want to share with our community? Contact Eddie at eddie.yoffee@youthoutright.org.
Emma Anderson (she/her), co-Director - Fund Development
Emma Anderson is a white, queer, autistic individual who grew up on a farm in rural Virginia where there were no resources available for LGBTQIA+ people, let alone youth. Seeing a similar gap in WNC, Emma was inspired to volunteer with Youth OUTright following college and then pursue a full-time position with the organization.
Emma received her B.A. in Interdisciplinary Studies at UNC Asheville. Her professional background includes working with the Center for Diversity Education, the Council of Public Liberal Arts Colleges, and UNC Asheville in varying communication and fundraising-based roles.
As the Fund Development Director at Youth OUTright, Emma is dedicated to ethical fundraising strategies that centralize youth voices on their terms.
Contact Me!
Are you interested in donating to support our work? Would you like to host a fundraiser in our honor? Does your company sponsor non-profits or have an employee matching program? Contact Emma at emma@youthoutright.org.
Evren Nyx davis (He/they), youth fellow
Evren / Ren is a trans and neurodivergent individual who moved to Asheville in early 2022. They've always strived to create a safe and comforting space for those around them and are happy to work with Youth OUTright to provide that space for minorities to thrive and find each other. He is currently working as a Youth Fellow, which entails creating, planning, and facilitating programs for queer youth.
The majority of his work before Youth OUTright has been within the local theatre community, finding a home with the amazing people there, working as an actor, as well as stepping into the directing and teaching world. Outside of Youth OUTright and theatre he will always consider himself an artist, writing being his first love. He hopes to eventually publish fiction novels focusing on queer and mental health themes. He is currently enrolled in community college, and after his fellowship, he plans to transfer to a university to study theatre and psychology.
Contact Me!
Do you have questions or feedback about programs, the Youth Advisory Board, Discord, or D&D? Contact Evren at evren.davis@youthoutright.org.
london newton (they), Operations Manager
I'm London Newton, Black, queer, and neurodivergent and these experiences greatly inform my work! My background includes training as a birth, postpartum, and abortion doula. Beyond doula work, I'm also engaged in social media management and conduct trainings on various subjects such as queerness, mutual aid, and anti-racism. Additionally, I'm a budding herbalist, sharing herbal medicine freely within my community and at markets.
My core belief revolves around the idea that the personal is political, and I strive to embody this ethos through my roles as a doula, caregiver, and anti-oppression educator. I view spaces for conversation and community as fertile ground where we can plant the seeds of paradigm change, healing, and educational liberation.
My academic background includes a Bachelor's Degree in Political Science with a minor in Mass Communications from UNC Asheville. My journey into birth work stemmed from a combination of factors, including my passion for abortion rights, my love for children, witnessing instances of medical racism, and recognizing the importance of supporting birth givers to consequently support future generations.
I see birth, postpartum, and abortion work as avenues for building community networks, practicing bodily autonomy, and breaking generational curses. Supporting individuals through education, birth, postpartum, abortion, herbal care, and babies are all powerful tools towards our collective liberation.
During my free time, I enjoy cooking, spending time with friends, and being with my cat, Pebbles.
Contact Me!
Contact London at london@youthoutright.org
OLIVER lee Finch (He/Him), Youth Fellow
Oliver Lee Finch is a North Carolinian, a musician, and a queer community organizer. He has been the Volunteer Coordinator at Fierce Flix since 2022, and is newly (and excitedly) a Youth Fellow at Youth OUTright. He adores working with queer youth because they are some of the coolest people in the world. He wants to create opportunities for queer youth that he wishes he had growing up, and he delights in helping young queer people feel seen, understood, and respected. Through connecting with queer youth he has uncovered more layers of queer joy within himself than he has ever imagined would be possible.
Contact Me!
Contact Oliver at oliver.finch@youthoutright.org.
Not sure who to reach out to? Message us at our info email: info@youthoutright.org.