Officials with LGBTQ SAVES announced today (Tuesday, Sept. 1), that “after 15 years of visionary leadership as founder and executive director,” Sharon Herrera is transitioning into the role of founder and executive director emeritus, passing leadership of the organization to the current program director, Bertie Gardner.
Herrera, who works for Fort Worth Independent School District and had seen first-hand the effect of homophobia on LGBTQ+ young people, created the Fort Worth-based organization to be an advocate and resource for them.
“Raymond Chase, 19. Cody J. Barker, 17. Billy Lucas, 15, Seth Walsh, 13, Tyler Clementi, 18, Asher Brown, 13. Harrison Brown, 15. Felix Sacco, 17. Caleb Nolt, 14,” Herrera said today, listing the names of nine LGBTQ+ youth who died by suicide in 2010. Those deaths, she told Dallas Voice in 2023, “reminded me of a pain I was all too familiar with. Having contemplated my own suicide, I knew things had to change and that we needed a community where all children are safe.”
Leadership change
This transition from Herrera to Gardner “marks an important moment in the organization’s history, one rooted in gratitude for the past and deep commitment to the future,” according to a press release announcing the change.
“Sharon’s leadership and passion built an organization grounded in the belief that LGBTQ+ young people deserve to be seen, supported, affirmed and given the opportunity to thrive. Her vision, advocacy and dedication have created a foundation that will continue to shape the organization for generations to come,” the press release said.
Herrera continued, “We cannot build the future by erasing the people who built the path that brought us here. Our history matters. The people who stood up, organized, created community and made space for LGBTQ+ young people before it was easy or safe to do so deserve to be remembered and honored.
“I am incredibly proud of what we have built,” she added, “and I am even more excited to see Bertie carry this work forward.”
The transition “comes at a particularly important time for LGBTQ+ communities,” the press release noted. “Across the country, efforts to remove, rewrite or erase LGBTQ+ history are making it increasingly important to preserve the stories and contributions of those who came before us. LGBTQ SAVES believes that honoring history is not about remaining in the past, it is about understanding the foundation upon which the future is built.”
Gardner has “already played an integral role in the organization’s work with LGBTQ+ youth and is deeply familiar with its programs, community relationships and mission,” the press release said. “As executive director, Gardner will build upon the foundation established by Herrera while bringing his own leadership, vision and energy to the organization’s next chapter.
“Sharon has created something that is bigger than any one person, and I am honored to be entrusted with carrying it forward,” Gardner said. “I want to honor what came before us while continuing to ask what LGBTQ+ youth need from us today, and what they will need tomorrow.
“Our commitment remains clear: LGBTQ+ young people deserve community, safety, affirmation, opportunity and a place where they can fully be themselves.”
Under Gardner’s leadership, LGBTQ SAVES will continue its commitment to serving LGBTQ+ youth, strengthening community connections, expanding opportunities for young people and “ensuring that every young person knows they belong,” the press release said.
Herrera will remain connected to the organization as founder and executive director emeritus, continuing to provide “institutional knowledge, historical perspective, sharing the mission and legacy of the organization and educating the community about the vitality of LGBTQ SAVES, supporting as Gardner assumes executive leadership.”
“The organization views this transition as a continuation of its story, a moment for reflection of where we have been and where we are headed, together,” the press release continued, adding a message for Herrera from board members, staff and the community. “We are all products of those who came before us. Sharon, thank you for all the lives you have saved, all those that will be saved because of this organization and choosing to live your life dedicated to our LGBTQ Youth. We are here, because of you.
“The work Sharon began continues,” the press release concluded. “The legacy continues. And the future belongs to the young people we serve.”
— Tammye Nash