About
Jacksonville Area Sexual Minority Youth Network
When Ernie Dy Selorio Jr., a queer Asian youth of Filipino descent, moved to Jacksonville in the early 1990s, he was a lonely gay teenager searching for friendship and a supportive community in his southern new home. His courageous journey began at the Willow Branch Library, where he posted his phone number on a bulletin board, inviting others like him to reach out. This led him to a small group of adults willing to help, and in 1992, Ernie led the first support group for gay and lesbian youth at the library. Fast forward 30 years, and that seed has grown into JASMYN, a robust nonprofit supporting LGBTQIA+ teens and young adults aged 13-29 in greater Jacksonville.
Back in the early '90s, the AIDS epidemic was raging. Cindy Watson, working at Jacksonville Area Legal Aid, was deeply involved in HIV planning and Ryan White CARE Act funding. She often helped AIDS patients prepare advance directives, putting her in close contact with the gay and lesbian community. In 1994, she received a call from someone trying to establish an organization to help LGBT youth. That call was her introduction to JASMYN.
In 1995, Cindy became the board chair of JASMYN, which had no employees and was run by a working board. They installed a JASMYN phone line and listed it in the white pages under Gay Youth Information Line. JASMYN youth spread the word at local events, and participation in support groups grew. Their first grant, $1,000 from the Florida Department of Health and Rehabilitative Services, supported HIV education.
By 1998, JASMYN had a small office on Osceola Street, shared with other AIDS-related organizations. They received an $88,000 grant from the Florida Department of Health for HIV prevention, focusing on youth. JASMYN also worked to create a better environment for LGBT youth, founding the Northeast Florida Safe Schools Coalition in 2001 to combat bullying. The Duval County School Board soon prohibited harassment based on sexual orientation.
JASMYN expanded to support homeless and vulnerable youth and received city funding in 2003. By December 2013, as JASMYN approached its 20th anniversary, it was clear that they needed to expand or relocate. A feasibility study suggested steps to raise their profile and funds, laying the groundwork for future success.
Today, we continue to grow, offering essential services and fostering a supportive community for LGBTQIA+ youth in Northeast Florida. JASMYN was born from the dream of a brave young person. That dream continues to inspire everything we do. Every step we take, every life we touch, carries forward that legacy of hope, resilience, and the unwavering belief in a brighter future.
This is the JASMYN way.
