The It Gets Better Project has announced the release of "The Assignment," a career and skill-readiness series pairing queer youth with LGBTQ+ professionals in the culinary industry.

Image credit: It Gets Better

With nearly 50% of LGBTQ+ youth employed either full or part-time and more than one in three experiencing some form of workplace discrimination, The Assignment serves up LGBTQ+ professionals to offer mentorship and inspiration for young people who are beginning to sharpen their skills in the culinary world or explore food industry related careers. The series was created with generous support from the Taco Bell Foundation.

The Assignment features a host of LGBTQ+ professionals with successful careers in the food, decor, and the health industry in the US. They include the finalist of Bravo's Top Chef: Boston Season 12 and the winner of Top Chef All Stars: Los Angeles Season 17, Melissa King, who has carved out a name for herself as one of the most exciting talents in the Bay Area; two time Chopped-champion, multi-hyphenate Lazarus Lynch who made history as the first Black, Queer chef to cook at the Met Gala; Sophie Colle, a self-taught, New York-based designer whose Instagram presence has caught the eye of Architectural Digest and Domino Magazine; and SuperJuiced Oakland co-owner Rana Halpern, whose vision that 'food justice is social justice' has made the queer, Black and Brown-owned organic juice business an inclusive experience in Oakland.

"In pairing well-known LGBTQ+ professionals in the culinary and design industry with young people who are curious about cooking or creating spaces that feel authentic to them, the conversations went far beyond what technical skills the mentors could offer," said Eboni Munn, Director of Brand Marketing of Content & Creative. "Watching the pairs connect over shared experiences of identity, cultural backgrounds, LGBTQ+ journeys, and creating space in male-dominated industries, reminds us all that life is a journey of constantly learning and relearning, moving between mentor and mentee interchangeably. 'The Assignment' offers safe spaces for both the mentors and mentees to teach, learn, and connect."

Projects that center on career-readiness and amplify marginalized voices are of particular interest to the Taco Bell Foundation, which has awarded more than $150 million in scholarships to youth-serving nonprofit organizations focused on education since 1992. Since 2022, The Taco Bell Foundation has generously invested over $200,000 in the It Gets Better Project's mission to uplift, empower and connect LGBTQ+ youth around the globe.

"At the Taco Bell Foundation, we have made it our mission to fuel every young person's boldest ambition to create good, and we are honored to play a role in bringing 'The Assignment' to life," said Jennifer Bradbury, Executive Director of the Taco Bell Foundation. "We are energized and excited to see what comes out of this web-series and look forward to continuing to work with the It Gets Better Project to champion and inspire the next generation."

The Assignment will be accompanied by a free to access educational guide (EduGuide) to help facilitate conversation beyond each episode. It follows the successful November release of the original series Industry, focusing on LGBTQ+ people working in STEM. and the Anthem Award-winning series Queer Sex Ed. Episode one of The Assignment is available to view here.

Related Article:

New Series Aims to Inspire LGBTQ+ Youth to Consider STEM Careers

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