Kham-Shem Toure (he/they), Saga program participant
Kham-Shem Toure (he/they, 24) joined Saga when he moved back to Denver after college. Although they were raised in Denver, most of their friends from childhood and college had moved elsewhere for jobs, and Kham had to begin from scratch when it came to finding community.
“I had benefitted a lot from the programs offered by Tulsa’s LGBTQ+ center, and I was looking for something similar in Denver,” he remembers. “I found The Center’s new program for young adults, and it felt like a perfect fit.”
Kham took advantage of weekly drop-in hours and became a regular. One day, he overheard a few other Saga members talking about a new band they were creating. They were off to a good start, but no one knew how to play the drums. It was a serendipitous moment for Kham: “I had just put away my drums, I didn’t think I would have a chance to play them anymore, and here was this new opportunity.” Soon Kham was attending practices. The band’s current working name is Beyond Binary, but they’re still experimenting with their sound and their brand.
For Kham, community has come in many forms as a result of Saga. In October 2023, they attended Coming Out Stories, a National Coming Out Day event hosted by members of Saga for all ages to share their coming out journeys.
“It was really helpful to hear other people’s stories and gain a better understanding of the people in the world around me. I left the event feeling less alone in my own experiences,” Kham reflected.
In keeping with his interest in music, Kham has joined the planning committee for Saga’s second annual Femme Underground Concert.
The inaugural Femme Underground Concert was held at the HiDive last spring
“It’s so helpful to get this opportunity to see the music world from the organizing side and understand how the business of music works,” Kham shared.
In 2023, Saga hosted the inaugural concert and raised nearly $1,000 to benefit the Haseya Advocate Program, a Native, women-led organization serving Indigenous survivors of domestic and sexual violence. Kham is excited about the impact they can help to make this spring when the concert is hosted again.
“In many ways, this is an overwhelming and scary time to be a queer young adult. But it’s also full of possibility. Connecting with my peers in Saga has given me a greater sense of agency, both personally and as a member of the community.”
Kham is one of over 300 individuals who have attended Saga programs and special events since the program’s inception in January 2023. In its second year, the program is continuing to grow and is meeting more LGBTQ+ young adults where they’re at.
To learn more about Saga’s offerings and how the program can support you or an LGBTQ+ young adult in your life, visit https://lgbtqcolorado.org/programs/saga/