2026 LGBTQ+ Youth Camp Counselors

Meet our camp counselors for this year’s LGBTQ+ Youth Summer Camp! We will be bringing 42 youth to Camp Buckhorn this July 26 - July 31. Through this summer camp youth are able to disconnect from their devices and connect with the great outdoors and community. Our activities for this year will include a foam party, summer games, aromatherapy blending, suncatcher crafting, riveting games of Hungry Hungry Hippos (lifesize!) and Gaga Ball, crafting Wookie Heart Gifts, a service project, orienteering, team building, and so much more!

Carter S. (they/elle)

Carter is the Northern Colorado Support person for Rocky Mountain Equality and a former RMEQ Youth Team MSW intern. They love hiking, swimming, knitting, and spending cozy evenings reading with their cat Ichabod. Carter's favorite book so far this year was Katabasis by RF Kuang.

Kai W. (he)

Kai is a regular volunteer with the RMEQ high school youth group. He loves to spend his summers camping, hiking, and swimming with his best friend and canine companion, Fifi. This will be Kai’s second year volunteering for the RMEQ Youth Summer Camp. Some fun facts about Kai: he has had a full conversation with a jumping spider, his higher power is Cher, and he loves plantains.

Alison W. (she) 

Allison has been a volunteer for the RMEQ Youth Program and helped with the camp last year. In her free time she writes probably too much and also plays video games, cooks, and chases cats around shouting “what’s in your mouth!” with her wife.

Rouxan C. (they/he)

Rouxan is the Youth and Outdoor Education Coordinator for RMEQ at the Equality Center of the Rocky Mountains! They have nearly 20 years of outdoor education and summer camp experience and are ready for another year of fun with RMEQ's Youth Summer Camp. Fun facts about Rouxan: they have three cats, Jak, Daxter, and Fushimiko, they have a deep love for cosplay and the outdoors, and when they have time, they enjoy video games, reading, and tending to their garden!

Azral (they/elle)

Azral is a recent graduate from the University of Colorado Boulder with a major in Women and Gender Studies and minor in Spanish. Following graduation, they worked for Boulder County's OASOS Program as their School and Education Support. Outside of work, Azral loves to swim, try to raise healthy and happy plants, defeat the powers that be in their DnD campaigns, and wander the woods like an ancient, eldritch creature.

Incarnación (they)

Incarnación is a queerdo, tarot-ista, practitioner of healing through Reiki energy work, and land stewardship facilitator on territories of Cheyenne, Arapaho, and Ute Nations. Incarnación descends from Purepecha people near Guanajuato, Mexico and from German and Irish settlers. They love their FAM and pack of small dogs, the ones who live with them, Beep and Savvy, get a special shout-out.

Lily B. (she/they)

Lily is the Youth & Young Adult Engagement Coordinator for Rocky Mountain Equality! They are incredibly excited for this year’s summer camp! Lily loves to be outside exploring in nature, strength training, reading, making silver jewelry, playing video games, and creating functional ceramics on their potter's wheel. They love their family, friends, partner and are big fans of their cats, Beanjamin, Socky, and Mr. Buddy.

Lauren (they)

Lauren is a pickle enthusiast who adores laughing and hiking with their cat. They've been part of the RMEQ volunteer crew for over seven years and were named Youth Volunteer of the Year in 2025. Originally from the South, Lauren will happily talk your ear off about boiled peanuts, pickles, and alligators. They serve on the board of the Transformative Justice Project and have spent the last decade championing community led work and the people behind it.

Cecil K. (they)

Cecil is the Northern Colorado Youth Program Coordinator for Rocky Mountain Equality. They have an MSW from the University of Denver and focus their work on fostering equal parts compassion and silliness. Outside of work, Cecil enjoys making balloon animals, playing video games, and giving kisses to their two cats, Percy and Eyeball.

Chris C. (they/elle)

Chris Castañeda-Duran is the Senior Youth Program Manager at Rocky Mountain Equality and is passionate about creating spaces where LGBTQ+ youth can build confidence, community, and lasting friendships. Outside of camp, they enjoy ballroom culture and vogue, video games, exploring the outdoors with their husband, and finding new ways to bring people together. They're excited to spend the week making memories, cheering campers on, and helping create a camp where everyone feels like they belong.

Davis D. (he)

Davis is so excited to be back at camp another year! He always enjoys working with RMEQs Youth team. Davis loves to swim, cook and run. He is a big fan of musical theatre. He is from North Carolina and has lived in Denver for two years. His roles models are Jane Fonda, Dianne Keaton, and Barbara Walters.

JoJo (They/She/He | Elle/Ella/El)

JoJo is Xicane and 2-Spirit. She lives in Southwest Denver, where they work at the non-profit organization, Spirit of the Sun; wherein they work with Food Systems and Land Stewardship in solidarity and support of the Denver metro’s Indigenous community. His passions lie in indigenous land-stewardship, community organizing and story-telling. When seeking moments of fun, they can be found gardening, hiking to their favorite swim-spot, playing tabletop roleplaying games with friends and watching One Piece.