Domestic violence is a reality for ALL members of our community. There are several ways to promote awareness this month... Full Moon Walk - Friday, October 18 @ 7pm Beginning at SC City Hall Courtyard, Community members will gather for a candlelight vigil and travel along city sidewalks and levees to bring light and dispel darkness. For more information contact the Commission for the Prevention of Violence Against Women at 831-420-5363 or visit www.cityofsantacruz.com/cpvaw No More Campaign - Learn more about a national campaign to end … [Read more...]
Ally Week 2013! October 21 – 25
“This is a week where we can can have vital conversations to move the movement forward toward our collective queer liberation!” Ally week is meant to encourage national conversations about how everyone can become a better ally to LGBT youth. Allies can be parents, family members, teachers, youth activists, and anyone at any age who supports LGBT youth. To register your GSA for Ally Week, get tips on organizing ally themed events, sample letters to your administration, and much more visit GLSEN: Ally Week … [Read more...]
LGBT History into LA High School Classrooms
“The Los Angeles Gay & Lesbian Center is looking to bring lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) history into the classroom, as the Center's Project SPIN has developed LGBT lesson plans to be available for integration into high school history curriculum in the LA public school system.” Read More in The Huffington Post … [Read more...]
Top 25 LGBTI-Friendly Universities & Colleges 2013 Listing
Campus Pride, a nationally-recognized organization dedicated to making colleges and universities safer, more inclusive spaces for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) individuals, released its annual list of the "Top 25-LGBT Friendly Colleges And Universities" in the country today. Each campus included in the final listing achieved 5 stars overall in the index, plus 5 stars in sexual orientation and 5 stars in gender identity/expression for an LGBT-friendly campus. In addition, the campuses had to have 4.5 stars or above (or the … [Read more...]
We Are The Youth: Chronicling the Stories of LGBT Youth in America
“We Are the Youth is a photographic journalism project chronicling the individual stories of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender youth in the United States. Through photographic portraits and “as told to” interviews in the participants’ own voices, We Are the Youth captures the incredible diversity and uniqueness among the LGBT youth population.” To read the stories Click Here Interested in sharing your story? Email: hello@wearetheyouth.org … [Read more...]
Live Out Loud with “The Homecoming Project”
This project is meant to encourage successful LGBT adults to visit their High Schools in order to share their knowledge and experience with other LGBT students. Click Here to learn about Lance Black, who wrote the script for Milk (2008) and his Homecoming Project. He returns to his High School in North Salinas, California. Click Here for lesson plans perfect for any GSA For general information about the project visit The Homecoming Project … [Read more...]
Would you like a GSA Network Regional Staff Member to visit your GSA?
Some topics of discussion are: How to run better meetings, plan events, have an organized GSA, what your legal rights are, support for Transgender and Gender Non-Conforming students, and build safer school for LGBT students. Make sure to give the staff member two weeks or more advance notice if you are interested in scheduling a visit. Northern California Regional Staff Member Courtney Mummert (415) 552-4229 norcal@gsanetwork.org … [Read more...]
National Week of Action on School Pushout
September 28 - October 5 What is a School Pushout? A School Pushout is when schools implement policies that hinder student progress and discourage them from continuing their education. These policies include “zero tolerance”, suspensions, harsh discipline, and punishing youth defending themselves against bullying. LGBT youth, students of color, and ones with disabilities are more likely to be affected by these policies. To stand against these policies and get your campus involved in this week of action visit the GSA Network to get tips on … [Read more...]
LGBT History Month October 2013: 31 Days, 31 Icons, 31 Stories
Each day of October this group focuses on a LGBT icon and shares their life achievements by creating a video, bibliography, biography, and downloadable photos. By the end of the month 31 icons will have been recognized. To learn more about this event visit LGBT History Month To view previous icons featured Click Here If your Gay Straight Alliance is interested in creating an exhibit for your school the GSA Network has great tips to get started. … [Read more...]
National LGBT News
Obama Awards Bayard Rustin the Presidential Medal of Freedom “Honoring Rustin with the Medal of Freedom tells us something about how far America has come as a nation in the past 50 years. After all, he had four strikes against him. He was a pacifist, a radical, black and gay. Controversy surrounded him all his life.” To learn more about this incredible man and his contributions to American history see Peter Dreier’s Blog in The Huffington Post Campus Pride Releases 2013 'Top 25 LGBT-Friendly Universities And Colleges' If you're a … [Read more...]