+++++++++++++++ GSA NETWORK HIGHLIGHT+++++++++++++++
GSA Network Welcomes GSA Alumni as Staff and Interns!
GSA
Network is very pleased that we have recently hired two GSA alumni as
full-time staff. Danielle Askini, who participated in GSA clubs in
Maine where she went to high school, started in June as our National
Program Manager. Geoffrey Winder, our new Administrative Manager, has
a long history with GSA Network, having revived the GSA club at Davis
High School and then having served as a GSA Network Youth Council
member, intern, and board member!
Danielle
and Geoffrey join two other GSA alumni who work at GSA Network, Daniel
Solis and Kiely Hosmon. We are very proud to have so many GSA alumni
on our staff!
We also have 4 interns working with us this summer, all of whom have participated in GSA clubs!
Danielle Askini, National Program Manager
Danielle
Askini hails from all over. European born and raised, Danielle
transitioned from male to female while in high school in Southern
Maine. She worked tirelessly as a youth educator and activist to
change school climate through GSAs and particularly focused on
educating both the straight and LGB communities about the needs of
Transgender youth. She is a former foster youth, who worked for a
number of years with other foster youth to change state and federal
policies affecting young people in the child welfare system. She is a
successful graduate of a pilot program in Maine to waive in-sate
tuition for youth-in-foster care, a law she helped pass. She obtained
her MSW from the University of Southern Maine where she also went for
her undergraduate education in social work and gender studies. Her work
in University and out has focused on ending discrimination against LGBT
young people, rights for youth-in-care, ending hate crimes, immigration
rights, and HIV education within the Transgender community. Before
coming to GSA Network Danielle worked in Seattle at Verbena Health as a
Transgender Health Coordinator, a nationally unique position. Danielle
spends her spare time writing, surfing, and traveling to and from
Sweden and Netherlands to visit her partner Simon and extended family.
She loves the color light blue, studying foreign languages, and
queer/trans theory. You are most likely to find her at H&M or IKEA
on the weekends soaking up every last bit of Sweden she can.
Geoffrey Winder, Administrative Manager
Geoffrey
is an activist returning to CA (with his family of 2 cats 2 humans)
from New York City. An experienced GSA activist Geoffrey re-started
his high school GSA in Davis CA in late 90s. Working with GSA Network
and the GSA/queer youth movement at the turn of the century was the
catalyst for the development of his academic studies. He studied
Globalization and Change Theory at NYU's Gallatin School for
Individualized study. As an activist he worked in the anti-war, global
and social justice movements in NYC. He has served in three other
administrative management positions, both in the private and non-profit
sectors; however, the struggle, hegemony and counter-hegemonic
narratives are never far from his thoughts. He's particularly
interested in the developing counter-capitalist and post-Empire
narratives that are emerging in the global 21st century social justice
movements. He's elated to be able to offer his organizational and
management experience to continuing the work of a movement that
inspired him, and more over to an organization that has and is working
towards a broader vision of justice and equality for the future.
Michael Aiyar, Intern, San Francisco
Michael
is excited to be working at GSA Network this summer. A native of
Oakland, California, he currently attends high school at Marin Academy,
where he will be a senior in the fall. Michael became interested in
social justice in his freshman year, and as a sophomore he co-founded a
group for multiracial students called Exploring Mixed Ethnicity. This
year he helped organize a Bay Area wide conference for students about
equity in schools, called "Uncensored: Conversations We're Not Having."
In his free time Michael enjoys photography, reading and mocha
frappuccinos.
Nicole Carothers, Intern, Los Angeles
Nicole
Carothers would describe herself as a Californian; growing up in all
parts of the Golden State. She is a recent John Burroughs High School
alumnus where she actively took part in her Gay Straight Alliance.
Nicole was elected president of the club during her sophomore, junior
and senior years of high school. With her GSA, she organized events
such as a clothing drive for the Jeff Griffith Youth Center, a
fundraiser for AIDS Project Los Angeles, and the production of a
controversial play in her community, The Laramie Project by Moises
Kaufman and the Tectonic Theatre Company. In the fall, Nicole will be
attending UC Santa Cruz where she will be majoring in Peace and
Securities and minoring in Theatre Arts. During her internship with GSA
Network, she hopes to gain insightful knowledge, experience and
friendships that will help her become a better leader and make a
stronger impact against oppression in her community, her city, her
state and her country.
Luis Roman, Intern, Los Angeles
Luis,
a Mexican immigrant, identifies as a proud Joto and Xicanista fom el
este (East Los Angeles). As a child, Luis wondered why his family
didn't travel to Hawaii during the summers like many families did in
the media. This early questioning was the beginning of Luis' desire to
undo all of the inequalities and privileges that exist in society.
Understanding the systems that control power in our world - classism,
racism, patriarchy and homophobia - has driven Luis in his GSA work
both during and after high school. Luis revived the GSA club at Bravo
Medical Magnet High School and rallied along side many queer-fabulous
Bravo Knights to create a Pride Week on Campus as well as advocating
for gender-neutral restrooms. With the aid of other groups on campus he
was able to create a powerful culture of student activism that
motivated his peers to walk-out, sit-in or use other non-violence
tactics to
advance
social justice at school. Luis got involved with GSA Network after his
school administrators threatened to censor his pro- LGBT equality
articles in Bravo's student newspaper. Luis, realizing that much of
homophobia and transphobia is a result of lack of awareness, decided to
work with other youth in Southern California to educate people. He will
be transferring to UC San Diego where he will double major in Ethnic
Studies and Gender Studies. He aspires to one day be a college
professor and continue preaching against American tyranny and bring to
light the heterosexist, male-oriented, Eurocentric educational system
that has failed many students. He also yearns to visit the ruins of
imperialism in Africa and Latin America and continue educating people,
because he believes that education is the key to freedom. As an Intern
and a Board Member, he hopes to empower youth in the fight against all
systems of oppression. In his ideal world, all the youth would be able
to think for themselves, explore for themselves, and be themselves.
S(arah B)eth Weintraub, Intern, San Francisco
Seth
is finding her way back to California. After being uprooted from her
birth-town of Santa Monica at only five months old, she spent her
formative years in Nashville, TN. From the very beginning of her
freshman year of high school, she was actively involved in the
Gay-Straight Alliance there, eventually serving as president for her
junior and senior years. Last summer she served as a founding member
of a Nashville-based coalition, Support Student Safety, which is
working to implement a more inclusive non-discrimination policy for her
old school system. Seth is now a Women's, Gender, and Sexuality
Studies major at Yale University, where she enjoys hanging out with her
rugby teammates, tinkering in the theater, and drinking copious amounts
of hot chocolate.
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+++++++++++++ GSA NETWORK ANNOUNCEMENTS +++++++++++++
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1. Volunteers and Endorsements Needed - No on Prop 8
GSA Network is a member of Equality For All, a large and diverse coalition of civil rights, faith, choice, labor and community of color organizations working to stop and defeat any ballot measure that has the intent to discriminate against LGBT Californians and deny gay and lesbian couples the right to marry.
Equality For All is looking for volunteers to get involved in the fight to defeat Prop 8, which will be on the ballot this November.
http://eqfed.org/equalityforall/volunteer.html
Equality For All is also looking for GSA clubs, LGBT groups, and supportive non-LGBT groups (such as other clubs at your school) to endorse the campaign against Prop 8. Let's keep showing what a diverse and broad coalition of Californians oppose Prop 8!
You can download the endorsement form here.
http://www.equalityforall.com/endorsement-forms
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2. Settlement Reached over Anti-Gay Harassment in Lake County School District
GSA Network is pleased to share this press release from our partners at the ACLU of Northern California.
Settlement with Lake County School District Calls for Comprehensive Approach to Protecting Students from Anti-Gay Harassment
Proactive steps to stem physical and verbal abuse will assist District compliance with California law
SAN FRANCISCO-The ACLU of Northern California (ACLU-NC) has reached a settlement with the Upper Lake Union Elementary School District that contains a comprehensive series of steps the District will undertake to protect students from anti-gay harassment and discrimination. The agreement is on behalf of a student who was persistently subjected to verbal taunting and physical abuse throughout elementary and middle school based on his perceived sexual orientation. The ACLU-NC sought this settlement in light of federal and state laws that allow for school administrators to be held liable if they fail to take adequate measures to remedy anti-LGBT harassment and discrimination.
"I can't remember a day at school when I wasn't called a faggot or gay," recalled the student, Robby. Since the third grade Robby has been the target of taunts, bullying and anti-gay name-calling on a regular basis.
The years of harassment finally culminated in Robby being attacked by a group of boys in the school locker room after gym class last fall. The boys knocked Robby to the ground and kicked him in the stomach, head and sides while screaming "fag" and "queer" at him. Robby received medical care for his injuries. That is when his parents contacted the ACLU to try to finally put a stop to the abuse, believing that the District was not going to independently take the appropriate steps to respond and protect Robby.
"We talked to the school about this harassment for years. We wanted to know that the adults in charge cared enough to make sure that our son was safe and secure at school," said Robby's mother Tracy. "I'm happy about the policy changes in the District and hope that addressing this will help protect my son and other students in the area."
The settlement agreement was reached without a lawsuit. It contains a series of proactive steps that the Upper Lake school district will take to create a safe learning environment for all students and to educate students and staff about preventing harassment and discrimination at school. The District also now has adopted clear policies prohibiting harassment and discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity, as required by California law.
"We're pleased the District is taking such a big step in the right direction," said ACLU attorney Juniper Lesnik. "The lesson for other schools is to address anti-gay harassment early before it escalates to violence."
Lesnik pointed to the murder of an openly gay 15-year-old in Oxnard earlier this year as a tragic example of what can happen when schools don't take harassment seriously. Oxnard student Lawrence King was murdered by a peer in February 2008 after long-term harassment went unchecked.
Among the steps the District has adopted to foster a supportive and safe learning environment are the following:
〈 Parent/Student handbooks will be revised to include the newly adopted Anti-Discrimination and Anti-Harassment policies, as well as an explanation of the process for filing a complaint and a description of the steps the District will take in response to the complaint.
〈 Each school site will identify a teacher, administrator or staff member to serve as the point person for employees on how to prevent school-based harassment;
〈 The District will provide copies of a National Education Association publication addressing LGBT sensitivity and discuss it with all staff. At each staff meeting, administrators will inquire about incidents of harassment and review the steps teachers and staff should take to intervene;
〈 Experienced, qualified trainers will provide student training at least once each year at each school site to educ
ate students regarding the harmful effects of discrimination.
〈 Experienced, qualified trainers will provide professional development to help all teachers and staff to understand the harmful impacts of harassment and discrimination and to learn intervention tools to help prevent and stop discriminatory behavior;
〈 The District will implement the Gay Lesbian and Straight Education Network's ("GLSEN") "No Name Calling Week" curriculum in all District schools.
〈 The District will implement programs that draw attention to anti-LGBT bullying and effective responses, such as the GLSEN National Day of Silence and the Gay/Straight Alliance Network's "Making your School a Hate-Free Zone" program.
〈 The District will support the maintenance of a Gay/Straight Alliance club at the Middle School.
The settlement also includes a modest monetary award to the family. The ACLU has waived all attorneys' fees.
ACLU News Article
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3. Help GSA Network Serve You!
Help GSA Network better serve you. Let us know how this last year went for your GSA, and how the Network can make next year even better. Fill out the end of the year evaluation.
http://www.gsanetwork.org/yearendeval/index.html |
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++++++++++++++++ OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS ++++++++++++++++
GSA Network News is a publication of Gay-Straight Alliance Network. Events,
resources, and news items listed under "Other Announcements" are not
sponsored or written by GSA Network, and do not necessarily reflect the views
and opinions of GSA Network.
Northern California
********************************************* 4. Apply for GSA Activist Camp This Summer!!
It's that time of year again! GSA Network Activist Camp is happening in Northern California.
Who's excited? We are!
The
GSA Activist Camp is a youth-planned and youth-led 3-day event that
features intensive community building, skill-building, political
education, and leadership training for GSA members and potential
members. All LGBT and straight ally youth from California can apply.
Youth who will be in a high school or middle school GSA next year will
be given priority.
APPLY ONLINE:
Northern California
On
August 15-17 youth from all over Northern California and Central Valley
will be heading to the Marin Headlands in Sausalito. Application
deadline is July 25.
Questions? mailto:[email protected] or call 415.552.4229
Southern California
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5. At The Beach! Black Pride Los Angeles July 3-6!
The 20th Annual At the Beach Los Angeles Black Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Pride Celebration is going down July 3-6, 2008.
Look forward to hearing from you and seeing you ... At The Beach!!!
LA Black Pride
********************************************* 6. MODELS OF PRIDE CONFERENCE
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 1, 2008
OCCIDENTAL COLLEGE
brought to you by: Friends of Project 10 Inc.
115 W. California Blvd. #116
Pasadena, CA 91105The annual Models of Pride (MOP 16) is scheduled for
Saturday, November 1, 2008, at Occidental College in Eagle Rock. This
is a free one-day conference for youth, ages 14 to 23. The focus of the
conference is on LGBTQ youth interests and issues.
APPLICATIONS ARE NOW ON THE WEB SITE FOR WORKSHOPS, ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSIONS, AND THE RESOURCE FAIRE.
VISIT THE MOP 16 WEB SITE AT
Models of Pride
TO DOWNLOAD APPLICATIONS.
CLICK ON WORKSHOPS
AND RESOURCE FAIRE.
Nonprofits and for-profits (businesses and corporations) are invited to have a resource table at the resource faire.
CLICK RESOURCE FAIRE.
We are offering sponsorships at the $250, $500, $1,000 + levels.
Learn how you can be a sponsor.
Volunteer applications will be posted in July.
Central Valley
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7. Gay Fresno Community Events for July
July 4th: BBQ, Fireworks and Diamond Productions Show BBQ, Fireworks & Diamond Productions Show at The Den @ 10pm
July 5th: Imperial Dove Court - Pool Party at 1212 Bremer St. @ 2pm
July 6th: Rainbow Bowling @ Cedar Lanes<http://reelpride.com/schedule> at the Cedar Lanes @ 2:30pm
July 10th: F.A.C.E Social Hour at GSA Network Office @ 6:30pm
July 11th: Fresno LGBTQ Social Group Christmas in July @ 6pm. See site for details
July 12th: Community Car Wash at 1551 N. Peach Ave., Fresno
National
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8. Day Of Silence Monitoring
Although we have heard many Day of Silence success stories, we know that some students faced problems during the day. Did you receive unfair treatment? To help you find out, Lambda Legal, our legal partner, has some questions for you:
DURING THE DAY OF SILENCE:
* Did someone threaten or punish you for participating in the Day of Silence?
Sometimes students are threatened with suspension or are suspended for handing out Day of Silence speaking cards and/or promoting the day of action.
* Did you/your club get treated differently from other students/clubs who engage in school activities?
Are other clubs allowed to post on billboards or make announcements about their activities, but you were not able to do so?
* Were your rights to express yourself restricted? For example, did the school make you take off your Day of Silence t-shirt?
All students have a right to express their thoughts (as long as they are not obscene or deeply offensive), and you have the rights to express yours too, even if some people disagree or don't like them.
If you answered "yes" to any of the questions above, contact Lambda Legal. Write to [email protected] or call 212-809-8585 and ask for the Day of Silence Help Desk. If you can't make long distance calls, or if you have legal questions about LGBT issues that are not related to the Day of Silence, call Lambda Legal's regular help desk at (866) 542-8336.
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9. Teaching Tolerance, A lesson plan for your last day of class,
from Teaching Tolerance: Calif. Court Extends Marriage Rights to Gays
High school teachers, do you find it tough to engage students this near the end of the school year?
This great lesson plan uses primary source material and will grab their attention: Teaching Tolerance Website
News
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10. NEWS: Principal's resignation stirs debate over clubs
Fort Mills Times
By Meg Kinnard
Published June 20, 2008
IRMO, S.C. - The idea of a gay club at a high school outside of Columbia was enough to make the principal resign. Now students, parents and school officials are trying to decide whether a club for gay students would help displaced youth or foster what some consider immoral behavior.
In Irmo, an affluent suburb about 10 miles outside South Carolina's capital, the school board is scheduled to meet Monday to consider one of several options, including whether to ban all nonacademic and non-athletic clubs to prevent the creation of a Gay/Straight Alliance. Proponents say the club would provide a support network for gay students and their straight friends, as well as a forum for all students to discuss issues faced by the gay community.
Some parents say the ban is needed because sex has no place in a high school where abstinence education is the norm. But advocates of the Gay-Straight Alliance say such views are misguided, because their organization provides a support system needed by high schoolers as they come to terms with being different from most of their peers.
"It's not just a group of gay kids coming together to have sex," said Sarah Beth Weintraub, a Nashville, Tenn., native who joined her high school's gay-straight club after telling friends and family she was gay. "It provides lots of opportunities for those kids and allows them to organize events."
The club's biggest opponent is the school's principal, who in May announced that because the school legally couldn't prevent the club from forming, he'll instead retire at the end of the coming school year.
Read the entire article at:
http://www.fortmilltimes.com/124/story/201658.html
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11. NEWS: Motion filed to move school shooting case to juvenile court
Ventura County Star
By Raul Hernandez
Saturday, June 28, 2008
The state law allowing a 14-year-old defendant to be sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole is cruel and unusual punishment, a defense attorney contends in a new legal document filed on behalf of teen slaying suspect Brandon McInerney.
The Oxnard youth is charged with killing classmate Larry King, 15, who also was from Oxnard.
McInerney's attorney, William "Willy" Quest, filed the legal motion this week asking a Ventura County Superior Court judge to shift his client's case from adult court to juvenile court.
The teen is charged with first-degree murder and a hate crime in connection with the Feb. 12 killing. Larry King, who sometimes wore makeup, told friends he was gay.
McInerney is accused of committing the shooting at E.O. Green School in Oxnard as students were working on English assignments.
If McInerney is convicted as an adult, he faces a sentence of 51 years to life in prison.
Read the entire article at: http://www.venturacountystar.com/news/2008/jun/28/mcinerney-change-of-court-filed/
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