Greetings!
Since our last edition of GSA Network News we welcome the activists of the GSA at Vista Murrieta High School!If you are in Northern CA, remember to send someone from your GSA Club to GSA Activist Camp! Applications have been extended until July 12th!Also, if you haven't already, remember to take the Year End Survey and get entered to win $100 for your GSA! We will announce the Winner in the Next Issue of GSA Network News! GSA Network's Offices will be closed on Friday July 3rd.
In solidarity GSA Network
A Special Note: We'd like to say a big THANK YOU to FrontRunners for making GSA Network a beneficiary of the SF Pride Run 2009!
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NETWORK NEWS HIGHLIGHT: 40 Years Since Stonewall, Queer Youth Still Rockin' the Streets
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Each year thousands of Californians join together in cities large and small to celebrate LGBT Pride month. This year pride had a special meaning for many as it commemorated the 40th Anniversary of the Stonewall Rebellion. Stonewall holds significance for many people who regard it as the start of the modern LGBT rights movement. Stonewall was a bar in the Greenwich neighborhood of New York on Christopher street. It was a bar that was frequented by drag queens, butches, and working class patrons; a colorful group of folks.
On June 28th, 1969 something different was in the air: bar patrons at Stonewall and the street kids at the park across the street in Christopher park were sick and tired of police raids! When the police showed up at the bar to do their all-too-regular round up and arrest of patrons, something new happened. While the exact details are unknown of exactly who first pushed, shoved, or fought back against the police, it is said that several of the patrons, a lesbian woman, some drag queens, and several young gay men fought back against the police. They were soon joined by hundreds of people from the surrounding neighborhood both friends and passers by. The next 3 nights were filled with battles between protesters on the streets of the Village and police. While at the time it received little mainstream media attention, the rebellion sparked a movement in New York and across the country that we now call the LGBT movement.
This year on Sunday, June 14th over 250 youth from 34 SoCal high schools marched in the annual LA Pride Parade. Thanks to the generous efforts of Christopher Street West (CSW) and the Gay and Lesbian Administrators and Allies (GALAA), all GSAs marched in the parade, entered into the festival and received a lunch free of charge! GSA Network staff outreached to SoCal GSAs and coordinated the youth contingent to march.
LA Pride was a powerful event that showcased the strengths and perspectives of the diverse youth who are leading the fight for LGBT civil rights in communities across Southern California. Many youth saw LA Pride as an opportunity to bring further attention to the unique issues LGBT youth face in their schools, families and communities. Ivy Hammond, GSA President at John Marshall High School in Los Angeles, marched to bring awareness of LGBT youth to the larger community. She said: "I marched in LA Pride because I wanted to represent the LGBTQ youth who do not receive all the resources or support necessary, especially against the Prop 8 fight."
Other youth deeply appreciated connecting to LGBT youth outside of their schools. Trent Rodriguez, GSA President at Murrieta Valley High School, walked away with a sense of belonging to something bigger. He said, "The best part of LA Pride was marching with the youth because it felt like we were all connected."
The 250+ strong GSA contingent in LA Pride was warmly received by the parade-watchers, receiving a standing ovation at several points along the march. Clearly, SoCal's LGBT community was proud of its youth! For many youth the support and connection with the larger adult LGBT community was a new and empowering feeling. Trent Rodriguez further said, "I was empowered and enlightened by all the support the community gave the youth. It was really an awakening moment."
In Northern California about 115 youth marched in the San Francisco Pride March, representing 25 different Bay Area schools. For several students this was their first time marching. "It was amazing to see how many thousands of people showed up for pride. It felt awesome to march with my friends and to be part of such a huge movement. I know not all my friends could be here because their families aren't accepting, so it felt important for me to march for them," said Kris Switzer, who just graduated from Northgate High School in the East Bay. Pride march veteran, Michael Aiyar, who recently graduated from Marin Academy, said, "This year's pride march felt more important after Prop 8 to show our strength and solidarity. For me the most important time to be proud is after our community has suffered a loss. It was a great time to regroup and feel the love."
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GSA NETWORK ANNOUNCEMENTS
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1. Inclusive ENDA Introduced!
Get Involved to Help Secure Co-sponsors from California!
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On June 24, 2009, Representative Barney Frank, joined by Reps. Tammy Baldwin and Jared Polis, introduced an inclusive version of the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) - which will extend the existing federal law prohibiting employment discrimination to protect people on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity.
Gay-Straight Alliance Network applauds Representatives Frank, Baldwin and Polis on their commitment to an ENDA that will protect ALL members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community from bias in the workplace. We encourage you to call your Representative and ask them to cosponsor ENDA to show that they stand firm in support of the LGBT community, too!
Call the Capitol Switchboard at (202) 224-3121 and have them connect you to your Representative (based on your zip code).
Then tell them:
"I am a constituent and I would like you to please tell Representative _______ that I would like him/her to become a cosponsor of the Employment Non-Discrimination Act. ENDA would ban discrimination against all lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people in the workplace. Can you tell me whether or not Representative _______ has cosponsored the bill? If not, please ask Representative _______ to do so today!"
GSA Network alongside many organizations in California and across the nation are committed to passing the Employment Non-Discrimination Act. We want to begin educating policymakers throughout California about the importance of anti-discrimination laws for our community. If you want to get more involved with passing an inclusive ENDA, please email our allies at the Transgender Law Center. Contact Alexis Rivera at [email protected] to see how you can help!
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2. GSA Activist Camp NOR CAL!
Applications Due Friday July 12th!
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Northern California
Camp: August 14-16, 2008 (Fri-Sun) at the
Headlands Institute in Marin
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 can
apply. Youth who will be in a high school or middle school GSA next
year will be given priority.
Youth of color, trans youth, and
low-income youth are especially encouraged to apply.
Cost: $20-$100 sliding scale - no
one turned away for lack of funds; scholarships available.
www.gsanetwork.org/camp Applications NOW Open! Apply Now!
Applications Due July 12th!
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3. LAST CHANCE FOR FREE DVDS! Offer Ends Today! July 1st!
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| Free DVDs from Frameline and GSA Network
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Register now and receive 4 free DVDs!
With
the school year winding down and LGBT Pride month on the horizon, we
want to be sure your GSA has the resources you need to finish the year
with a bang! That's why Frameline and GSA Network are giving away even more free Youth In Motion DVDs between now and July 1st!
>> Register your school now, and we'll send you the complete set of 4 DVDs free!
>> Or, if you've already received DVDs, take our new survey and we'll complete your set!
Nearly 200 middle and high schools throughout California are already using Youth In Motion DVDs in their classrooms, GSA meetings, and faculty/staff trainings. That's
nearly 200 schools where teachers and students know a little bit more
about LGBT history and culture, and where LGBT students can walk
through the hallways with increased confidence and safety! Will your school be next?
And don't forget that all Youth In Motion DVDs come with fabulous Curriculum & Action Guides, which
give teachers the tools to show these films in their classrooms, and
give students creative ideas for discussion and taking action. Visit our website for more information.
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4. GSAs take the Year End Survey and be entered to win $100 for your GSA! The Deadline has been extended!! You can still win!
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Hey GSA Activists and Advisors,
Fill out the GSA Network Year End Survey! -
If you fully complete the evaluation - your GSA will be entered in a drawing to win $100! If you want to make hard copies you can download the PDF of the survey on the gsanetwork.org website!
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OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS
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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. |
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CA STATEWIDE
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5. Calling all lesbian writers!
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Calling all lesbian writers!
The Lesbian Writers Fund of the Astraea Lesbian Foundation for Justice will award $10,000 to the winner of its emerging lesbian authors contest. Categories include poetry and fiction writing. There are $1,500 prizes for runner-ups. The deadline for submissions is July 15, 2009.
The Astraea Lesbian Foundation for Justice works for social, racial and economic justice in the U.S. and internationally. Their grantmaking and philanthropic advocacy programs help lesbians and allied communities challenge oppression and claim their human rights. To learn more about the writing contest, click here.
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6. New blog for queer and straight ally youth poets
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Pittsburgh nonprofit Dreams of Hope just launched WebPoets, a blog for queer poets and their straight allies. Inside this safe space, queer and allied youth under 25 are invited to post original poetry and read original poetry written by their peers. All poems will receive constructive criticism from Miriam Jones, a published poet and educator. Check out www.dreamsofhope.org/webpoets/ to read, post, and comment on poetry written by youth!
Web Poets is THE place for queer and allied youth to show off their talent with words. Any and all poets welcome, whether you do poetry slams or write classic epics. Here you can workshop your stuff with other young poets, get advice from published poets, and, most important, share and improve your work. All levels, all genres, all themes are welcome!
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7. LGBT Yout - SPEAK OUT about your school expierences!
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LGBT YOUTH - SPEAK OUT ABOUT YOUR SCHOOL EXPERIENCES!
Help GLSEN (Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network) inform education policymakers and the public about what's really going on in our nation's schools by completing the 2009 National School Climate Survey, GLSEN's sixth national survey about the experiences of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender youth in school.
If you are identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender (LGBT), attended high school or middle school sometime during the last school year (2008-2009) and are at least 13 years old, tell us about your experiences in school. If you did not complete the entire school year you are still eligible. The survey is completely anonymous.
For more info and to complete the survey online, visit: www.glsen.org/2009survey |
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8. Communities of Color and Allies Speak Out Against Prop 8 Add your GSA to the list!
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Communities of Color and Allies Speak Out Against Prop 8
Add your GSA to the list!
Over 140 groups have signed the following statement.
To add your GSA to the list, send the name of your GSA, your school and your city and state to [email protected] . We will pass your name on to API Equality, the group organizing this campaign.
Visit the cause on Facebook
COMMUNITIES OF COLOR STATEMENT RE PROP 8 DECISION
As organizations that represent or work with diverse racial and ethnic communities in California, or allies of such organizations, we issue the following statement in response to the California Supreme Court's decision in the lawsuits to stop the implementation of Proposition 8:
We are extremely saddened that the Supreme Court chose to uphold Proposition 8 and allow blatant discrimination to be written into the state Constitution. As people of color, we are disturbed that the highest court in our state would abandon its responsibility to ensure that all groups are treated equally under the state Constitution. Despite the structural protections that should prevent the initiative power from being used this way, the Supreme Court has allowed a simple majority vote to strip away the rights of a protected minority group. We fear not only for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender members of our communities, but for all people of color and other vulnerable minority groups regardless of sexual orientation. We vow to restore marriage equality to California and to make our state a place that guarantees equality and justice for all.
However, we applaud the Supreme Court for ruling that the marriages entered into by the November 4th vote remain valid. Many of our community members are among the 18,000 couples who were able to marry in California between June and November 2008, and we are thrilled that they will continue to be treated equally to all other married couples in this state. We believe it is important that the Court understood that married lesbian and gay couples relied upon the rule of law, and that basic rights must not be granted temporarily and then retroactively taken away. However, it is bittersweet to uphold the 18,000 existing marriages while treating all other same-sex couples inequally.
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NOR CAL
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9. SAVE THE DATE: Queer Youth Dance 8/29/09! (S.F.)
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SAVE THE DATE: Queer Youth Dance 8/29/09 sponsored by Lyric!
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10. YouthAware Educational Theatre - 2009 Fall Outspoken Tour Now Booking
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For over two decades, New Conservatory Theatre Center's (NCTC's) YouthAware Educational Theatre program has been working to generate young peoples' understanding and respect for other people and to help them understand the impact of making healthy choices to transform a world full of negative influences into one full of potential and possibilities. These programs reach over 20,000 young people annually both in house at NCTC in San Francisco and on tour to schools and communities all over Northern and Central California.
YouthAware is now taking bookings for the fall 2009 Outspoken tour. With the prevalence of violence and bullying in schools, Outspokenasks "How do we coexist peacefully with our differences?" After a highly successful spring 2009 tour visiting over 20 schools and over 5,000 7th- 12th graders in Northern and Central California, Outspoken returns to tour Mondays through Thursdays from October 28th - December 10th2009.
Created by the YouthAware program and based directly on the voices of young people, Outspoken by Prince Gomolvilas is an innovative play that has been presented to Northern and Central California teens since 2004. Appropriate for grades 7-12, Outspoken examines the many reasons young people feel ostracized in school and in their communities; reasons that include differences in race, religion, sexual orientation, body type, and socioeconomic background. Outspoken asks teens think about stereotypes and diversity from many unique perspectives, and helps to open up a dialogue on labeling, tolerance, bullying and school safety within their own communities.
YouthAware touring programs may be presented up to two times a day at your school site in any theater, gymnasium, or other multi-purpose room. We travel with our own set and sound equipment and do not require any special lighting. We prefer to see between 100-500 students per performance. Each 60-70 minute program includes the play and a facilitated post-show discussion with the cast. Pre and post-show handouts are provided for teachers including discussion questions, community resources, etc.
Outspoken is approved and sponsored by SFUSD School Health programs for Grades 7-12. Performances are free of charge for SFUSD. A small donation is requested to cover touring costs for performances outside of San Francisco. YouthAware is part of a non-profit organization, and we do not like to turn away schools for lack of funds, so please contact us to discuss possible underwriting by our YouthAware funders. We have funding in place to bring performances FREE of charge to middle and high schools in the Central Valley in 2009.
Reservations and questions about YouthAware bookings should be directed to Sara Staley, YouthAware Program Director,[email protected] (415) 694-6149. Book now for the best selection of dates!
Visit the YouthAware homepage: http://www.nctcsf.org/YouthAware.html for more program info and to download scripts for preview.
For publicity-related inquires, interviews, and high-resolution photographs contact Anne McMurrey, Publicist, [email protected]
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11. Youth Empowered Action Camp (Bay Area)
Looking for 18 kids who want to make a difference in the world!
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Dear friends,
I'm thrilled to let you know or remind you about this summer's launch of Youth Empowered Action Camp -- YEA! From August 17-21 in the Santa Cruz mountains, 18 youth ages 11-15 will learn skills and build relationships to support their development as leaders making a difference in the world.
Youth will choose an issue of importance to them, share about why they care so much about it and think strategically about how to address it, and leave camp with a thoughtful plan of action and a supportive community of peers and mentors to help make it happen. And it will be tons of fun! Behind YEA, there's a great team of staff and volunteers with decades of experience, collectively, in youth work.
If there are any youth in your life who are this age, live in the Bay Area, and might be interested, please check out and send them our website, www.yeacamp.org . Please also forward on to youth, parents, or others in the Bay Area who might have youth contacts or be interested in attending, volunteering, donating, or otherwise being involved.
Note that our early-bird deadline ends Saturday June 20, though we do have some financial aid available.
Feel free to contact Nora Kramer with questions, at [email protected] or 415-710-7351.
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12. White Anti-Racist Youth Activist Workshop, Y-Step Summer Institute
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Youth Step Towards Addressing Racism
Dear Y-Step Family!
Greetings from Y-Step! We hope this note finds you well and happily anticipating the summer. We are writing to you with exciting news! Many young people who have gone through our workshops have asked: "How as a white youth can I continue these important conversations about challenging racism? How can I get more actively involved in struggles for racial justice?"
The Y-Step collective is currently planning a 3-day Summer Institute for high-school aged white-identified youth, which will take place in early/mid August, to help answer some of these questions. It will offer youth the opportunity to engage and build their analysis, while developing tools to be active participants in anti-racist struggles.
The Institute will delve deeper into issues of racial inequality as it affects, in particular, the education system, and offer more chances to see concrete examples of what it looks like to stand up for justice. The Institute will allow white youth to connect with other youth who care about justice and want to feel positively empowered to take action.
The Summer Institute is a opportunity for white youth to deepen their analysis- which means that we are specifically outreaching to young folks who have either:
1. Gone through one or more Y-Step workshops
or
2. White youth who may not have gone through a Y-Step workshop before, but who have already engaged in some level of analysis and/or political education regarding racism, privilege, and systems of oppression- and we are hoping that our allies and supporters can provide referrals for young white folks who they think would be a good match.
We need your help to SPREAD THE WORD to young white folks who are interested in learning more about systemic injustice and how to take a stand for a better world! Some of our outreach is being done internally with the youth we have already worked with, but we still need more support getting youth from other organizations, public schools, youth who wouldn't otherwise be able to work with us, etc.
Y-Step Summer Youth Institute
The Institute will take place during ONE of the following options (will be determined based on youth availability):
� From Sunday, August 9- Tuesday, August 11
� From Sunday, August 16- Tuesday, August 18
If interested, youth or their adult allies should email us with the following contact information:
� Name
� Phone number
� Email
� Age
� School
� Have you participated in a workshop with Y-Step before? When?
� How did you hear about Y-Step's Summer Institute?
� Your availability for the 2 options listed above (can you make one or both?)
Thank you for your continued support and help.
For More Info contact, the Y-Step crew
or visit www.ystep.org
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13. Queer Camp (Santa Cruz)
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Santa Cruz Queer Youth Summer Camp
July 10 -12, Summer 2009
Mt Madonna County Park
This FREE camp is for queer youth and youth allies, ages 12 to 19. Space is limited! To reserve your spot, register at www.diversitycenter.org/programs/queer-youth-scene.
This is an awesome opportunity to hang out in a safe space, make new friends, and have fun in nature. There will be hiking, great food, fun games, and lots more, including some down time to just hang out with old and new friends. We look forward to seeing you there!
Santa Cruz Queer Youth Summer Camp is hosted by the Queer Youth Scene, a program of The Diversity Center. For more information, please email [email protected]
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14. Youth Calendar (S.F.)
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San Francisco's LYRIC Youth Center hosts events almost everyday for LGBTQQ youth.
LYRIC
LYRIC's
mission is to build community and inspire positive social change
through education enhancement, career trainings, health promotion, and
leadership development with lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer,
and questioning youth, their families, and allies of all races,
classes, genders, and abilities.
Calendar of Events
http://lyric.org/calendar.html
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Central Valley
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15. Community Links Youth Meetings Every Friday (Fresno)
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So Cal
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16. San Diego Pride! July 18th!
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San Diego Pride!
Annual Pride Parade
Saturday, July 18, 2009 -
step-off at 11:00am at Normal and University
Parade route: Rainbow Mile - University Ave between Normal St. and 6th down to Upas.
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17. Anti-Defamation League's National Youth Leadership Mission Program (So.Cal.)
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If you live in the Los Angeles, Kern, San Bernardino and Riverside
counties you are invited to apply to the National Youth Leadership
Mission Project. The Project is a four day, all-expenses-paid-for trip
to Washington DC to discuss issues of bias and discrimination in their
communities.
Additionally you will have the opportunity to get a tour of the U.S.
Holocaust Museum.
The deadline has extended to July 15.
If you have any questions about the program please contact Jenny Betz
([email protected]) or Sarah Gitman ([email protected]).
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18. Outspoken Sessions - Open Mic for Queer and Trans and Straight Allies under 19 (L.A.)
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 Here's your stage, somethin' on your mind? So say it! Any type of socially conscious performance... First Session: July 24th, 2009 Time: 6p-9p, sign up to perform by 6:30p Learn about activist opportunities. Get connected to Los Angeles. Develop your craft as a poet, MC, artist. Special Guests. $3 suggested donation at the door. $5 suggested donation for food. Will accept work exchange. Located at Solidarity Hall2170 W Washington Blvd, LA(at Western Ave)Close to bus lines #30, 31, 35Off the 10 freeway.More info at www.equalaction.orgwww.radicalwomen.org |
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19. SOCAL Youth Groups
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Orange County LGBT Youth Group (O.C.)
The Center OC is a Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender community center in Orange County.
They offer a Rainbow youth night open to all youth ages 14-22 on Wednesday nights from 7-8:30pm.
For location and directions see their website at www.thecenteroc.org
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Riverside Queer Youth Group
JOCC Youth Group Meets Every Friday 6pm to 8pm.
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20. LGBT Youth Calendars (L.A. and San Diego)
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Check out these new calendars for LGBT Youth!
Los Angeles Youth
http://lalgbtcalendar.pbwiki.com/
http://www.virsil.com/
San Diego Youth
www.ourlgbtevents.org/
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JOBS AND SCHOLARSHIPS
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21. CAPPAC 2009 Scholarship Application (Greater Sacto)
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CAPPAC is a non-partisan political action committee formed to promote the civil rights and ensure the equality of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people through the political process. CAPPAC focuses on California's capital region and on races and initiatives of statewide importance to the LGBT community.
CAPPAC invites submissions for our annual scholarship award. CAPPAC will give 2 $500.00 scholarships to students selected by the CAPPAC Board. Applications must be received by JULY 31, 2009.
Eligible applicants must meet all of the following criteria:
� Currently enrolled in, or planning to enroll in a post-secondary education program, including any college or accredited trade program.
� High school graduate by July, 2009.
� Graduate from either (1) a high school located in the Sacramento Region (Sacramento, Yolo, Placer, Sutter, Yuba, and El Dorado), or (2) plans to pursue their post-high school education in one of these counties.
� All scholarship money will be used toward post-high school education.
� Active in school or the community in the effort to defeat Proposition 8 prior to the November 4, 2008 election.
The purpose of the CAPPAC scholarship is to recognize outstanding people from the Sacramento Region for their involvement in the LGBT community, with a special emphasis on involvement in the effort to defeat Proposition 8. CAPPAC's scholarship is intended to foster local youth leadership to help fulfill its mission to assure LGBT equality, and encourage post-secondary education for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people and allies.
Payment of the scholarship award will follow receipt of satisfactory college/school enrollment verification. The deadline for winners to submit their proof of enrollment is December 31, 2009.
For the full applicaiton or questions please contact: [email protected]. Please send completed applications to: CAPPAC, Attn: 2009 Scholarship Award, 1008 10th Street, Suite 255, Sacramento, CA 95814.
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NEWS
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22. NEWS: District completes gay rights program
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The Gilroy Dispatch
Jun 25, 2009
By Natalie Everett
Eleven years after Morgan Hill's landmark gay rights case received national attention, the school district has completed the settlement agreement monitoring its antidiscrimination program and incident reporting.
In 1998, primary plaintiff Alana Flores and five other district students filed a lawsuit against the Morgan Hill Unified School District for damages and improved training for personnel and students. They say ongoing harassment of students presumed to be gay went unpunished by school officials. The district settled in the U.S. Court of Appeals in 2004, agreeing to train staff and students and paying the six students $1.1 million total.
The district implemented the "Sexual Orientation/Gender Identity" program in 2006/07, giving one to two hours of staff training on the rights of persons of all sexual orientations. Additionally, seventh and ninth graders received a 45-minute lesson on antidiscrimination.
Now that the settlement mandate has ended, the district does not have to give an annual report to the ACLU and won't train seventh and ninth graders, but administrators at each school will highlight the page in the student handbook that discusses gender discrimination, Totter said.
The district also monitored incidences of discrimination based on sexual orientation. During the 2008/09 school year, 214 incidences were reported, up 33 percent over last year's 161, according to district documents. Assistant Superintendent of Human Resources Jay Totter said that the district assumed there would be some increase since the district had 150 new students this year, about a 1.7 percent increase over last year.
To read the full story, Click Here
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23. NEWS: Why Is It OK To Say "That's So Gay?" (NPR)
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Why Is It OK To Say "That's So Gay?"National Public Radio (NPR)Talk of the NationJune 25, 2009Name-calling on playgrounds is a common occurrence. Many kids are taught by their parents and teachers that racial and ethnic slurs are not okay. But calling someone "gay" is still fair game in some circles, and is broadly used by children - and adults - as an insult. To listen to the story, visit: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=105909348
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