What are you thankful for in terms of your work on the Jump-Start Team?

I am thankful for all the great people I have met on the Jump-Start Team. The level of knowledge and commitment members have shown is incredible; it is truly an inspiration and motivation! I am also thankful for our first annual state-wide Safe School Summit this year that was a milestone for our team.

Why is student organizing so important to you, and what are you looking forward to doing on the team this year?

Student organizing is really important to me because of the empowering effect it has on both individuals and groups. Student organizing has been an eye-opening experience for me since even one person can create social change. I'm looking forward to all the fun workshops we'll be doing at next year's True Colors Conference and Safe Schools Summit. These events are great experiences that I am glad to be sharing with our Jump-Start and SOCO members.

Why is Transgender Remembrance Day so important to you?

Transgender Remembrance Day is really important to me because of the struggles that trans people face today and have faced in the past due to transphobia. I am disillusioned by the ignorance and narrow-mindedness of some individuals regarding gender and how judgmental and critical some people can be towards others who are different. We are all a community trying to fight against this ignorance and prejudice; our trans brothers and sisters have had struggles that they shouldn't face alone. It is up to us to take a stand, fight for what's right, and let everyone know that it is okay to be transgender. It is not a choice, and it is not a mental disorder; it is just who you are.

Why do you want to focus on middle school outreach this year?

I want to focus on middle school outreach because it is my passion. The struggles and issues that middle schools face have solutions, and those solutions can be reached by educating students as well as faculty members. It is really important to create a safe space for all students in middle schools. I remember in my middle school, we didn't have a level of awareness regarding LGBT as well as bullying issues, but they were there and most often overlooked. Children are dropping out of school and even engaging in dangerous situations because of bullying and harassment. This can all be prevented if we work hard and provide the support middle school students need.

Why are middle school safe school issues so important to you?

Middle school issues are important to me because I was once in middle school. I know the struggles that students can face and how faculty/staff members and administrators are often oblivious to these problems. Middle school students deserve to be treated equally and receive the help that high school students have. It is imperative that we take action as student leaders and help middle schools move forward!

I'm very excited to announce that our newly expanded Student Organizing (Org.) Team, comprised of both the Jump-Start Student Leadership Team and the Students of Color Organizing (SOCO) Team, has gained ten new student leaders from all across the state! They hail from several counties, including New Haven, Hartford, New London, and Tolland. They are also incredibly diverse in age, race/ethnicity, background, and community service/organizing experience. We have six new members of our brand new SOCO Team led by Student Coordinator Roberto Diaz, comprised of both students of color and allies, and four new members of our Jump-Start Team led by Student Coordinator Julian Arias, including one middle school student. Indeed, I had little doubt that all of our team's tireless recruitment efforts, including our fun and energetic Open House celebrating Ally Week in early October, would be a success!

Student Org. Training, fifteen hours of fun and interactive workshops on various safe school issues and student leadership development, began for our twelve student leaders earlier this month. One of these training workshops, facilitated by our dynamic and brilliant team trainer Skylar Liam Spear, focused on myths and misconceptions about the transgender community. The workshop truly raised awareness about the importance of tackling safe schools issues affecting transgender and gender non-conforming students. In honor of Transgender Remembrance Day, our Student Org. Team is committed to putting the "T" back in "LGBT" and making sure transgender and gender non-conforming students are visible and valued in schools. In fact, our student leaders in both Jump-Start and SOCO will be facilitating workshops next year on making schools more inclusive and equitable spaces for transgender and gender non-conforming students.

Showing appreciation for all of our individual and collective setbacks and successes has contributed to our team's sense of unity and pride. In the spirit of Thanksgiving, I want to give profound thanks to the GLSEN Connecticut Board of Directors for their insights, encouragement, and steadfast commitment to supporting and developing our Student Org. Team. I want to give a special thanks to several of our board members, especially GSA Outreach Coordinator  Joy Lenters and Volunteer Coordinator Jessica Simmons, for attending several of our team's events and infusing our meetings with a unique and indelibly radiant energy. Of course, thank you to our amazing student coordinators, Julian and Roberto, and our prime team trainer, Skylar, for their continued leadership and inspiration that will serve as exemplary models of student organizing for future Student Org. teams.

And, lastly, an unbounded thank you to all of our previous and current Jump-Start and SOCO Student Leaders who never cease to remind me why I do this work: to ensure that all youth in K-12 schools will be valued, respected, and loved not in spite but because of their differences.