In this issue of GSA Network News, you'll find:
GSA Network is excited to excited to announce that we are launching a new statewide campaign, the Make it Real Project. Make it Real is a unique, youth-led initiative to implement AB 537 through grassroots student organizing. Look for more information soon!
We've also hired two awesome new staff members to work on the Make it Real Project. Here's a little more about them:
Dyan Valdés is the Project Coordinator for the Make It Real Project in Southern California. The project focuses on giving youth activists the tools they need to implement AB 537, which protects students from harassment and discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity. Before joining GSA Network in September 2001, she spent a year establishing and running the Make It Real Project in Los Angeles. Dyan's career as a queer youth activist began at her conservative Catholic high school in the Bay Area, where she frequently challenged the administration's anti-LGBTQQ policies and worked to educate her peers about LGBTQQ issues. She is also a senior at UCLA studying Sociology, History, and Latin American Studies, and will hopefully graduate in June 2002. Aside from working as an activist, Dyan enjoys anything Cuban, live music, and stupid jokes.
Cathy Sakimura joined the GSA Network as the Make It Real Project Coordinator for Northern California in October 2001. Cathy is a 21 year-old queer hapa woman from a small town in rural Hawaii. She graduated from Stanford University in 2001 with a degree in Studio art and a minor in Communication. For the past three years, she has worked for social justice with youth and the LGBT community at Stanford and in the South Bay through art, public speaking and youth empowerment. She loves modern art, cooking and trashy 80s lesbian mysteries.
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2. So Cal Leadership Trainings - San Bernardino, Ventura, Orange County
Wanna meet other people fighting homophobia?
Wanna learn how to improve your GSA?
Wanna become a leader?
Then attend one of our upcoming GSA Leadership Trainings!
San Bernardino:
Saturday, October 13th, 10am-5pm
2286 North Leroy Street
San Bernardino, CA
Call the Gay and Lesbian Community Center at 909.882.4488 for directions.
Ventura:
Saturday, October 20th, 10am-5pm
3503 Arundell Circle, Suite B
Ventura, CA
Call the Gay and Lesbian Community Center at 805.339.6340 for directions.
Orange County:
Saturday, November 3rd, 9am-4pm
12800 Garden Grove Blvd., Suite F
Garden Grove, CA
Call the Youth Center at 714.590.3140 for directions.
For any other information contact CC at 213.388.4222 or e-mail her at cc@gsanetwork.org.
Spread the word!
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3. Nor Cal Leadership Trainings - Santa Cruz, North Bay
Santa Cruz Leadership Training:
GSA Network, in partnership with STRANGE, will be conducting a Santa Cruz County GSA Leadership Training on October 14th.
Come network with other GSA members, gain leadership skills, and learn how to make your GSA more effective and inclusive!
STRANGE will be offering free rides to the training from North or South county. Please call the STRANGE info line at 831-425-3155 or e-mail strange@cats.ucsc.edu.
North Bay Leadership Training:
What:North Bay Leadership Training
When:Sunday, Nov. 4
Where:Spectrum Center, San Anselmo
Who:GSA members and advisors
More info soon!
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GSA Network will be sponsoring Leadership Trainings in other California regions throughout the year. Keep watching GSA Network News for info about upcoming trainings in your area.
For more information, contact Emilie at GSA Network:415-552-4229 or email emilie@gsanetwork.org.
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4. Youth Event Planners Needed in South Bay
Have you ever been to a dance that just wasn't right? Have you ever thought that you could have planned it better? Don't just sit around and complain, do something about it! The youth programs of the DeFrank Center are looking for youth volunteers to be on an events organizing/planning committee. They will be responsible for helping with fundraising, planning dances, field trips and other activities. We need young and creative talents to help us design youth events that will be everything you want them to be. Movie nights, theater, concerts, dances... etc... The sky is the limit! Call Rick for more info at 408-293-3040x111 or email him at youthprg@defrank.org
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5. QKids Halloween Dance Seeking Chaperones
On Saturday, October 27th, the Q-Kids group will be hosting a Halloween Dance at the Billy DeFrank Center in San Jose, and we are looking for 10 chaperones to help us make this a safe and enjoyable event. Chaperones are NOT responsible for emergency or critical care response situations - they are, however, the eyes and ears that prevent problems on the dance floor, at the ticket sale desk, and at the doors to the Center.
You can make an enormous difference in the success of this special youth event - and set the standard for youth events to come. Halloween and being young should be a really fun time - and these kids deserve a party which is gay positive AND a drug & alcohol free environment.
Please consider donating just two hours of your time for this event. The shifts run from 8:00pm to 10:00pm or from 10:00pm to Midnight. Thank you for your generous donation of time and energy to this wonderful event. If you know of others who would be interested in being a chaperone, it only takes $12.00 and 48 hours to process a background check. If you have any questions or would like to sign up, please call Rick Oculto at 408-293-3040 ext.111 or email him at youthprg@defrank.org
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6. Youth Group Announcement -- Spectrum in L.A.
Spectrum is a multicultural rap group for lesbian, gay, bisexual,transgender, queer and questioning youth ages 14 to 21 sponsored by the Asian Pacific Health Care Venture serving the greater Los Angeles area. Spectrum provides a safe space for queer and questioning youth to talk about issues including those involving coming out, friends, family, community, and dating. It also provides an opportunity for youth to make friends, feel proud about their identities, and find out about activism in the Los Angeles area. Spectrum meets from 7-9pm every Wednesday at the REAL Youth Center at the APHCV, located at 1530 Hillhurst Avenue in Los Angeles. Those interested in more information should contact spectrumyouth@hotmail.com
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7. Submissions Request for National Coming Out Day Website
Hi!
I edit the teen channel of http://ChickClick.com, a full-service site for girls and women 13 to 30 with over 2 million unique visitors each month. I am currently collecting the stories of teens and young women to post on our site on National Coming Out Day. I am looking for stories about what it was like to out, or what it was like to watch a loved one go through the experience -- like a best friend, sibling or parent. I've received some wonderful submissions so far, but I would love to get more. If you know anyone who's interested, they can email me, or they can check out this link:
http://missclick.chickclick.com/articles/305603p1.html.
Thanks so much!
Please email me with any questions or concerns that you might have about ChickClick or this article.
Kate
Kate Pavao
Editor-In-Chief, MissClick
http://ChickClick.com
(415) 508-2693
Kate@ChickClick.com
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empowering youth activists to fight homophobia in schools
Carolyn Laub
Executive Director
Gay-Straight Alliance Network
160 14th Street
San Francisco, CA 94103
ph:415.552.4229
fax:415.552.4729
carolyn@gsanetwork.org
http://www.gsanetwork.org/
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Last updated 10/5/2001 by Jean Richter, richter@eecs.Berkeley.EDU