Thanks to House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi for signing on to the Safe Schools Improvement Act as a co-sponsor.
Let’s keep the momentum going! Ask your members of Congress to support the Safe Schools Improvement Act: http://glsen.us/GQMjch
Reblog to help spread the word.
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#Nancy Pelosi #Congress #safer schools #SSIA #Safe Schools Improvement Act #bullying #anti-bullying #LGBTQ #House of Representatives
Emma & César will be sending out video updates as they travel from their hometowns to the halls of Congress to advocate for safer school.
You can follow along with their journey by signing up here.
Bullying is a challenge that impacts far too many children and families across the country. With the advent of text-messaging, social media, and social networking, many children find they cannot escape the harassment when they go home at night. It follows them from the moment they wake until the moment they go to sleep.
9. Write your Senators and Representatives about the Safe Schools Improvement Act. SSIA, GLSEN’s signature legislation, would require all public K-12 schools to enact an anti-bullying policy that includes specific protections for bullying based on sexual orientation and gender identity, along with other categories like race and religion. SSIA currently has more cosponsors than ever before. Contact your local legislators asking them to support the bill so they know just how many people support safe schools.
8. Connect with a local GLSEN chapter to learn how you can support their work on the ground. GLSEN’s 38 local chapters carry out GLSEN’s mission with schools and communities across the United States. Contact the chapter closest to you and ask how you can help.
7. Donate to GLSEN. We rely on donations from compassionate adults who are committed to making schools safer for students everywhere. Even if you can’t participate in the Day of Silence, your donation will help us provide resources to students who can.
6. Change your profile picture on social media. Official Day of Silence graphics are available on our Facebook, Twitter and Tumblr, and at the Day of Silence website. Choose your favorite graphic and make it your profile picture or cover photo to show others you support the Day of Silence, even if you’re unable to participate yourself.
5. Take a Selfie for Silence. Print out a Selfies for Silence sign and fill in your reason for supporting LGBT youth and their allies on the Day of Silence. Snap a photo of yourself holding the sign and share it on Facebook and other social media. If you can, hang up the sign at work, school or anywhere else it might spark conversation about the Day of Silence.
4. Wear an official Day of Silence t-shirt. Whether or not you’re silent, wearing Day of Silence gear communicates to students and others that you’re committed to safe schools for all students. Buy an official GLSEN Day of Silence shirt in our online store, make your own Day of Silence shirt, or simply wear the official Day of Silence colors – black and red.
3. Donate an LGBT-themed book to a local library. Silencing occurs in school and local libraries when LGBT-related books are deliberately excluded from the shelves. Find a book that addresses LGBT issues in a way that’s suitable for elementary, middle school or high school readers (we have a few suggestions to get you started). Look for a copy at a used bookstore near you, or bear to part with your own beloved copy.
2. Vow to be silent on social media. If your workplace or other responsibilities don’t allow you to be silent for the day, post a status update Thursday night explaining that you will refrain from posting on social media all day to show your solidarity through “social silence.” It may not have the same effect as being silent for the day at school, but you’ll still be taking a vow of silence!
1. Share your story. If you participated in the Day of Silence, joined a Gay-Straight Alliance, or experienced bullying when you were in school, chances are LGBT youth could learn from your story. Write a blog post or editorial or record a short video about your experiences, then share it on social media or with a local newspaper or website. (You’re also welcome to send us your blog post for publication!) In addition, if you’re in contact with LGBT youth, invite them to have a conversation before or after the Day of Silence about what they’ve gone through and how it may relate to your own experiences.
There are plenty of ways to participate in the Day of Silence. What are you doing today?
There are only a few days left to apply for the Safe Schools Advocacy Summit (SSAS)!
SSAS is a four-day event, March 2 - 5, where participants (students and non-students alike) learn about bullying and harassment and the legislative and political efforts underway to make schools safer environments for all.
Participants will work with GLSEN staff, learn how to become effective advocates on the issue, and lobby their Congressional representatives on the Safe Schools Improvement Act and the Student Non-Discrimination Act. We have spots for about 40 participants. If you live in the United States, you are eligible to apply, and we give increased consideration to applicants from key Congressional districts.
The conference is free (including travel, meals, and accommodation costs) for all selected participants and will take place March 2 - 5, 2013.
The experience doesn’t end when you go home. After the summit, participants remain connected with GLSEN and participate in ongoing policy actions throughout the year. If you aren’t selected to attend the summit in-person, we’ll have opportunities for you to advocate online, so stay connected!
Applications are due on Monday, January 28th.
One last update from César before lobby day tomorrow!
Want to get updates throughout the day? Signup here!
Want to tell your members of Congress to support the Safe Schools Improvement Act and the Student Nondiscrimination Act? You can do that too.
We’re proud to support The Lizzie Project’s efforts to draw attention to the federal Safe Schools Improvement Act, a bill that will protect ALL students from bullying and harassment. Learn more about Lizzie’s powerful story here. Role model for sure.
Just a few minutes ago, the Office of Civil Rights at the Department of Education made a groundbreaking announcement – it intends to collect data in schools nationwide about anti-LGBT bullying as part of its Civil Rights Data Collection, an influential survey that is used to inform government action.
I’m proud to say that GLSEN’s longtime leadership in Washington urging the government to take action played an integral role in making this change happen. You won’t believe the interaction I witnessed firsthand that confirmed that in the most amazing way! But before I tell you that story, first back to what this change means.
This amazing development is something to celebrate and hopefully a trend of good news coming out of Washington in the coming days. Making civil rights data collection LGBT-inclusive is a critical step toward ensuring LGBT students’ civil rights. It also will further document the need for schools and policymakers to take action to ensure that LGBT students have equal access to a quality education.
But the backstory to this major advance is also incredibly exciting.
On May 22, I was at the White House for a Harvey Milk Day event, accompanying a delegation of GLSEN student leaders and staff. As we waited for the program to begin, a senior official from the Department of Education came running over to one of our students, Liam Arne.
“I need to shake your hand,” he said. “Because of you, the Secretary of Education is adding LGBT students to one of the most important Department of Education data collection instruments. You asked in that meeting, and afterward he told us to get it done!”
A few months earlier, we had taken Liam and three other GLSEN student leaders to meet Secretary of Education Arne Duncan. These amazing students wanted to stand up to make a change, and we gave them an opportunity to tell their stories directly to Secretary Duncan in support of action that would create immediate and lasting impact.
LGBT-inclusive data collection may seem like a wonky goal. But let me tell you, data drives decision-making, and what is measured is what is valued when it comes to government action. Liam, one of GLSEN’s amazing student leaders, secured a huge advance for LGBT youth nationwide.
That makes me #GLSENProud.
GLSEN’s student leadership development programs support students like Liam Arne in making an amazing difference. We need your help to keep driving progress! Please consider a donation to help us continue to support students like Liam bring hope for a better tomorrow for LGBT youth.
We want you to change the world.
Applications are open for GLSEN’s 2013 - 2014 Student Ambassador team. You’ll gain access to exclusive online resources for telling your story, blogging, creating videos, writing op-eds, and more. We’ll work with you to share your story on our networks and in news outlets such as CNN, The Huffington Post, ABC News, The Advocate and more.
And… if that wasn’t enough. A select group of ambassadors will be able to join us in Los Angeles for an all-expenses-covered 4-day media summit from August 7 - 10.
If you’re passionate about using the media and digital tools to tell your story and create safer schools, and will be a middle or high school student next year, apply today.
Only students in the United States are able to attend the media summit in Los Angeles.
We could win up to $1 million from Chase’s American Giving Awards and we need your help. Go to glsen.org/vote to choose GLSEN.
We know that when communities act, LGBT students do better. And with this money, we can reach even more communities and impact that many more students.
Will you vote and reblog to help us get there?
May is Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month! Before we get on with the post, it’s important to note that these are two groups of diverse people who are very unique in many ways! However, in light of the month, (and mainly due to the fact that a lot of the resources available online are for both groups), here is a compilation of resources for Asian and Pacific Islander LGBTQ+ people! Other masterposts can be found here (and don’t hesitate to add anything if you have resources to contribute)!
GLSEN Pages:
Other organizations:
Historical information from the US National Park Service:
Some LGBTQ+ Asian/Pacific Islander Creators:
Other Helpful/Informational Links:
worriesconstantly
boykeats
May is Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month! Before we get on with the post, it’s important to note that these are two groups of diverse people who are very unique in many ways! However, in light of the month, (and mainly due to the fact that a lot of the resources available online are for both groups), here is a compilation of resources for Asian and Pacific Islander LGBTQ+ people! Other masterposts can be found here (and don’t hesitate to add anything if you have resources to contribute)!
GLSEN Pages:
Other organizations:
Historical information from the US National Park Service:
Some LGBTQ+ Asian/Pacific Islander Creators:
Other Helpful/Informational Links:
