Gay Straight Alliance

1. Every student, regardless of gender identity or sexual orientation, deserves a safe place to learn.

Human Services - General Human Services

GSAs draw on the courage of LGBT youth and the commitment of straight allies working in partnership to build bridges, change school climates, and reform school policies. Strong, well-supported GSAs can have a major impact on the education environment and possess the power to transform individuals, school cultures, and educational institutions. All of our work with students focuses on leadership development and activism that prioritizes building alliances not only across sexual orientation and gender identity lines, but also across race, ethnicity, and class lines, and our resources and trainings are designed to facilitate alliance-building. Our programs benefit our constituents in three critical ways:

1. Ending Isolation through Building GSAs: Our GSA support programs help students start school-based GSAs, clubs that have proven to be vital support systems or "safe zones" for enhancing the well being of youth suffering from isolation, harassment, discrimination, and violence.

2. Developing Leaders: Our networking and leadership training programs develop youth leaders capable of effecting positive change in their schools and communities.

3. Making Schools Safer: We help student organizers learn how to educate teachers and student peers to reduce slurs and work with the school administration to implement school policies that prevent harassment and violence.