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Youth Organizing

Overview

Convening young people from all over the state, the Alliance creates a forum for students to inform, participate in and lead the Illinois LGBTQ safe schools movement. From Youth Leadership Summits, to Day of Silence/Night of Noise activities, to Gay-Straight Alliance networks—young people are working together to ensure the safety of LGBTQ youth and their allies in Illinois schools and communities.

LGBTQ Youth Leadership Summits

The Alliance hosts Fall and Spring LGBTQ Youth Leadership Summits focusing on Gay-Straight Alliance (GSA) support and technical assistance and Day of Silence/Night of Noise preparation. The Summits are opportunities for youth and GSA advisors to come together from all over the state to organize, network, learn and develop leadership on LGBTQ safe schools issues. Here’s what some youth participants have said after participating in the Summit:

  • "I want to start a GSA at my school."
  • "I think it was perfect."
  • "I wouldn't change anything. It was great!"      
  • "I really liked all the different people."
  • "I can't even tell you how important this is. Thank you."
  • "It was awesome!"
  • "Last year, after I came I worked to start a GSA and Day of Silence at my school. This year, I came back to meet new people, get more information and hopefully help others—I'm so glad this happened again!"

For more information on LGBTQ Youth Leadership Summits, please contact David Fischer.

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Day of Silence/Night of Noise

Each year, the Alliance supports youth organizing activities for the Day of Silence/Night of Noise (DOS/NON) in Illinois culminating in a NON rally in downtown Chicago. Over 200 youth gather to break the silence together, rally for safe schools for LGBTQ youth and celebrate their own participation in the DOS as agents of change in their own schools.

For more information on Day of Silence, please see www.dayofsilence.org

For pictures from this year’s NON rally, held April 18th, 2007 in Chicago, please click here

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Youth Leadership

Dedicated to developing youth leadership and to creating multiple avenues for youth leadership within the organization, The Alliance’s Board includes two dedicated youth seats. In addition, the Alliance’s statewide Youth Committee advises and directs all areas of programming. For more information, please contact David Fischer.

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Gay-Straight Alliance Support and Technical Assistance

The Alliance is dedicated to the viability and sustainability of gay-straight alliances (GSAs) across the state of Illinois. We provide GSAs with support and technical assistance uniquely tailored to each GSA’s needs including: mission development, priority setting, and leadership development. For more information, please contact David Fischer.

Please see our current GSA Network list for existing GSAs in Illinois.

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Can LGBTQ + School = Safe?

Partnering with Beyondmedia Education the Alliance is currently developing a web resource and curriculum guide for their documentary Can LGBTQ + School = Safe? Exploring the problems experienced by queer youth in school settings, this documentary offers proven solutions; including how to start a Gay-Straight Alliance. Can LGBTQ + School = Safe? offers voices and faces of today’s youth—queer and straight—expressing themselves and sharing their own stories about this multi-dimensional issue. For more information on the film or to purchase the DVD or VHS, please contact Beyondmedia Education. For more information on the curriculum guide, please contact Shannon Sullivan.

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