ABOUT GSA NETWORK

• empowering youth activists to fight homophobia and transphobia in schools •

"The opportunity to create political and cultural change is an empowering experience for youth who too often face harassment and discrimination that silences their voices at school." –Carolyn Laub, Founder and Executive Director

GSA Network Highlights

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Founded in 1998, GSA Network began working with 40 GSA clubs in the San Francisco Bay Area and in 14 years has helped to accelerate the growth of GSAs in California to nearly 1,000 clubs (representing more than 56% of the state's high schools)

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GSA Network has provided training to over 8,000 youth activists and organizers across the state.

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GSA Network played a leadership role in grassroots organizing for the passage of ground-breaking statewide legislation, AB 537,

The California Student Safety and Violence Prevention Act of 2000

, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity.

GSA Network Mission

 

Gay-Straight Alliance Network is a youth leadership organization that connects school-based Gay-Straight Alliances (GSAs) to each other and community resources. Through peer support, leadership development, and training, GSA Network supports young people in starting, strengthening, and sustaining GSAs and builds the capacity of GSAs to: 1. create safe environments in schools for students to support each other and learn about homophobia and other oppressions 2. educate the school community about homophobia, gender identity, and sexual orientation issues 3. fight discrimination, harassment, and violence in schools.

GSA Network Strategy

GSA Network’s strategy for fighting homophobia and transphobia in schools is to work with grassroots, youth-led Gay-Straight Alliance clubs, empowering them to educate their school communities, advocate for policies that protect LGBT youth from harassment and violence, and organize in coalition with other youth groups across identity lines to address broader issues of oppression. Our organization is led by youth because we believe that youth have the power to create solutions and lead the fight against homophobia and transphobia. Representatives from GSAs around California serve on the organization's regional Youth Councils and statewide Governing Board. Programs include: youth conferences, summer GSA Activist Camps, regional GSA Leadership Trainings, extensive web-based resources, school-based peer education training, and youth-led policy advocacy through events such as Queer Youth Advocacy Day.