GAYLA
Every year, GSA Network hosts GAYLA, the GSA Advocacy & Youth Leadership Academy. GAYLA is a three-day intensive training in the legislative process, policy and administrative advocacy, media activism, and other important leadership skills.
Students trained at GAYLA fight to protect and advance the rights of LGBTQ students and allies. GAYLA culminates in Queer Youth Advocacy Day, where students use their new skills to educate and engage lawmakers at the State Capitol in Sacramento.
Applications have closed for GAYLA 2012.
GSA Advocacy & Youth Leadership Academy (GAYLA) and Queer Youth Advocacy Day (QYAD) 2012 is here! GAYLA was held on Friday, April 27th through Monday, April 30th, 2012.
About GAYLA
To attend GAYLA, students must apply and be accepted.
Who should apply?
- Youth (age 18 and under) who are interested in making their schools safer for LGBT students should apply.
- You must attend a California middle school or high school.
- We are especially looking for students who are high school juniors or younger, since GAYLA youth often work on a campaign that continues into the next school year.
- Middle school students can also apply.
- Youth of color, low-income youth, and transgender and gender non-conforming youth are strongly encouraged to apply.
GAYLA 2012 is organized and sponsored by:
GAYLA 2012 also thanks these contributing sponsors:
California Teachers Association
Kaiser Permanente
After GAYLA
After being a leader at GAYLA, students are encouraged to continue advocating for LGBTQ youth in schools by:
- Training members of your GSA in advocacy skills.
- Serving as a media spokesperson in your region on GSA, safer schools, and LGBTQ youth issues.
- Making follow-up calls or visits with your lawmakers.
- Joining the GSA Network’s Statewide Advocacy Council.
- Organizing & participating in a campaign during the following school year to advocate for full implementation of the gender identity non-discrimination law in California schools, which may include visits with lawmakers and education officials, rallies, letter-writing campaigns, and speak-outs in your area.
Past Events
GAYLA 2011 was held on April 1-4, 2011 in Sacramento.
Read the blog from QYAD/GAYLA 2011.
GAYLA 2010 was held on April 23-26, 2010 in Sacramento.
Read the blog from QYAD/GAYLA 2010.
See quotes and photos from previous years below.
"I think the most valuable part was learning how to tell my story in a way that people outside the LGBTQ community could understand."
"The most valuable part was meeting all of the other LGBTQ youth. They really inspired me and reminded me of why I'm a straight ally."
--2009 GAYLA Participants
GAYLA Participants receive intensive training and skills for their meetings with legislators.
Student activists also gain media skills at GAYLA. Here Kyle Bodolay discusses LGBT youth issues with the local NBC TV station in Sacramento.
