ENS is a free, annual conference in the Fresno area for LGBTQ and straight ally youth, ages 13-21, who are dedicated to creating safer schools and building the GSA movement in the Central Valley.
ENS is open to middle and high school students, teachers, and GSA advisors, as well as the larger community. ENS includes free workshops on topics related to queer youth activism and safe schools. ENS also includes a free dinner, a dance and a drag show.
Expression Not Suppression 2012 was a success. It took place on Saturday, March 24th at the Big Red Church in Fresno. We were graced with the wonderful presence of Yosimar Reyes [2], out keynote speaker, empowering queer youth, and supportive LGBT organizations from the Central Valley. Read more about ENS 2012! [3]
Registration for YES 2012 is now open! Click here to register. [4]
YES is a free, annual conference for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, questioning, and intersex (LGBTQQI) youth activists and allies who are dedicated to defeating homophobia and transphobia and creating safe, supportive schools for everyone. YES is youth-planned and youth-led.
YES is open to middle and high school students, teachers, and GSA advisors, as well as the larger community. YES allows participants to network while enjoying free workshops on topics related to queer youth activism and safe schools. YES also includes a dance party and drag show.
The 2011 Youth Empowerment Summit took place on December 10th, 2011. Read about YES 2011 [5]!
Participants at YES 2011 Make It Better Video Shoot!
Every fall, GSA Network helps plan Models of Pride, a free one-day conference that focuses on the concerns and interests of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Questioning (LGBTQ) youth up to age 24, and their allies. GSA Network conducts workshops on GSA organizing at Models of Pride, and we can be found tabling at the outreach fair. The next Models of Pride [6] conference will take place on Saturday, October 13, 2012 at the University of Southern California. You can register for the conference here [7], and you have until July 15, 2012 to submit workshop proposals here [8]. This year's Models of Pride is presented by LifeWorks, and it's the 20th anniversary of the conference.
Every summer, GSA Network co-hosts the Rainbow Youth Festival, an exciting outreach and resource fair providing a safe and healthy place for LGBTQ youth and their allies, ages 15-24, to learn about community resources and build the safe schools movement in Southern California.
The Rainbow Youth Festival includes resource tables, live performances, a dance party, a youth talent show, and more. The 2008 festival hosted over 25 organizations and 300 youth from across the state.
In addition to hosting our annual conferences, GSA Network also trains youth leaders to facilitate workshops at conferences hosted by other LGBTQ organizations across the state. Our youth trainers lead effective and engaging workshops on topics ranging from fighting slurs to students’ legal rights to starting and running successful GSA clubs.
If you would like to invite a youth trainer to lead a workshop at your next conference, please contact the program coordinator in your region. Contact us now [9].
Links:
[1] http://www.gsanetwork.org/ens
[2] http://yosimar.tumblr.com
[3] https://www.gsanetwork.org/news/blog/expression-not-suppression-2012/04/11/12
[4] http://www.gsanetwork.org/yes
[5] http://www.gsanetwork.org/yes2011
[6] http://modelsofpride.org/index.php
[7] http://modelsofpride.org/register/index.html
[8] http://modelsofpride.org/conference/proposal.html
[9] http://gsanetwork.org/about-us/contact