March E-Newsletter
Volume III / Issue 3 / March 13, 2007
www.respectsacramento.org
2. Our next meeting: Wednesday March 14
All interested members of the community are welcome to join us at the Lambda Community Center for
our next regular meeting on Wednesday,
March 14 at 6:30 pm. The Lambda Center is located at
1927 L Street in midtown Sacramento.

We will be making decisions regarding our next
GSA Workshop/Summit, as well as discussing this
year's
GSA Dance event in the spring. Students and teachers are especially encouraged to attend
and become involved in planning and creating our annual events. What would you like to do? We
hope you'll join us!

3. New meeting location starting in April - the Lavender Library
Beginning next month, April 11, our regular monthly meetings will return to the Lavender Library
Archives and Cultural Exchange at 1414 21st Street. Our meetings will continue to be held on the
second Wednesday of the month at 6:30 pm. We return to the Lavender Library because of its
accessibility for people of all abilities and in order to reconnect with our common mission of supporting
education for youth. Hope you can make it in April!
6. GSA Network News

Save the date - Queer Youth Advocacy Day, March 26,2007
Mark your calendars for QYAD 2007 on March 26 in Sacramento!

Queer Youth Advocacy Day is a youth-led lobby day at the Capitol where hundreds of youth activists
come together and educate lawmakers about the need for statewide policy that will make schools
safer and more supportive for LGBTQ youth.

QYAD 2006 was huge success that brought 500 people to the Capitol, showed California legislators
the power of youth activism, and opened a lot of people's eyes to the kind of harassment and
discrimination still faced by many students. Now, it's time to go back to the Capitol and show them
that we're still fighting for safer schools!
WHO: LGBTQ youth & their allies
WHERE: Crest Theater & the Capitol (Sacramento)
WHEN: Monday, March 26, 2007
WHY: To network with other youth activists, learn important advocacy skills, and help make change
for schools all over California

Informational packets with additional details will be mailed out later this fall to all GSAs registered
with GSA Network. Keep an eye on your mailboxes!

For more info, email
advocacy@gsanetwork.org or call 415-552-4229.

Volunteers needed for Queer Youth Advocacy Day 2007
Sacramento-area volunteers are needed for QYAD 2007 tasks including soliciting donations for meals,
assisting in the pick up and delivery, and/or the planning, set-up, and clean-up of meals. Please
contact at
whill@naswca.org or (916) 202-9700.
4. GSA Dance - April 28
The 4th Annual Gay-Straight Alliance Dance will be held April 28 from 7 to 11 pm at Hiram Johnson
High School, 6879 14th Avenue in Sacramento. Hiram Johnson GSA students are taking the lead in
planning, but we need more students to get involved for planning, decorations, etc. Contact Respect
Sacramento at info@respectsacramento.org to see how you and your GSA can help!

That's enough for now. Did I leave anything out? Please drop me a line. Do you have an
announcement or item that you'd like to include in our newsletter? Would you like to write an
opinion piece about something in the LGBT education area? Tell us about what's going on in your
GSA! Send complaints, comments, or submissions to
admin@respectsacramento.org and I will be
happy to place it in our newsletter, which is composed at the end of the current month and sent
out in the first week of the subsequent month. Make this your newsletter by contributing to it!

See you at our next meeting on March 14 at the Lambda Community Center at 6:30 pm.

Jerry O'Connor
Respect Sacramento Board Member

Respect Sacramento
PO Box 191678
Sacramento CA 95819
(916) 733-2135
info@respectsacramento.org
www.respectsacramento.org
In this edition
1. From the Editor
2. Our next meeting
3. New meeting location starting in April - the Lavender Library
4. GSA Dance - April 28
5. Announcements
6. GSA Network News

1. From the Editor

SRGSA Yvonne & Lance Scholarship
Sacramento Regional Gay-Straight Alliance (SRGSA) was founded by a group of students who wanted
to see a change in the public school system. They were tired of seeing the inaction by administration in
dealing with harassments that were directed at actual and/or perceived lesbian, gay, bisexual,
transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) students.

This year the SRGSA, along with its “parent” organization Respect Sacramento, has decided to grant
two $500 scholarships to graduating seniors in the greater-Sacramento area. This scholarship is
named after two students, Lance and Yvonne, in honor and respect for the hard work in ensuring that
LGBTQ students (actual or perceived) are protected on their campus and full compliance with California
state law.

Download complete information and
application directions here. Download the Application Form
here. Download the References Form here. The deadline for submitting the application is May 1.

Upcoming GSA Training
Students and advisors who are interested in participating in the development of our upcoming youth
leadership training modules are encouraged to come by our next meeting on
March 14. Last year's
training was very successful and well-received--in part, we think, due to the input and direction from
youth and adult advisors.
5. Announcements

Fun 4 Rainbow Families Festival - April 21

The LGBT Family Support Network, with grant funding from First Five of Sacramento, will sponsor a Fun
4 Rainbow Families festival on Saturday, April 21, 2007 from 10am - 3pm.  The free festival is intended
to specifically attract families of same sex parents who have children aged 0-5 years. Hosted at
Parkside Community Church, 5700 S. Land Park Drive, Sacramento, the outdoor event will provide
support resources for families, games and art activities for the children, pony rides, a bounce house
and a free food court featuring healthy snacks and lunches. Resource agencies from the Greater
Sacramento community will be present including the LAMBDA Center, Parkside’s Health Ministry, the
Red Cross, Fire department, Sierra Adoption agency, First Five of Sacramento, manalive-SACRAMENTO,
and Breaking Barriers. Vendors will also be on site introducing age appropriate toys and books along
with demonstrations of healthy cooking. Families who attend the festival will be invited to participate
in on-going monthly gatherings for educational support and social activities.  

For further information contact Lester Neblett of the LAMBDA Center at 442-0185 or Rev. Dr. Susan
Hamilton of Parkside Community Church at 421-0492.

EQCA Wednesday phone banking; Second Saturday Canvass
Every Wednesday 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. New time!
Lambda Center, 1927 L Street, Sacramento

Phone bankers with cell phones are needed to call Sacramento area supporters and volunteers,
asking them to participate in EQCA's Second Saturday Canvass (beginning in April, canvassing moves
to Saturdays). You will schedule phone bank and canvass shifts, talk to friendly and supportive people
and enjoy free pizza! No experience is required. Just bring your good attitude and willingness to help.
Training starts promptly at 4 p.m.

To participate, contact Jean Adams at 530.210.6688 or
jean@eqca.org.

YouthAware Educational Theatre Presents the World Premiere OutSpoken Tour!

Now Booking – OutSpoken by Prince Gomolvilas – A Diversity Education Play for Teens

Touring Northern California Schools and Communities from April 10th – 27th 2007

From the same company that produces The Other Side of the Closet tour in the fall, our newest
YouthAware Educational Theatre touring program, OutSpoken by Prince Gomolvilas, will be Northern
California from April 20th – 26th 2007.  OutSpoken is a play for teens grades 7-12 that educates
about diversity and differences, and looks at the many reasons young people feel ostracized or
labeled in school, at home and in their community including race, sexual orientation, body type, etc.
OutSpoken takes a unique look at these issues from different perspectives, and helps teens think
about labeling and diversity within their own community. Through OutSpoken, we hope young people
will find new ways to move past their differences to a real place of understanding and acceptance.
Each performance is about 65-75 minutes in length including a facilitated discussion with the actor-
educators following the play. OutSpoken may be performed in any theater, gym, or other
multipurpose space. We travel with out own set and sound equipment and do not require any special
lighting. OutSpoken would be a great program to accompany or compliment any Day of Silence events
at your school, and/or for your GSA club to sponsor. It is produced by the YouthAware Educational
Theatre Program with the New Conservatory Theatre Center based in San Francisco. For more
information, or to book a performance, contact Sara Staley at (415) 694-6149 or
sara@nctcsf.org.