Respect Sacramento to Work for Safe Schools Locally
Former GLSEN GSAC board creates new grassroots organization
Friends:
After months of study and discussion, the board members of the Greater Sacramento chapter
of the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network (GLSEN GSAC) have voted to disassociate
from the national organization effective August 10, 2005. We have incorporated as a new
nonprofit organization with 501(c)3 status to be known as Respect Sacramento, which will
focus on local grassroots efforts to create safe schools for sexual minority students, staff, and
parents in schools in the Sacramento region.
We leave the national organization with appreciation and hope for the future. The members of
our board have arrived at a consensus that our mission should be geared more toward
creating change at the grassroots level, seeing as one of our primary goals the ability to
respond to local concerns with the sort of flexibility and creativity that may not coincide with the
directives of a larger national body. While our overall purpose and intent might be in line with
the mission of other organizations, Respect Sacramento will concentrate on delivering to the
Sacramento area school community programs and services that respond to the problems and
issues unique to California and the Capitol region. We look forward to collaborating with other
groups in California that share our grassroots focus.
We will be asking for your help in getting our vision off to a strong start. Solicitation for
membership, donations, time, and suggestions will be forthcoming very soon. We will also
make available to GLSEN, our members, and our funders a full accounting of the disposition of
our remaining funds, a posting of our new mission statement, goals, and by-laws, as well as a
new website and updated resource list.
In the coming months and years, we look forward to working with GLSEN National as well as
other GLSEN or former GLSEN chapters in the state, just as we have worked with organizations
like GSA Network, the California Safe Schools Coalition, CTA, the Sacramento City Teachers
Association, PFLAG, ACLU, and the National Center for Lesbian Rights. We can see room for a
network of organizations—some national, some regional, some local—bringing their distinctive
expertise and insight to the work of making our schools safe for all students. With the strong
support of our local LGBT community for safe schools work already evident in recent months,
we believe that Respect Sacramento is well positioned to capitalize on the growing realization
by local educators that all students are deserving of support, affirmation, and ultimately
Respect.
Sincerely,
The Board of Directors of Respect Sacramento
Tom Carroll
Lance Chih
Donna Matthews
John Merical
Yvonne Neis
Jerry O'Connor
Mark Scanlon-Greene
Steve Skiffington
PO Box 191678
Sacramento CA 95819
(916) 733-2135
http://www.respectsacramento.org
We meet on the second Wednesday of the
month at 6:30 pm at the Lambda
Community Center, 1927 L Street in
midtown Sacramento.
