Thank you Lisa and Bev! It’s been a great conversation!

Also, folks can learn more about booking the films at http://www.campuspride.org/legalizegay

There are no scheduled screenings so far for the summer, since school is now out. We’ll have updated lists in the fall, I’m certain.

Yes, Lisa. I’ve heard of the protests. I don’t live far from the church and might join.

Bev, I’m not sure about a follow-up. That’s a great question for director Christopher Hines. However, Campus Pride has been facilitating screenings of the film on campuses across the U.S., including some with panel discussions with film participants.

Thanks mzchief! ANd, yes, thank you to Lisa and Bev for organizing!

That looks like a great film, Lisa!

Oh, Knox. Thanks for posting. The pastor’s words are heartwrenching. I ache knowing that there are LGBT young people being forced to listen to this man’s rhetoric.

Oh, we will be very busy planning our summer Camp Pride, which takes place July 17-22. Also, since so many schools take a full-length summer break, we rarely have any national programming during Pride month. But, each fall and spring, we’re active promoting organizing on campuses and reaching out to LGBT young people. In the fall, we’ll visit Charlotte, New York, Boston, L.A., Dallas and Portland for our annual LGBT-Friendly National College Fair Program. In the spring, when many LGBT student orgs hold their own Pride Weeks, we’ll work to provide great programming through our webinar series that students and faculty can show on campus for continued learning.

Bev, many of the young adults we’ve worked with in the past have gone on to do great and wonderful things. One such young person, Nikita, currently sits on our board and works diligently to help plan our programming. She also works for a college now and is making a difference on her campus. Other young people are now staffers at a range of LGBT and progressive organizations; one, in particular, David, works for a progressive group in Washington, D.C., doing the behind-the-scenes research it takes to move progressive issues forward in Congress and in the media.

For allies, simply being present and outspoken is a great help. Too often, folks figure that if an issue doesn’t directly affect them, then it’s an issue that’s better not to get involved with. The LGBT community *needs* the vocal and active participation of allies. We need their voices speaking out town halls or in letters to the editor or to elected officials. We need allies asking their potential or current employers about how they treat their LGBT co-workers. We need straight ally parents who have no LGBT children going to their kids’ schools to stand up for LGBT children. Vocal and active participation — above and beyond signing a petition or liking a status on Facebook — will help push this movement forward. March with us. Stand with us. Speak with us.

Lisa, another great question! As of right now, Campus Pride has no programs that actively link up young LGBT people with LGBT seniors. We do have a great many mentors who are nationally-respected leaders who participate in programs like our summer Camp Pride. Our students enjoy learning from them and hearing their stories. I’ll pass on the idea about a youth-senior connection program to our executive director, Shane Windmeyer. A phenomenal idea!

Lisa, Absolutely. JeShawna is an amazing leader and I know she has prepped students in her area to continue the push toward visibility, inclusion, safety and equality. That’s what Campus Pride programs like Camp Pride really teach young people to do… not just to lead themselves, but to establish sustainable leadership and community.

Thanks Mark! It’s been a blast having you here tonight!

That’s a great question, Lisa! And, I don’t know the answer right off the top of my head. Being a North Carolinian, I was so devoted to issues around our amendment. But, anyone can learn more about openly gay candidates and elected officials through a great organization, The Victory Fund: http://www.victoryfund.org/home

Lisa… Brian Sims’ race for the Pennsylvania House is going extremely well! I can’t speak for his campaign, but I do know he won his primary and he faces no opposition in the general election. He will become Pennsylvania’s first openly LGBT state legislator. And, Brian recently joined Campus Pride’s Board of Directors:
http://campusprideblog.org/blog/campus-pride-welcomes-new-board-member-brian-sims-national-lgbt-advocate-and-democratic-nominee

I’ll add… Daniel started his activism at 15! Kind of reminded me of myself and my high school gay-straight alliance when I was 14. Needless to say, though, Daniel faced far more opposition in his small town than I ever did. I though I had it rough… putting it in perspective can be really inspiring, considering his courage!

Daniel Sparks is a truly amazing young person. As a high school student who is openly gay he led the fight for changing his local, small-town school district’s ban on comprehensive and LGBT-inclusive safe sex education. He led an uphill battle, faced down horrible immature and mean-spirited opposition from adults who saw fit to bully a student. I’m inspired and motivated by him!

More about him:
http://www.clevelandpride.org/home/2011/06/cleveland-pride-proudly-announces-daniel-r-sparks-2011-parade-grand-marshal/

As tonight’s movie discussion topic notes, I think we need to continue supporting our young people first and foremost. Zach Wahls recently released a video message in support of Campus Pride and said something really powerful: “Unless we are willing to take the time as a community to invest in our leaders and to invest in our young people to really prepare for that future, we might only be left with a glimpse of what the future could have been unless realizing what it actually can be. So I hope that you’ll join me in supporting Campus Pride in preparing and working with our young leaders to actually make sure that the future we are all dreaming of is actually realized.”
http://campusprideblog.org/blog/join-zach-wahls-supporting-campus-pride-lgbt-young-people-and-positive-lgbt-inclusive-change

Secondly, I think the national LGBT community needs to begin to challenge the religious right directly with positive, LGBT-affirming voices from the faith community. We’ve done some of that, but not nearly enough. I’ve always said it would be WONDERFUL to see an LGBT-friendly Southern Baptist preacher made president of the Human Rights Campaign or some other large LGBT organization. Imagine the hearts and minds we could change with that kind of powerful leadership from an LGBT or LGBT-friendly leader of faith.

re: “Game of politics.” Certainly a valid point of view, but American views on marriage for LGBT people is split 50-50 and decidedly against Obama in swing states. I truly believe this is some moral leadership on his part, though I’m not naive; I know all decisions have a political element.

The generation of the 1960s and Kennedy: “Ask not what your country can do for you – ask what you can do for your country.”

Today’s young people have the social justice-inspired leadership of President Obama!