BY BTL STAFF
EAST LANSING –
The Michigan Organization on Adolescent Sexual Health, the statewide leaders on adolescent sexual health, was honored at the 2016 Lake Effect Pride event for their work in building Gay Straight Alliances.
On July 29 MOASH received the Communities That Care Award by the OutCenter of Benton Harbor for the work with the federally-funded Building a Movement for Michigan Gay Straight Alliances program in the region.
GSAs are youth organizations that provide safe space for LGBTQ young people and improve school climate for all students.
"MOASH is so pleased our work to make schools safer for LGBTQ youth is making a difference. We thank the OutCenter and Lake Effect Pride for recognizing our efforts and for the significant work they are doing in the Benton Harbor area," said Shelly Hoffman, MOASH Executive Director. Alex Cicalese, the west side GSA Organizational Development Specialist who collaborates with the OutCenter's Teen Pride group said, "I have been consistently impressed with the zeal and passion displayed by the dedicated OutCenter staff and the teen executive board. They are truly a group focused on education, development, youth leadership and improving the climate for LGBTQ youth beyond the safe spaces in their building and into the schools and communities where these youth spend a majority of their time."
According to the OutCenter's website, the organization "sets aside a night like most LGBT+ communities do across the country to honor the spark that lit the fire for LGBT+ equality." The Lake Effect Pride celebration "…calls the LGBT+ community and our allies together every year to remember and to rekindle the move forward." The purpose of the event is to honor, educate, and celebrate.
Through the BAMM GSAs project, MOASH has connected with more than 30 GSAs in Michigan – with over a third of those on the west side of the state – including those in the Benton Harbor area.
According to GLSEN's 2013 Climate Report, Michigan LGBTQ youth report being victimized, excluded, as well as sexually, verbally, and physically harassed at dramatically higher rates than youth who do not identify as LGBTQ.
"Experts in the field know that the presence of a GSA in a school can reduce incidences of bullying and improve health outcomes for all students," MOASH's Board President, SooJi Min said. "Our work, building the number and capacity of GSAs across the state, will have a significant impact."
BAMM GSAs is funded by the Mobilization for Health: National Prevention Partnership Awards from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health.
The award is an important acknowledgment of the collaborative work being done to support the social, mental, physical, and emotional health of LGBTQ youth, and all youth, statewide.
