By Mary Perry, SSDC Communications Committee & 2021-2022 Champion of Youth

We’re back! After many months of what we see as inactivity for our students, there is lots of planning going on here at Safe Schools Desert Cities (SSDC). Our GSA clubs did their very best to stay connected and meet during virtual learning, but they are again meeting in person and their energy is travelling beyond their individual schools. This energy and excitement were evident during the Pride Parade and SSDC Youth Zone at Pride earlier this month. We at SSDC were blown away not only by the number of students who turned up to march, but also by the outpouring of love and support from the community. We look forward to the same amount of love and support for our upcoming events: Rainbow Youth Summit, Harvey Milk Diversity Breakfast, and Pride Prom.

My involvement with SSDC began as I became involved in the events for our students at Desert Sands Unified School District, and eventually as a SSDC communications committee member when my dear friends Eric Ornelas, SSDC president, and Tori St. Johns, SSDC board member, brought me into the fold. It was my great honor to be named Safe School Desert Cities’ 2021-2022 Champion of Youth.

I’ve attended, supported, and very much enjoyed being at all three of our upcoming events. The joy on the faces of our students as they take part in the Rainbow Summit, a day of seminars from keynote speakers; Harvey Milk Diversity Breakfast, celebrating Harvey Milk and others who have paved the way; and Pride Prom, a LGBTQ+ and ally-friendly valley-wide high school dance. Please consider committing to funding these amazing events. We need help with busing and refreshments and decorations and everything you can think of! 

These activities allow students freedom to be who they are–kids! 

  • Saturday, March 5 Rainbow Youth Summit
  • Thursday, May 12 Harvey Milk Diversity Breakfast 
  • Friday, May 13 Pride Prom

See our online events calendar here.

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