Celebrate National Coming Out Day with our "Top 25" Best of the Best LGBT Favorites! These artists, entertainers, speakers educate, enlighten and entertain at colleges and universities across the country.

Campus Pride officially releases the 2011 HOT LIST! The list represents our "Top 25 LGBT Favorites" -- lecturers, comedians, musicians. poets, artists, researchers, activists and more. Every year Campus Pride picks the most diverse, provocative, inspiring and enlightening artists/speakers as a resource for your LGBT student organization. The purpose is to provide a recommendation of the BEST OF THE BEST in planning your campus events and activities.

The artists/speakers listed are not only our SIZZLING HOT PICKS but they also rate highly among recommendations from LGBT young adults at colleges and universities across the country. If you want to create change -- PICK FROM OUR TOP 25 LGBT FAVORITES!

Sir Ari Gold 
Mia Mingus
Ben Cohen, MBE
Lava Love Dance
Divas of Diversity
Randi Driscoll
Vidur Kapur
Sue Rankin, Ph.D.
Jonathan D. Lovitz
Kit Yan
Hudson Taylor
Judy Shepard
BeBe Zahara Benet
LZ Granderson
Ben Lerman
Brian Sims
Shane L. Windmeyer
Robyn Ochs
Mara Kiessling
Geri Jewell
Cathy Renna
Michael Holtz
Emanuel Xavier 
Daniel Hernandez Jr.
Rev. Dr. Jamie Washington

More information online at www.CampusPride.org/HotList

Organization to Kickoff National BORN THIS GAY Contest with $10,000 in Free speakers, LGBT Event Registrations and other Prizes to commemorate the 10 Year Anniversary all year long

Campus Pride, the leading national nonprofit working to build future lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) leaders and develop safer, more LGBT-friendly colleges and universities, celebrates its 10thanniversary this month. The group is highlighting its decade-long record of achievements and accomplishments and giving back, kicking off their national BORN THIS GAY Campus Tour and a contest including more than$10,000 in prizes.

For 10 years, Campus Pride’s primary objective has been to develop necessary resources, programs and services to support LGBT and ally students on college campuses across the United States. Founded in the Fall of 2001 and launched a year later in October 2002, Campus Pride started as an online community and resource clearinghouse under the name Campus PrideNet. The original founding partners were M. Chad Wilson, Sarah E. Holmes & Shane L. Windmeyer. In 2006, the organization broadened its outreach efforts and restructured as the current educational non-profit organization Campus Pride. As part of the restructuring process, the Lambda 10 Project for LGBT Fraternity & Sorority Issues (www.lambda10.org (http://www.lambda10.org/)) became an educational initiative of Campus Pride.

Rev UP Your Engines!
Cause baby you were Born This Gay

WIN $10,000 in Born This Gay Prizes!

This year Campus Pride goes GAGA and partners once again with CAMPUSPEAK to bring progressive ideas, webinars, events, speakers and dynamic resources to your campus. Both organizations are committed to building future leaders and creating safer, more welcoming learning environments for all students.

Now you can register, book or order any of the featured programs in this mailing and have a CHANCE TO WIN FREE SPEAKERS, RESOURCES & MANY MORE PRIZES (valued at $10,000+) throughout the year.

GO ONLINE & REGISTER
BORN THIS GAY GIVE-AWAY
www.CampusPride.org/BornThisGay
Note: Every individual from your campus can register once, so spread the word!

FIND OUT: Are You on the Right Track, Baby?

o Book the Born This Gay Tour on your campus featuring Shane L.Windmeyer, National Best-Selling Author & LGBT Campus Advocate!
o Recruit Out LGBT & Ally students at a Campus Pride College Fair near You!
o Register to attend the national Campus Pride Webinar Series featuring the best LGBT & Ally speakers, researchers and entertainers!
o Get listed on the Campus Pride Index for LGBT-friendly colleges and universities!
o Bring the Stop The Hate Train the Trainer three-day bias and hate crime prevention training to your campus!
o Plan now to go to CAMP PRIDE and the Advisor Bootcamp next July 2012!
o Check out the Campus Pride outreach programs, educational trainings and conferences for LGBT & Ally fraternities/sororities and college athletes, teams and coaches!

REGISTER NOW

WEDNESDAY, MAY 11
3 P.M. EST

$95 per site includes FREE webinar recording
More information online at www.CampusPride.org/webinarseries.asp

FEATURED PRESENTERS:
Shane L. Windmeyer, Campus Pride
with select LGBT-friendly colleges/universities
Dartmouth College
Bryant College
University of Southern California
University of Pennsylvania
Indiana University Purdue University - Indianapolis

Over the last few years, a growing visible population of LGBT youth have emerged for college recruitment efforts. These out LGBT youth want to find colleges that not only meet their academic needs but also provide a welcoming, safe, accepting environment. More and more colleges want to actively reach out to these LGBT youth and share their LGBT-friendly programs and services. Campus Pride provides an analysis of LGBT recruitment strategies, trends and observations from its National LGBT-Friendly College Fair Program and its LGBT-Friendly Campus Climate Index . The webinar will also feature a guests from a few of the leading LGBT-Friendly colleges and universities across the country. Learn how your campus can recruit out LGBT students for the future.

Presented by Campus Pride
in partnership with the CAMPUSPEAK

REGISTER FOR ANY WEBINAR IN THE CAMPUS PRIDE SERIES & HAVE A CHANCE TO WIN A FREE REGISTRATION ($795 value) FOR YOUR COLLEGE TO ATTEND THE CAMPUS PRIDE SUMMER LEADERSHIP CAMP IN JULY 2011. GO TO WWW.CAMPUSPEAK.COM/CONNECT

Campus Pride is ramping up its Spring 2011 Webinar Series. There's lots of great things in store this season, as we discuss campus hate crimes, the lives of transgender people on campus, suicide prevention, creating change in intercollegiate athletics and LGBT-inclusive college admissions and recruiting.

Register for any webinar in the Campus Pride Series and have a chance to win a FREE registration ($795 value) for your college to attend the Campus Pride Summer Leadership Camp in July 2011.

The webinar series, presented in partnership with CampusSpeak, aims to develop necessary resources, programs and services to support LGBT and ally students on college campuses across the United States.

Read more about each of the webinars this spring after the jump and get in on the action!

Corey Jackson, a 19-year-old student at Oakland University in Rochester, Mich., was found dead in a wooded area near campus. Police say he hanged himself on Tuesday, Oct. 19. The report of another gay teenager committing suicide at an American college only reiterates the fact that LGBT youth suicide is a national epidemic.

LGBT youth do not commit suicide because they are lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender. They commit suicide because how society -- families, friends, government, churches, etc -- treats and views LGBT people.

According to local Michigan police bullying was not a factor in Johnson's death - but why does this matter? We must go beyond the national dialogue that has focused on "bullying" and remember that LGBT youth had been in the midst of an epidemic of suicides for decades.

Suicide is not a new problem. We are just paying attention now. Although bullying is a component to this national epidemic, we must dig deeper into the epidemic of LGBT youth suicide to truly understand why young people claim their life as an answer. What is REAL and much more pervasive than bullying is the anti-gay social stigma, internalized homophobia, discrimination and self crisis that LGBT and questioning or closeted youth experience.

All of us in society -- and specifically the LGBT movement itself -- needs to prioritize youth when it comes to support and funding of youth concerns. It is a travesty that it has taken a national news headline, and sadly many more now, to bring attention to LGBT youth suicide being a national epidemic.

Campus Pride is committed to doing whatever is necessary. Our mission is to give "voice" and "action" for LGBT young people -- to build future leaders and safer, more LGBT-friendly colleges and universities.

The 2010 State of Higher Education for LGBT People reveals “chilly” campus climate toward LGBT people, high rates of harassment and lack of safety, inclusiveness in policies, programs and practices across the country

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Today, Campus Pride, a national non-profit working to create safer, more LGBT-inclusive colleges, announced the release of a landmark research study. The most comprehensive national research of its kind to date, The 2010 State of Higher Education for LGBT People documents the experiences of nearly 6,000 students, faculty, staff and administrators who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) at colleges and universities across the United States. The results point to significant harassment of LGBT students and a lack of safety and inclusiveness that exists on campuses across the country.

“National research has consistently shown that LGBT youth in kindergarten through high school encounter alarming rates of harassment, discrimination and bullying. There has never been a comprehensive national study to document what happens when these youth go to college – until now, “ said Shane Windmeyer, Campus Pride’s executive director.

Written by Campus Pride’s Q Research Institute for Higher Education (Sue Rankin, Ph.D., Dr. Warren J. Blumenfeld, Ed.D., Genevieve N. Weber, Ph.D., LMHC and Somjen Frazer, MS, Ed.), and with a foreword by George Kuh, Ph.D., The 2010 State of Higher Education for LGBT People is a clarion call to action for college and university administrators, educators, student leaders and elected officials.

Some key findings:
• Lesbian, gay, bisexual and queer (LGBQ) respondents experienced significantly greater harassment and discrimination than their heterosexual allies, and those who identified as transmasculine, transfeminine, and gender non-conforming (GNC) experienced significantly higher rates of harassment than men and women

• LGBQ students were more likely than heterosexual students to have seriously considered leaving their institution as a result of harassment and discrimination.

• LGBQ Respondents of Color were more likely than their LGBQ White counterparts to indicate race as the basis for harassment, and were significantly less likely than LGBQ White respondents to feel very comfortable or comfortable in their classes (60%, 65%, respectively).

• Respondents who identified as transmasculine, transfeminine, and gender non-conforming have more negative perceptions of campus climate when compared with those who identify within the gender binary.

Dr. Susan Rankin, an Associate Professor of Education at Pennsylvania State University and lead author of the report said: “Unequivocally, The 2010 State of Higher Education for LGBT People demonstrates that LGBTQQ students, faculty and staff experience a ‘chilly’ campus climate of harassment and far less than welcoming campus communities. This comprehensive report provides substantive research and the necessary recommendations to assist administrators, educators, advocates, activists, student leaders and elected officials in making university and college campuses safer and more accepting for all of its community members.”

Windmeyer added, “Now is the time to act. It is shocking that it is 2010 and less than eight percent of accredited colleges and universities in the country have LGBT inclusive policies. Colleges and universities have the responsibility to create safe learning environments for everyone, regardless of sexual identity or gender identity.”

Report findings and recommendations will be presented in a National Webinar Release on Sept. 21, and a National Congressional Policy Briefing, hosted by Campus Pride, Campus Progress and the Congressional LGBT Caucus, on Sept. 23 at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C. More details will be announced in the coming days.

For more information about the webinar or the policy briefing, please contact Campus Pride at (704) 277-6710 or info@campuspride.org, or visit www.campuspride.org/research.

# # #

Campus Pride is the leading national nonprofit organization 501(c)(3) for student leaders and campus organizations working to create safer, more LGBT-friendly colleges and universities. It exists to give "voice and action" in building future LGBT and ally leaders. DONATE TODAY online at www.campuspride.org.

Campus Pride coalition partners include: ACPA-College Student Educators International, Campuspeak, Campus Progress, Consortium of Higher Education LGBT Resource Professionals, Gamma Mu Foundation, Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation, Human Rights Campaign, Matthew Shepard Foundation, NASPA – Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education, National Gay & Lesbian Task Force, National Youth Advocacy Coalition and Sedgwick, Detert, Moran & Arnold, LLP.

Yesterday we posted about Stop The Hate and Campus Pride's November Webinar on developing a bias incident response team on your campus. We've got so much more in store for this Fall's Campus Pride Webinar Series...

Fall 2010 Webinar Series, in partnership with CAMPUSPEAK

A preview of each below, and remember: you can register for any webinar in the series and have a chance to win free registration for your college to attend next year's Campus Pride Summer Leadership Camp (a $795 value!).

Get more information about each webinar and register today.

The Impact & Interpretation: Supreme Court Christian Legal Society v. Martinez (UC Hastings) Decision
Thursday, August 12th :: 1:30 p.m. EST

In early July, the U.S. Supreme Court handed down a ruling that could have a major impact on how colleges and universities interact with student organizations, especially those which discriminate against other students based on sexual orientation, gender identity or other characteristics. How does the UC Hastings decision impact student organizing, free speech on campus and the rights of students? In particular, could the decision positively or negatively affect LGBT student groups? Join Campus Pride for this special webinar moderated by Shane Windmeyer, executive director of Campus Pride, with expert panelists John Culhane, professor at Widener Law; D’Arcy Kemintz, Esq., executive director of the LGBT Bar Association; Shannon Minter, Esq.,, Legal Director for the National Center for Lesbian Rights; and Brian K. Sims, Esq., staff counsel for policy and planning at the Philadelphia Bar Association and chairman of the Gay & Lesbian Lawyers of Philadelphia (GALLOP).

See more previews after the jump...

Campus Pride hosted fourth annual LGBT & Ally Summer Leadership Camp, July 20-25, 2010 at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, TN
National LGBT & ally college nonprofit recognizes Keissling of National Center for Transgender Equality with national leadership award as well as Driscoll, Topping, Barth, Thomison, Burks, D’Allaird, Graving, Brown & Feldman with “Campys” for distinguished volunteer service

(Charlotte, NC) -- Campus Pride hosted its fourth annual Campus Pride Summer Leadership Camp from July 20-25, 2010 on the campus of Vanderbilt University in Nashville, TN. The camp is the only one of its kind geared toward mobilizing lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender (LGBT) and ally student leaders from colleges and universities across the United States.

Nearly sixty college student leaders attended the five day camp from over thirty-five colleges and universities. Featured camp keynotes included Campus Pride founder/executive director Shane Windmeyer as well as Mara Keissling from the National Center for Transgender Equality, Dr. John Corvino of Wayne State University and writer of 365gay.com, out gay athlete Brian Sims who is also on the board chair of EqualityPA, Dr. Marisa Richmond of Tennessee Equality Project, national bisexual advocate and author Robyn Ochs and D’Arcy Meyer of the National Gay & Lesbian Law Association.

Campus Pride also bestowed its National Voice & Action Leadership Award to Mara Keissling of the National Center for Transgender Equality. The award recognizes a national leader in the LGBT and ally movement who believes in the Campus Pride mission to build future leaders and create awareness, safety and visibility for LGBT students on campus.

Read more after the jump...

Fourth Annual Campus Pride Summer Leadership Camp Kicks Off at Vanderbilt University for LGBT and Ally Students this week July 20-25
Nearly 60 LGBT and ally college students from across the country; Campus Pride Organizes Leaders for Grassroots Change at Colleges & Universities

(Nashville, TN) -- Campus Pride kicks off the fourth annual summer leadership camp for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender (LGBT) and ally college students from colleges and universities across the country. The camp begins July 20 to 25, 2010 and will be hosted for the first time on the campus of Vanderbilt University in Nashville, TN.

Though summer is often a slow time of year for student organizers working for LGBT equality, today nearly sixty LGBT and ally college student leaders from all over the country came together for a week of planning, networking and training. Touted as the “only camp of its kind for LGBT advocacy and social justice,” the five-day camp experience blends traditional camp activities like arts and crafts with a core curriculum of skill building in leadership development, social justice and civic involvement. The camp mission is straightforward: “At the heart of a remarkable leader is a passion and a vision for change.” Camp training and activities underscore the camp mission and engage campers to explore the unique challenges faced as LGBT and ally campus leaders.

Shane Windmeyer, Executive Director of Campus Pride and author of The Advocate College Guide for LGBT Students profiling the “100 Best LGBT-Friendly Campuses,” stated “It is our responsibility to build the future leaders who will continue the fight for equality at home, at work, at places of worship, at all levels of community. Those future leaders are on our college campuses today. The camp makes an investment for the future and will play a key role in training the next generation of leaders in the movement for LGBT rights.”