Today, Campus Pride is highlighting our 2011 Voice & Action National Leadership Award winners. Congrats to both JeShawna and Samuel! (Click here to meet JeShawna.)

Samuel Brinton

Kansas State University
Class of 2011
Program of Study: Mechanical and Nuclear Engineering & Vocal Music Performance, Minor in Chinese
Intended Profession: International Nuclear Energy Policy and Law
Age: 23
Home: Manhattan, KS

“I can't believe they chose ME! I'm from KANSAS! They think I made a difference. I AM going to make a difference in this world. For a conservative university in the middle of Kansas, Kansas State University sure gave me the perfect chance to learn who I was - no matter who that was. A few years ago, I thought I was the only gay man on earth. With this Voice and Action Leadership Award, I will keep working to make sure no student ever feels that alone again.” ~ Samuel Brinton

Samuel Brinton is currently a senior at Kansas State University studying Mechanical and Nuclear Engineering & Vocal Music Performance expecting his Bachelor of Science & Bachelor of Arts in May 2011. Sam also minors in Chinese Language.

At, Kansas State, Samuel is not only a passionate change agent for the LGBTQ communities on campus he is also a proven scholar in the field of Nuclear Engineering – 7 publications so far & counting! Samuel grew up as a missionary child living in such exciting locations as the Amazon jungle. He continued his international experience studying at Shanghai University during the Fall 2009 semester and attending international conferences of nuclear engineering in Japan, Belgium, Switzerland and South Africa.

When Samuel is state-side he continues his passion for LGBT equality through his progressive fraternity Delta Lambda Phi and serving with the local Flint Hills Human Rights Project and PFLAG. His peers recognized his passion and leadership by supporting Samuel as the President of LGBT and Allies of Kansas State. In addition (even though we know gay men are banned from giving blood) Samuel was active in the Red Cross Club as the Public Relations Director and through his leadership he assisted the organization to set records in blood donations.

One interesting fact about Samuel – he toured Europe as one of the top five high school singers in the United States.

However, to understand how his two passions of Nuclear Weapon Non-Proliferation and LGBT Equality come together one must read his story. The Committee began to learn his story by reading his cover letter, of which an excerpt is below.

“As a senior in Nuclear Engineering and Music, my life has always been one of balance and combination. I have used my engineering talents of organization to grow an organization (LGBT and Allies) from birth to over 30 members in a very conservative and religious community. I have used my musical passion for creativity to organize the Alternative2 Spring Break for LGBT and allied students to be able to serve their community regardless of orientation.

“I grew up as the son of Southern Baptist missionaries and without knowing what the word “gay” was (we just called them abominations) I asked my father why I was feeling attracted to my best friend, Dale. I don’t remember the second punch but I do remember waking up in the emergency room for the third time asking the doctors not to send me back and telling them that I had not fallen down the stairs again. When “punching the gay out” didn’t work we moved to conversion therapy. Being told I had AIDS and was going to die if the government found me was only the beginning. I would be strapped down with blocks of ice or heating pads placed on my hands while pictures of men holding hands were shown. The conversion ended when I told my parents I was straight to stop the electrocution by needles in my fingers while gay sex acts where shown to me. When I would later come back out to them for a second time I was told never to walk back in that house if I wanted to walk out alive.

“I tell you the story of my conversion therapy not for dramatic effect but to explain why I do what I do. I cannot let another child go through that torture because their parents think this is the only way to have a normal child. I will keep working through my political means until someday, when a student turns on the television, they will see a man just like them speaking to the United States Senate with a bright pink scarf on.”

Samuel, we are impressed with your courage and determination to create a better world for LGBT Youth.

Learn more about Samuel: www.campuspride.org/voiceandactionsamuelbrinton.asp

Campus Pride announces their 2011 National Voice & Action awardees: JeShawna Wholley (Spellman College), Samuel Brinton (Kansas State University)

(Charlotte, N.C.) – In a time when suicide by lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) youth has become so prominent and visible an issue in the media, it is critically important to highlight, recognize and encourage LGBT youth who are making a difference, creating positive change and making it better for others – that’s why Campus Pride, a national, nonprofit organization for student leaders and campus organizations working to create safer, more LGBT-friendly colleges and universities, is proud to announce this year’s Voice & Action National Leadership Awards.

In partnership with Ernst & Young & OUTmedia, the Campus Pride Voice and Action National Leadership Award is an honorary recognition highlighting the outstanding accomplishments of young adult leaders at colleges and universities across the United States. The award is the only honor of its kind, focused on the work of undergraduate college students who are creating positive change for LGBT and ally issues within their campus communities, local communities and region of the country. The award is bestowed upon individuals who use their “voice” to speak up and take “action” to make a difference. The award also acknowledges the vital role nationally that young adult leaders play in the present and for the future of our movement for LGBT fairness and equality.

Campus Pride congratulates this year’s winners:

JeShawna Wholley, senior at Spelman College, majoring in Comparative Women's Studies, current President of Afrekete and the Project Coordinator at Feminist Majority Leadership Alliance.

Samuel Brinton, senior at Kansas State University, doubling majoring with a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering with Nuclear Engineering Option & B.A. in Vocal Music Performance, Founding Leader of the Global Zero Chapter at KSU and current President of LGBT and Allies group.

Wholley and Brinton will receive their award at an upcoming regional LGBT and ally college conference of their choice in either the Midwest, Northeast, Northwest or West Coast region. Along with free conference registration, the recipient receives a free OUTmedia artist/entertainer to bring to campus in 2011.

“JeShawna and Samuel represent a growing community of LGBT young adult leaders stepping up to shape their schools, communities, nation and their futures in positive ways -- simply by being who they are, acting bravely,” said Shane Windmeyer, executive director of Campus Pride. “We are proud to name these Voice and Action Award recipients and feel confident in their future endeavors -- indeed they are already changing the world.”

Over 40 applicants were considered for this year’s honor. In addition to Wholley and Brinton, Campus Pride will also honor several award applicants as Top 12 Leaders in Action. This year’s awards committee was comprised of Shane Windmeyer, executive director of Campus Pride; Chris Bylone, Campus Pride volunteer and Voice & Action Award coordinator/chair; Members of the Campus Pride Youth Advisory Board; Shelly Weiss of OUTMedia; Staff Members of Ernst & Young; Dave Reynolds of The Trevor Project; and Vince Garcia of The Point Foundation.

To learn more about the national awards program and individual recipients, visit www.CampusPride.org/voiceandaction.asp or email info@campuspride.org.

This year the staff of Campus Pride decided that another level of recognition was to be added in this year’s National Voice & Action Leadership Award. The staff felt that there were too many amazing student leaders creating positive change on their respective campuses to only give recognition to the final recipients of the award. This was the main reason the Top 12 Leaders in Action recognition was created. All of the committee members agree that the 40 applicants who applied and the work they have done is the very reason Campus Pride developed this national honor. These students are on the front lines of the movement creating positive change every day. We should be proud and thankful of all the work they do.

Last week the Campus Pride Youth Advisory Board finished its review and selected the Top 12 Leaders in Action. These 12 students will also be forwarded on to the final review process. This final review process will result in the selection of the National Voice & Action Award Recipient(s).

Now please let us introduce you to the Top 12 Leaders in Action (listed in alphabetical order by first name); Daniel Weidel, Bentley University; David Anderson, Eastern Kentucky University; Evan Gallo, Salve Regina University; Hillary Montague-Asp, University of Colorado at Boulder; Jason Goodman, University of Pennsylvania; JeShawna Wholley, Spelman College; Lee Friedlander, University at Albany - SUNY; Masha Makhyagina, McDaniel College; Nicholas Pfost, Michigan State University; Olivia Tai, Cornell University; Samuel Brinton, Kansas State University; and Yvette Lerma, The Pennsylvania State University.

Learn more about these Top 12 Leaders after the jump!

National LGBT & Straight-Ally Sorority Charters Fourth Chapter in U.S. at K-State

Gamma Rho Lambda Delta Chapter Makes History being inducted at OUT & GREEK National Conference

November 25, 2009 (Manhattan, Kansas) – A new chapter of Gamma Rho Lambda (GRL) was officially recognized at Kansas State University (K-State) on November 21st. GRL is the first national progressive sorority with a focus on providing a social support system for young college students in the LGBT and straight-ally community. Delta Chapter is the fourth undergraduate chapter recognized by GRL. The chartering occured the same weekend as the Out & Greek National Leadership Conference hosted at K-State this year.

The journey to establishing a chapter at K-State began a year and a half ago when Chelsey Fritch, Chapter President, and seven other students established a colony of Gamma Rho Lambda on campus. As a colony of GRL, young women are given the opportunity to prove to themselves and others that they can form a sustainable group dedicated to the mission of Gamma Rho Lambda. It is a difficult, three-semester process, and the group met both the requirements of the University’s Greek Life Office and Gamma Rho Lambda’s National Council.

“We’re extremely proud of the sisters at K-State,” said Janette Smith, Vice President of Expansion for Gamma Rho Lambda National Sorority. “The group is incredible. They have gone above and beyond the requirements for obtaining their charter, and I look forward to seeing the group continue to flourish.”

I was quite disappointed last week when I read this story. In short, the student senate of one of our fellow Kansas universities (Kansas State - Salina) denied funding for a transgender speaker that a student group wished to bring to campus. (To be clear, Kansas State and Kansas State-Salina have separate senates. In fact, KSU is even hosting Campus Q's Out and Greek Conference.)

If you read the story, you will see that the student senators used a variety of excuses not to fund the speaker, including violent comments left in the student senate comment box. This is just the kind of reaction that cries out for this speaker to be funded! Of course, I don't wish violence to occur should the speaker come to campus, but ignorant threats such as these need to be combated. I would hope that these student senators would realize that ignorance needs to be educated, not indulged.

For those of you not from Kansas, let me give you a little context. Salina, along with most of Kansas, is rather conservative. Actually, that's an understatement. Take a look at this to see what I mean. Don't let the map fool you; blue is Republican on that map. My point here is this: if anywhere needs exposure to transgender issues, it's Salina. So I applaud the students who are trying to educate their peers and their community, and I hope they can find the alternative funds to bring the speaker. And above all, I hope students and community members will open their minds for long enough to maybe learn something new about those who are different from them.

Campus Pride Hosts Second Annual OUT & GREEK Conference for LGBT & Ally Fraternity & Sorority Members, Nov 19-22

Registration Open; Call for Workshop Presenters until Friday, September 25, 2009

Manhattan, KS, September 14 , 2009 – Campus Pride announced today the dates for the second annual Out & Greek conference designed for LGBT and ally college students and professionals involved in Greek life. The conference, which will take place November 19-22 at Kansas State University in Manhattan, Kansas, is the only conference of its kind for LGBT and ally fraternity and sorority members nationally. Registration now open along with call for workshop presenters online at http://www.lambda10.org/outandgreek.

Echoing the mission of Campus Pride's Lambda 10 educational initiative, the Out and Greek Conference aims to bring together lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) and ally members of fraternities and sororities in an effort to foster dialogue and create safer, more LGBT-friendly learning environments at colleges and universities.

"Fraternities and sororities were once considered a primary source of homophobia on college campuses," said conference chair Chelsey Fritch who is also a member of Gamma Rho Lambda, one of the nations queer-inclusive sororities. "But now more than ever LGBT members of the Greek system are being open and honest about who we are. This conference hopes to provide an opportunity to enhance that dialogue, share tools and create further strategies for change."