Another year. Another Creating Change. And, as always, the National Gay & Lesbian Task Force never seems to amaze.

I was honored to attend Creating Change in Baltimore for my second time ever last weekend. This year, I went with a new role and new title at a new organization. Working with and meeting some of the brilliantly talented and engaged college student leaders who attended Campus Pride's day-long Queer It Up Young Adult Leadership Institute was definitely the highlight of my experience. I'm pretty sure our executive director, Shane Windmeyer, our board member, Nikita Burks, and phenom volunteer Ted Lewis would say the same.

(Pictured right: Forty students from across the nation attended the Campus Pride day-long Queer It Up Young Adult Leadership Institute at Creating Change, Thursday, Jan. 26, 2012.)

Just about 40 students attended the day-long institute, engaging in conversations on what it meant to be a student leader on campus and a leader in their greater communities. They delved into the types of characteristics that make up for a good leader, among them fairness, honesty, trustworthiness, communicativeness, understanding, approachableness and passion.

"A leader should feel empowered to act when others can't, won't or are uncomfortable," said one student leader.

I couldn't agree more. But being a leader doesn't always mean speaking out. It certainly has nothing to do with "power" or privilege. Leadership comes in all sorts of forms and requires, first and foremost, the about to connect with others, working with others and empowering others. It sounds so cliche, but it is true: Teamwork makes the dreamwork.

Earlier today, we posted a bit on a great discussion our student leaders had at Campus Pride's Queer It Up Youth Leadership Action Institute yesterday at Creating Change, the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force's annual conference being held this weekend in Balitmore, Md.

The students talked at length on a variety of challenges they were experiencing on their campuses. In part one of the blog post, we explored students' thoughts on program collaboration with campus allies and partners, trans inclusion in student groups and on campus and group cohesion and internal issues.

We'll move on to the students' last two major concerns now: dealing with conservative and religious groups on campus and finding campus resources for fundraising and programming.

Read the rest after the jump...

The Campus Pride crew is in the Charm City this weekend for the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force's Creating Change conference, the largest gathering of LGBT and progressive activists across the country. Baltimore has welcomed us with open arms and we're each excited to be meeting and engaging with so many friends, new and old.

We had a phenomenal day at Campus Pride's day-long pre-conference for LGBT college and university students yesterday, our Queer It Up Youth Leadership Action Institute. MOre than 40 student leaders joined us for a full day of networking, learning, brainstorming and fun.

(Photo right: Students in a small group discuss one of the major challenges facing their campuses.)

As we've done at past Creating Change events, we spent a good chunk of our afternoon discussing the greatest challenges student leaders find themselves facing on their campuses and within their LGBT student organizations. Breaking our students up into five groups, we tackled five major discussion topics that encompass their own set of challenges and opportunities unique to each campus. The students -- representing everything from small, rural schools to large and well-known state schools -- came up with some interesting solutions, tips and tricks.

Here are some of the highlights on three of the topics: program collaboration with campus allies and partners, trans inclusion in student groups and on campus and group cohesion and internal issues. Join us back here later today at the Campus Pride Blog for a longer post on the last two: dealing with conservative and religious groups on campus and finding campus resources for fundraising and programming.

Continue reading after the jump...

Campus Pride and OUTmedia are proud to give you this little sneak peek into an exciting campaign we'll launch at this year's National Gay and Lesbian Task Force annual Creating Change conference in Minneapolis, Minn.

The Queer it Up! campaign, to be launched at Creating Change's 2nd annual MasQueerAde Ball on Saturday, Feb. 5 (read more below), is designed to give LGBT and allied youth and student leaders the resources, tools, tips and tricks they need to take action, organize and create change on their campuses, in their communities and for the nation and world!

Each Friday, the Campus Pride Blog team will bring you Take Action alerts, tools and resources and feature special resources like campus speakers from the Campus Pride HOT LIST!, a list of the Top 25 LGBT Favorite speakers, performers, artists and poets.

So, get ready, get set and go! And, be prepared to learn some kick-ass, jump-starting lessons for taking action and creating change in YOUR world.

MasQueerAde Ball: Kit Yan and Ben Lerman

Campus Pride teams up this year with the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force and their Creating Change conference; OUTmedia; Campus Progress; the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender, Ally Programs Office of the University of Minnesota; District 202; and Shades of Yellow to present this year's 2nd annual MasQueerAde Ball, Creating Change's special Saturday night dance party for youth under the age of 24.

The event includes special performances from OUTmedia ukulele comedian Ben Lerman and spoken word artist Kit Yan.

For more information and to RSVP, check out the event listing on Facebook or visit:
campusprogress.org/events/the_masqueerade_ball_at_the_creating_change_2011_conference/

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.

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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.

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.”