Soaring Above and Beyond the Gender Binary

Saturday, March 2, 2019
9:30 am – 2:00 pm
Lakeview Middle School — Watsonville

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All High School & Middle School LGBTQIA/Ally Students welcome!

Meet students throughout Santa Cruz County and beyond — from Watsonville and Salinas to Scotts Valley — who are working to help create safer schools in their community!
Experience workshops put on by fellow youth and community members
Meet LGBTQIA/Ally Community Leaders
Breakfast, Snacks and Lunch Provided – Free
Resource Fair
and more

Registration Closed

Same-day Registration Available!

Thank you

Guest Speaker Announced

Jorge Pacheco Jr. was born and raised in San Jose to two immigrant parents from Mexico and El Salvador and has been a social justice elementary and middle school teacher for the last 6 years. At 28 years old, he was recently elected to his home school district’s school board as the first Latino, the first openly queer and the youngest school board member ever elected to the Oak Grove School District.

Jorge Pacheco Jr.
Governing Board Member/Trustee | Oak Grove School District Board of Trustees
7th/8th Grade Ethnic Studies Teacher | Voices College-Bound Language Academy
University of California, Berkeley | B.A. Legal Studies and Anthropology, 2013
Loyola Marymount University | M.A. Urban Education, 2016

Schedule for Students

9:30-10:00 am: Check-in, Breakfast & Resource Fair
10:00-10:30 am: Opening and Ice Breakers
10:30-10:45 am: Snack Break
10:45-11:35 am: Workshop Session #1
11:35-11:50 am: Snack Break
11:50-12:40 pm: Workshop Session #2
12:40-1:15 pm: Closing Ceremony
1:15- 2:00 pm: Catered Lunch & Resource Fair
2:00 pm: End

Workshops for Students Announced

Session # 1

How to Have a KickAss GSA
Adult Led

Accessibly Caucus
Young Adult Led

Cuír: Latinx Art & Activism
Adul Led

Pain is Real, but so is Hope
Youth Led

Gender Bender Fashion Show
Youth Led

LGBT books for youth: From “Daddy’s Roommate” to “Drum Roll, Please”
Adult Led

Session # 2

Accessibility
Young Adult Led

Self-Defense for Teens
Adult Led

Buttons for All
Youth Led

Leviticus 18:22
Youth Led

Inner & Outer Self Portrait in Watercolor
Adult Led

Call for Student Workshops!

The Summit Planning Committee, made up of student leaders and members from Lakeview Middle School Queer-Straight Alliance (QSA) student club, have expressed a particular interest in workshops for students in the following topics:

asexuality and asexual spectrum identities
intersex identities and intersex rights
trans, non-binary, and gender-expansive issues
safer sex and consent
healthy relationships
racial justice
mental health
religion and the queer community
self-care
how to be an ally
coming out 101
umbrella terms
pronouns
intersectionality
responding to hate speech/intolerance

Workshop Proposals Due: Extended to Thursday, February 14 at 6:00 PM

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Hear about the Summit

Learn more about the Summit from Trisha Herrera, Assistant Summit Coordinator, who was on the Feb 25 Closet Free Radio Show, one of the oldest LGBTQ radio shows in the United States. Stay tuned to Closet Free Radio every Monday night, 7:00-8:30 pm on KZSC at 88.1 FM.

Welcome to Lakeview Middle School

Lakeview Middle School Principal Dr. Rosa Hernández

Welcome from Dr. Rosa Hernández, Principal, Lakeview Middle School

Lakeview Middle School is excited to host the 2019 Spring Queer, Trans & Allied Student Summit! We are so honored to have been chosen to host this event, especially as a middle school.

Diversity is one of Lakeview’s “PR²IDE” Core Values and is an integral part of being a member of our school community. We are proud to have a thriving Queer-Straight Alliance that has worked to make Lakeview a more inclusive and supportive campus for its students and staff. We are proud of our openly queer staff and students, and strive to educate all on how to be better allies for one another.

However, we still have progress to make, such as talking about intersectionality and how it affects our students, educating all students on queer and trans topics, and ensuring not only the safety of our students, but their happiness as well.

Hosting the summit this year will be an important step in this process! I am thrilled there will be a parent/family strand of workshops offered during the summit. I am looking forward to seeing our students work with, teach, and learn from students from other schools as well. Here’s to soaring above and beyond!

— Principal Rosa Hernández

The Spring 2019 Summit theme is “Soaring Above and Beyond the Gender Binary”

Student leaders and members from the Lakeview Middle School Queer-Straight Alliance (QSA) student club selected the theme of “Soaring Above and Beyond the Gender Binary.” Their statement reads: “We, as the Lakeview Middle School QSA, promote a safe and empowering environment for all gender identities, sexualities, and LGBTQ+ allies. We hope as a diverse community, we can unite as one to build confidence and shed happy tears.”

QSA
United
Empowered
Excited
Resist!

Community Service Hours for Students

Students who attend the Queer, Trans, and Ally Student Summit may be able to earn school credit for participating in the summit.

Summit participants engage in community building and help create a safer, more inclusive environment for LGBT+ and ally youth in Santa Cruz County. Participants also learn about a variety of topics related to the LGBT+ community that will help them gain a deeper understanding of LGBT+ experiences which will compliment school curriculum in the areas of history and health, among others.

Youth may also volunteer and present workshops which builds their interpersonal and communication skills.

If your school has a community service, volunteer, or similar requirement, talk to your school counselor to see if you can earn credit for attending the summit.

Be sure to bring any required paperwork or forms to be signed by Summit staff.

For more information contact Stuart Rosenstein, co-chair, Queer, Trans & Allied Student Summit, or Jamie Cutter, M.Ed., English and Health Teacher, QSA Advisor and Safe School Lead, Delta High School at Cabrillo College at (831) 427-4004 or email

New in 2019 – Parent/Guardian Workshops in Partnership with Gender Spectrum!

Understanding Gender

A free workshop for parents, guardians, and other adult allies who want a deeper understanding of gender and youth

Learn more about the Parent/Guardian Summit — Registration Open!

Saturday, March 2, 2019
9:30 am – 2:00 pm
Lakeview Middle School — Watsonville

Understandings of gender are changing rapidly and it can be challenging to keep up! Parents might believe that they only have to pay attention to their child’s gender if it falls outside of traditional gender norms. While it is true that transgender, non-binary, and otherwise gender-expansive children are particularly at risk, every child is limited by traditional gender roles and stereotypes. Parents and ally adults play a crucial role in creating a safe and supportive environment for all young people around their gender.

We hope you’ll join us for a day of learning, conversation, and reflection about youth and gender.

Light breakfast, snacks and lunch provided

Simultaneous Spanish Translation provided

Presented by Gender Spectrum, TransFamilies of Santa Cruz County, the Safe Schools Project of Santa Cruz County, and Lakeview Middle School

Creating gender sensitive and inclusive environments for all children and teens

Accessibility Information

If you require anything accessibility related (e.g.: sign language interpretation, captioning, accessible parking, specific dietary requirements, or any other accommodations) please contact Wren Reeve, (831) 427-4004, email

Specific accommodation requests should be made by February 13, 2019.

More than one contact method is useful, or at least an email address since not everyone uses the same communication methods.

The Safe Schools Project, a program of the Queer Youth Task Force, is committed to providing universal access to all of our events. Please contact us to request accessibility accommodations. Advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility needs.

LGBTIQA & Ally Youth Calendar — 2019

Spring 2019

March 2: Queer, Trans & Allied Student Summit, Lakeview Middle School, 9:30 am – 2:00 pm
April 12: National Day of Silence
April 12: Breaking the Silence Rally & March, Watsonville Main Plaza, Watsonville, 3:00 – 5:00 pm
April 12: Breaking the Silence Rally & March, Clock Tower, Santa Cruz, 3:00 – 5:00 pm
April 13: Triangle Speakers Training for Youth & Allies
May 1: Rainbow Tassels Project for graduating 8th grade and 12th grade students
May 4: Queer Prom, First Christian Church, Watsonville, 6:30-10:00 pm
May 11: 22nd Annual Queer Youth Leadership Awards, San Lorenzo Valley High School, Felton, 5:30-8:30 pm

Summer 2019

June 2: Santa Cruz Pride, Santa Cruz, 11:00 am – 5:00 pm
June: Monterey Peninsula Pride, Monterey,
July 20 – 21: Gender Spectrum Family Conference
August: Queer Camp Out, Diversity Center
August 18: Pajaro Valley Pride, Watsonville, 11:00 am – 5:00 pm

Fall 2019

Fall 2019: Salinas Valley Pride, Salinas
October 1-31: Queer History Month
October 11: National Coming Out Day

Summit Sponsors

(L-R) Trisha Herrera, Assistant Summit Coordinator, Andi Mellon, Summit Resource Fair Host, & Jen Salinas-Holz, Lakeview Middle School Queer Straight Alliance (QSA) Co-Advisor, at Lakeview Middle School

Thank You!

Superintendent Faris Sabbah, Santa Cruz County Office of Education
Superintendent Dr. Michelle Rodriguez, Pajaro Valley Unified School District
Superintendent Kris Munro, Santa Cruz City Schools
Principal Dr. Rosa Hernández, Lakeview Middle School
Trustee Adam Spickler, Cabrillo College
Trustee Gail Levine, San Lorenzo Valley Unified School District
Trustee Jorge Pacheco Jr., Oak Grove School District Board of Trustees
Keith O. Johnson, M.A., Director of Student Equity & Success, Cabrillo College
Jen Salinas-Holz, Co-Advisor, Lakeview Middle School Queer Straight Alliance (QSA)
Jennifer Lemieux, Co-Advisor, Lakeview Middle School Queer Straight Alliance (QSA)
Pamela Wool, Director of Family Support and Administration, Gender Spectrum
Dr. Jen Hastings
Trisha Herrera, Assistant Summit Coordinator
Bella, Sophia & Audrey, Emcees, Lakeview Middle School QSA Leadership
Andi Mellon, Summit Resource Fair Host
Reyes Warne, Summit Social Media Coordinator
Katé Wilson Designs, Summit Printed Program
and many more community leaders, chaperones, resource fair participants & volunteers!