Log in

GLSEN Phoenix Day of Silence honors LGBTQ+ students with virtual event April 24

Posted 4/23/20

The GLSEN Day of Silence is a national student-led demonstration where LGBTQ+ students and allies all around the country --- and the world ---take a vow of silence to protest the harassment and …

You must be a member to read this story.

Join our family of readers for as little as $5 per month and support local, unbiased journalism.


Already have an account? Log in to continue.

Current print subscribers can create a free account by clicking here

Otherwise, follow the link below to join.

To Our Valued Readers –

Visitors to our website will be limited to five stories per month unless they opt to subscribe. The five stories do not include our exclusive content written by our journalists.

For $6.99, less than 20 cents a day, digital subscribers will receive unlimited access to YourValley.net, including exclusive content from our newsroom and access to our Daily Independent e-edition.

Our commitment to balanced, fair reporting and local coverage provides insight and perspective not found anywhere else.

Your financial commitment will help to preserve the kind of honest journalism produced by our reporters and editors. We trust you agree that independent journalism is an essential component of our democracy. Please click here to subscribe.

Sincerely,
Charlene Bisson, Publisher, Independent Newsmedia

Please log in to continue

Log in
I am anchor

GLSEN Phoenix Day of Silence honors LGBTQ+ students with virtual event April 24

Posted

The GLSEN Day of Silence is a national student-led demonstration where LGBTQ+ students and allies all around the country --- and the world ---take a vow of silence to protest the harassment and discrimination of LGBTQ+ people in schools.

This year, in keeping with COVID-19 circumstances, GLSEN is honoring the 25th anniversary of Day of Silence on Friday, April 24, with a virtual event.

Because of school closures and other disruptions caused by Coronavirus, the Day of Silence can be even more important to students around the country.

GLSEN Phoenix, a chapter of GLSEN, advocates for safer schools in Arizona and is committed to keeping students connected with their support networks from school, according to a press release.

“Right now, what students need most is to know they are not alone,” said Rebecca Semik, Student Programs Manager for GLSEN Phoenix, in a prepared statement. “Raising awareness and being public with their solidarity goes a long way for students hoping to feel seen. We invite community members to stand in solidarity with LGBTQ+ students everywhere by participating in the virtual Day of Silence event at glsen.org/day-of-silence, and posting on social media.”

The GLSEN Phoenix Shine Team, a group of high school students going through a year-long leadership training led by Ms. Semik, will be posting self-made videos to the GLSEN Phoenix social media accounts, showing how they are keeping the Day of Silence spirit alive at home.

Schools that worked with GLSEN Phoenix throughout the year are holding virtual celebrations of their own. The Gay-Straight Alliance organization for the Peoria Accelerated High School is hosting an event for all of their students to watch the national Day of Silence celebration together.

“In an effort to still connect GSA members to support, we will be setting up a Google Hangout to allow students to participate as a group watching the national Breaking the Silence event on Facebook,” said a spokesperson for Peoria Accelerated High School.

“So many students are struggling with the isolation of being at home and away from friends or supportive adults outside their home. We want to do what we can to let students know we are still here for them, we are thinking about them, and we are ready to be there by their sides when we return to school.”

Started in the mid 90s by two college students, the Day of Silence has expanded to reach hundreds of thousands of students each year.

Every April, students go through the school day without speaking, ending the day with Breaking the Silence rallies and events to share their experiences during the protest and bring attention to ways their schools and communities can become more inclusive.

For more information about Day of Silence visit: glsen.org/day-of-silence.