40 students from colleges across the country meet in Maryland to discuss issues facing LGBT students and their allies

Chad Pride

Chad Pride, a member of the Gay-Straight Alliance at Brookhaven College in Dallas, was one of more than 40 student leaders from colleges and universities across the country who recently participated in the first-ever camp for LGBT college students and their allies.

The Gay-Straight Alliance at Brookhaven is sponsored by Linus Spiller, a student services specialist with the school.

The five-day-long leadership camp, referred to as "Gay Camp," was held July 24-29, on the campus of Towson University in Towson, Md., with the Queer Student Union as the host for the gathering.

The camp was the result of more than six months of planning by members of Campus Pride coordinating with a team of 12 LGBT educators and activists.

The curriculum included classes in leadership development, social justice and civic involvement.

Other highlights were a campus media training by the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation, a Soulforce direct action and civil disobedience workshop and a program by the Human Rights Campaign in campaign training and political organizing.

Keynote speakers included GLAAD executive director Neil G. Giuliano; the first open lesbian elected to the U.S. Congress, Sabrina Sojourner; Washington Blade editor Kevin Naff; Google advisor Andria Ruben McCool; and activist, educator and author Vernon Wall. Entertainment included performances by Vidur Kapur, the sketch comedy troupe GayCo, national slam master and author Emanuel Xavier and singer/songwriter Randi Driscoll.

This article appeared in the August 17 edition of the Dallas Voice.