Faggot. Dyke. Fairy. Queer.
Sissy.
Recognize these familiar terms? They are part
of the everyday life of too many children in
schools in the United States.
Did you know that:
-- 4 out of 5 LGBT children and youth report
that they are verbally harassed because of their
identification.
-- 42 percent report being physically
harassed, often with a weapon.
-- 1 in 3 LGBT students skipped school in the
last month out of fear for their safety
In February 2006, a Memorandum of
Understanding (MOU) was completed between
Metropolitan Community Churches (MCC) and the Gay,
Lesbian and Straight Education Network (GLSEN),
headquartered in New York City GLSEN is
the leading national U.S. education organization
focused on ensuring safe schools for lesbian,
gay, bisexual and transgender students.
Established nationally in 1995, GLSEN envisions a
world in which every child learns to respect and
accept all people.
GLSEN developed the Training of Trainers
(ToT) for educators and community-based
organizers to help people gain
additional tools and resources to develop
LGBT related trainings and education
initiatives in their schools or local communities
to make schools safer and more affirming for LGBT
children. The ToT includes the GLSEN Lunchbox
2, a comprehensive kit of 45 training
resources.
Why did MCC pursue this
partnership? In accordance
with the MCC Statement of Vision -- and just
as Jesus did -- we are called to lift up new
generations of remarkable, far-reaching spiritual
activists and we are to reach out to those with no
hope.
Our partnership with GLSEN lifts up the next
generation and tells them that we stand in
solidarity with them when they are bullied or
harassed. This partnership is our best chance
to reach out to them and give them hope by
training the teachers, counselors and
administrators in their schools to protect
them.
For those of us who are parents, this
partnership is our best chance to create safe
spaces for our children. For those of us who
are pastors and laity in local churches, this
partnership is our best chance to bring both
straight and LGBT professionals into our churches,
to provide high caliber training for
continuing education units (CEUs) and to
demonstrate that our churches are safe spaces for
families with LGBT and straight children.
In addition, this partnership allows us
to:
-- Spread our message of the justice of
Jesus Christ and its impact on public
policy;
-- Open our doors and hearts to people
who might never know us about our truth and who we
really are - their neighbors and
fellow citizens;
MCC and GLSEN have agreed to collaborate in
the co-sponsorship of up to eight Training of
Trainers (TOT) workshops in regions in the United
States where local MCCs are located.
These trainings began March 3, 2006,
with the first training being in New York City,
and will occur over the next 18 months.
Churches may contact me directly if they wish to
host a training (
CindiLove@MCCchurch.net).
Rev. Pat Bumgardner was instrumental in
creating this opportunity for MCC when she
introduced me to the Director of Education and
Training for GLSEN in New York last year. We
are indebted to Rev. Pat for her deep passion
regarding the protection of young people in New
York, as evidenced by the Sylvia House project at
her church. This project is the safe shelter
for LGBT homeless youth.
My partner, Sue, and I attended the inaugural
training in New York. Sue is a high school
counselor and adopted GLSEN “safe space”
principles for her school office early in the
formation of GLSEN.
I want to paint a picture of what we
experienced in New York. The room was
designed to support 40 attendees. We had 90
registrants (so we get to host another training,
praise God!) People from every walk of life
and every perspective -- young and old,
straight and LGBT, people of color, veterans, New
Agers -- all gathered in the room.
Early in the training time, we were asked to
participate in an exercise where we had to "step
out" of a circle when we heard a term that applied
to us. Some of the terms were easy to "take
on" and some were very tough. It did not take
long for us to deeply understand what our young
people face each day and to remember what
many of us faced.
We saw a video about Bayard Rustin that
reminded us of the power of "name-calling." We
were even more moved to action when the
facilitator told us that a local public school had
just removed his name from the school since he was
identified as homosexual in this publicly
distributed film.
We also had the opportunity to network
with leaders of other organizations who
are helping build safe places for our
children. For example, the Children’s
National Medical Center representative was in the
training and offered us use of their brochure "A
Guide for Parents: If You are Concerned About
Your Child’s Gender Behavior" (in both English and
Spanish). The advice in this small pamphlet
would have meant a great deal to my mother as she
struggled to understand her gay son. It is
downloadable for your use at
www.dcchildrens.com/gendervariance. Representatives
from PFLAG were also in the training to share
other ways that our churches can partner with them
in local communities.
http://www.pflag.org.
It is my deepest hope that you will join with
us in this partnership that can catalyze the truth
and make a safer world for our
children.
Peace,
The Reverend Dr.
Cindi Love
MCC
Executive Director
Metropolitan
Community Churches
P. O. Box 691728
________________________
Additional
Information
What are the requirements of a local
church to sponsor a workshop?
- The local MCC will designate at least one
point of contact at church to work with designated
GLSEN training coordinator to assist with the
planning and implementation of the ToT
workshop This person will be in
attendance on both days of the workshop and set up
the site, greet the registrants and handle
refreshments. One additional person will
support registration on the morning of the
event.
- The local MCC will provide housing for
two ToT trainers in a local hotel/motel.
(Ideally, separate hotel/motel rooms - per GLSEN’s
standard policy.)
- The local MCC will be responsible for
providing the training space. (If a GLSEN Chapter
is nearby, there might be a possibility they can
assist with the venue.)
- The local MCC will provide audio visual
equipment and support for training, this includes
television/VCR and Power Point projection (LCD
machine).
- The local MCC will provide meals and
refreshments for training workshop participants.
- The local MCC will receive, hold, and
secure training materials that will be mailed from
GLSEN until the day of training.
- The local MCC will provide assistance with
making unexpected copies of materials.
- The local MCC and GLSEN will jointly
promote and advertise the ToT workshop in
local/regional media outlets, schools, educators,
and other youth service providers.
Advertising and promotion should begin
approximately two-months prior to the scheduled
date of training. If the local church sends
a list of its members and local educators and
community groups to HQ two months in advance of
the training, we will provide the printing of a
letter and mailing.
- All promotional
and advertising materials will explicitly state
that the ToT workshop is being jointly sponsored
by GLSEN (and chapter), MCC HQ and the local MCC;
it will state that the local MCC is hosting the
training; and both the GLSEN and MCC HQ and local
church logos will be included.
- GLSEN will develop the boilerplate for
email, letter, and flyer to be used for promoting
and advertising the ToT workshop. GLSEN will
provide a PDF version of the ToT Program workshop
brochure that can be used by MCC to advertise in
local community.
- GLSEN and MCC will jointly create
boilerplate for press release that will be used to
announce ToT workshops. GLSEN and MCC HQ and
the local church will jointly develop media
strategy for each ToT workshop.
- MCC Headquarters will pay for the airfare
on American Airlines for two trainers for up to
eight church sponsored sites in 2006 and
2007.
- GLSEN will develop training curriculum and
provide two trainers to facilitate ToT
workshop.
- GLSEN will prepare all training materials
and packets
- MCC Headquarters will coordinate advance
registration and receive payments by credit card
for workshops. Participants will pay a
nominal fee for attendance. Payments
received on site will be processed by MCC
Headquarters..
- GLSEN and the local MCC will jointly
determine an appropriate registration fee for
attendees (based on teacher salary in
region). The income secured from registration
fees will be used to cover the cost of incidental
expenses (such as, facilitator’s taxi/rental car
expenses, meals, and copies). Any revenue
that remains after these expenses are receipted
and reimbursed will be split between MCC
Headquarters, GLSEN and the local MCC and
dedicated to youth programs.
- GLSEN will develop an assessment tool and
will process data and prepare report on
trainings. GLSEN will provide this
information to the host MCC within 3 months of the
training.
West Hollywood
CA 90069 