On Saturday, November 21, 2015, Maggie Walker’s GSMA (Gender and Sexual Minority Alliance) hosted a regional GSA conference for LGBTQ youth and their allies. More than fifty high school students participated, representing ARGS, Chesterfield (Monacan, Cosby), Henrico (Freeman, Godwin, Hermitage), Richmond (Huguenot, Open), Louisa, Gloucester, Trinity, St. Catherine’s, and St. Christopher’s. Several club sponsors attended as well.
After pitching this idea to MLWGS GSMA co-sponsors in August 2015, MLWGS junior Sarah Law formed a planning board of youth leaders from several area GSA/GSMA/Spectrum clubs, and they planned, organized, and executed a successful conference, handling budgeting, programming, meal planning, marketing, and fundraising. Along with Sarah Law, MLWGS senior CeCe D’Arville and junior Emily Martin served on the conference planning board. Through this process, students also worked with community organizations like ROSMY and Virginia State University. It was rewarding to see all their hard work pay off as the first floor filled with smiling students.
As a result of excellent fundraising by the planning board, the GSMA will be donating conference proceeds of $300 to Change the World RVA, a local non-profit that supports Richmond-area youth who are homeless or struggling with housing instability.
