2017 GLSEN Respect Awards, LA
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| @GLSEN |
Affair: 2017 GLSEN Respect Awards
When: Friday, October 20, 2017 @ 5:30PM
Hot Spot: Beverly Wilshire, Beverly Hills, CA
Deets: GLSEN, the leading education organization creating safe and inclusive K-12 schools for LGBTQ youth, will honor high school senior Ose Arheghan with the Student Advocate of the Year Award at the 2017 GLSEN Respect Awards presented by The Walt Disney Company, to be held Friday, October 20, at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel.
Ose, 17, is a senior at Shaker Heights High School who uses gender-neutral pronouns of they/them/theirs and is a strong supporter of equal rights for LGBTQ and other marginalized communities. Through journalism and civic engagement, they have helped to create safer spaces for LGBTQ youth and expand people’s understanding of what it means to be a member of the LGBTQ community.
Recently, Ose went to DC to lobby Congress about the importance of having access to accurate and comprehensive sexual health education for LGBTQ youth. Earlier this year, Ose launched a year-long series on diversity for their school paper, highlighting LGBTQ voices, with the goal of bringing young people’s stories to the larger community. For the past two years, Ose has visited the Ohio Statehouse to speak with legislators about the importance of funding extracurricular activities and protecting LGBTQ youth in schools.
Next fall, Ose plans to study international relations, queer theory, and journalism in order to support their goal of advocating for international LGBTQ rights. They hope to change policies and center voices of marginalized communities within the LGBTQ umbrella and the challenges they face.
GLSEN's Student Advocate of the Year Award honors an outstanding young person who has helped create a safe and inclusive learning environment for all students and has served as a voice of change in their school and community. GLSEN also acknowledges the following students as part of this year’s Student Advocate of the Year Honor Roll: Seniors Aniza Jahangir of NYC, Ce Lai Fong of CA, and Matt Forsey of Indiana.
Ose Arheghan will join previously announced honorees Kerry Washington, receiving the Inspiration Award; Bruce Bozzi, receiving the Champion Award; Zendaya, receiving the Game Changer Award presented by YouTube; and DC Entertainment, receiving the Visionary Award and to be accepted by Diane Nelson.
About GLSEN
GLSEN creates safe and inclusive schools for all. We envision a world in which every child learns to respect and accept all people, regardless of sexual orientation, gender identity, and/or expression. Each year, GLSEN programs and resources reach millions of students and educators in K-12 schools across the United States, and our network of 40 community-led chapters in 26 states brings GLSEN’s expertise to local communities. GLSEN's progress and impact have won support for inclusive schools at all levels of education in the United States and sparked an international movement to ensure equality for LGBTQ students and respect for all in schools. For more information on GLSEN’s policy advocacy, student leadership initiatives, public education, research, and educator training programs, please visit glsen.org.
Who You May Spot: Kerry Washington, Bruce Bozzi, Zendaya, Ose Arheghan, Justin Timberlake, Jessica Biel, Matt Bomer, Simon Halls
Hint For The Average Socialite: Tickets and sponsorships are available for purchase.
What's Trending: @GLSEN @YouTube @JTimberlake @JessicaBiel #Zendaya #RespectAwards #LGBTQ