Sam Keynote Speaker at Oregon's Gay Student Association (GSA) Confernence

By Shoshanah Oppenheim

Gay Student Alliances (GSA) have gained strength in numbers over the last decade. These organizations give hope to adolescents who grow up throughout the state questioning their sexuality. This year Sam was asked to be the keynote speaker at the Oregon Gay Student Alliance Conference.

As the mainstream heterosexual and homosexual community struggles with discrimination, so do the youth that identify as gay, lesbian, bi-sexual, trans, queer or just don't know (LGBTQQ). The GSA conference is a place for high school youth who identify as LGBTQQ to learn how to have difficult conversations about identity and to be active for change.

Sam shared stories about living in Newport and Eugene as gay youth. His stories resonated with students who seemed sure there were no gay adults in the small towns they lived in.

Coming together in this forum, allowed the students freedom that they looked forward to the rest of the year. The two day conference was important to the participants, teaching them organizing skills, lobbying techniques, how to protect oneself and most critically that they are not alone.