Helpline:
800-800-0350
800-800-0350
Educational Equity Program
Our Mission
- We aim to decrease intersectional inequity and increase LGBTQ+ inclusivity in classrooms, schools, districts, and youth organizations.
- We provide support, teach concrete intersectional equity strategies, facilitate self-reflection, and assist with policy changes.
- We encourage youth to develop their leadership skills and to learn that their voices matter.
Program Details
- Trainings for Educators, Educational Leaders, & Youth Service Providers
- MN GSA Leadership Council
- MN Youth Summit for GSAs and Educators
- MN GSA Advisor Network
- Trainings for GSAs/SAGAs
- MN LGBTQ+ Educator Network
- Educational Equity Consulting for School Administrators and Educators
Educational Equity means finding what every student needs to be successful - academically, socio-emotionally, and everything-in-between- and getting it for them. The process is complex, dynamic, and on-going: owning flaws and biases, engaging in courageous conversations to challenge prejudice and discrimination, creating environments where students feel safe to share what they need, and breaking down any systems that are creating barriers. Students who feel valued, seen, and celebrated are the ones who will find success.
Minnesota’s Educational Equity gap is one of the worst in the nation. We need to continue to work together so that every student can get what they need.
Contact Us
Ophir Gilad
Dan B
Educational Equity Coordinator
Support Networks
OutFront hosts a variety of Support Networks in order to provide support and resources for Minnesotans.
MN LGBTQ+ Educators Network
Our goal is to support and advocate for MN LGBTQ+ educators and their allies. We provide resources, networking, community building opportunities, training, compassion, and empathy.
We understand that isolation, invisibility, and discrimination can impact our mental health and feelings of belonging. We believe that supporting LGBTQ+ educators helps not just educators, but also our students and our school communities.
We have partnered with Education Minnesota and Bisexual Organizing Project (BOP) for this initiative.
MN GSA Advisor Network
This group is for OutFront MN's GSA Advisors and OutFront Staff members to connect, share resources, provide support and make each other's lives easier!
GSAs/SAGAs
Gender Sexuality Alliances (GSAs) and Sexuality and Gender Alliances (SAGAs) are school support groups that provide resources, safe spaces, and community building for LGBTQ+ students and their allies.
GSAs/SAGAs are an evidence-based strategy to improve school climate for all students.
OutFront MN's GSA Advisor Network
OutFront MN's GSA Advisor Network is a supportive resource that helps connect GSA/SAGA Advisors across the state to each other and to OutFront Staff members.
Network members will receive e-newsletters, updates, and be invited to trainings and events. We also have a Facebook Group where members can get immediate support and resources from staff and from each other.
Free GSA Trainings
If you are interested in having an OutFront staff member come to your school and give a free training, please email us at ophir@outfront.org.
Options include:
- GSA/SAGA's: Just Getting Started
- Introduction to Gender & Trans Topics
- LGBTQ+ 101
- Intersectionality
- Coming Out
- Healthy Relationships
- Advocacy 101 (Knowing your LGBTQ+ Rights)
- Advocacy 201
Resources
LGBTQ+ Youth and Educator Resource Guide
If you have questions and/or need additional resources connected to the following topics, please check out our LGBTQ+ Youth and Educator Resource Guide!
- Orientation & Identity
- Coming Out
- Sexual Health
- Healthy Relationships
- Crisis & Anti-Violence
- LGBTQ+ Intersectionality
- Being an Ally/Advocate
- Finding Community
- LGBTQ+ Inclusive Education
Self-Care Resources for Teachers
Articles, Ted Talks, podcasts, blogs, and books about self-care for teachers.
Diversity Practices for Distance Learning 2020-2021
Learn about creating an online space that is LGBTQ+ inclusive.
Resources
LGBTQ+ Youth and Educator Resource Guide
If you have questions and/or need additional resources connected to the following topics, please check out our LGBTQ+ Youth and Educator Resource Guide!
- Orientation & Identity
- Coming Out
- Sexual Health
- Healthy Relationships
- Crisis & Anti-Violence
- LGBTQ+ Intersectionality
- Being an Ally/Advocate
- Finding Community
- LGBTQ+ Inclusive Education
Four Tips For Coming Out To Your Parents
OutFront Minnesota on YouTube
Free Chest Binder Programs
FTME Free Youth Binder Program
Designed for folks 24 and under who are unable to purchase a binder on their own due to financial circumstances, FTME is able to offer a limited number of free binders to qualifying individuals.
Point of Pride Free Chest Binder Program
Point of Pride provides free chest binders (specially-designed chest compression garments) to any trans person who needs one and cannot afford or safely obtain one.
OutFront Minnesota College Scholarship Fund
The OutFront Scholarship is no longer active and has been moved to the Pfund Foundation. Please contact them for information about their scholarships! If you have any questions, email Ophir at ophir@outfront.org.
GSA Leadership Council
We facilitate a year-long leadership program for a select group of GSA LGBTQ+ student leaders who meet twice a month for:
- Relationship Building
- Skill Development
- LGBTQ+ Issue discussion
- Event Planning
- Coordinating Strategies for the MN GSA Network
- Providing Youth Perspective and Input on OutFront Efforts
The Leadership Council is crucial in the planning and execution of our annual Youth Summit which brings together more than 500 LGBTQ+ and allied students and educators from across the state to collaborate, learn, and take action. At the end of the day students get the opportunity to meet with their state legislators to talk about the issues most important to them.
Youth Summit 2021
Registration for Youth Summit 2021 has ended. Please check back soon for more information about Youth Summit 2022!
Watch this Video about Youth Summit 2019
Thank you to our Youth Summit sponsors!
The Brian Juba Youth Empowerment Fund
The 2021 Youth Summit is made possible in part by The Brian Juba Youth Empowerment Fund. This Fund was established through a gift from the estate of Brian Juba. Brian grew up in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan, before beginning a career as a teacher, counselor and health-care worker in Minnesota, where he lived for almost 50 years before his death in 2019. Having experienced the challenges of growing up gay in a small rural community, Brian left this gift to help LGBTQ+ youth across Minnesota participate in OutFront's annual Youth Summit.
Gender Inclusion Project 2021
Check out the amazing work that OutFront Minnesota's Youth Researchers completed this year at outfront.org/youth-researchers! Over the past year, this team:
- Designed surveys, collected responses, and analyzed data on experiences of transgender, gender non-conforming, and nonbinary students in four Minnesota school districts.
- Created a full zine summarizing the gender inclusion research project while amplifying student stories.
- Published "Gender School: Smash the Cis-tem," a podcast exploring gender inclusivity in Minnesota schools and empowering other students, educators, and school communities to support gender inclusion policies in their own districts.
- Curated resources and a downloadable action tool kit for students and educators to find support and work towards gender inclusivity in their own districts.
We are so proud of our youth researcher team and the work they are doing to build more gender-inclusive schools! View their work at outfront.org/youth-researchers.