Photo of Kelly Holstine

****PRESS RELEASE****

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: July 8, 2019

CONTACT: Monica Meyer, Executive Director | mmeyer@outfront.org, 612.817.3480

     Jacob Thomas, Communications Coordinator | jacob@outfront.org, 678.899.5608

     Kelly D. Holstine, Director of Educational Equity | kdholstine@outfront.org, 612.767.7658

 

The first openly LGBTQ Minnesota Teacher of the Year joins OutFront

 

MINNEAPOLIS, July 8, 2019 – The largest LGBTQ civil rights group in Minnesota, OutFront Minnesota, announced Monday that they have hired Kelly D. Holstine, the 2018 Minnesota Teacher of the Year, to expand OutFront’s educational program for schools.

The organization is expanding its programming for educators and students to counter a deteriorating atmosphere for LGBTQ youth and educators in Minnesota schools. OutFront Executive Director Monica Meyer linked the changes to anti-LGBTQ rhetoric from certain public officials and pundits. OutFront has offered anti-bias training to schools since 2014.

“We know that a safe and supportive environment can mean the world to students and fundamentally change their school experience,” Meyer said. “Bringing Kelly Holstine on staff to continue that work is the next step in building the best possible school environments for all of Minnesota’s youth, including, and especially, our LGBTQ students.”

Monica Meyer, OutFront Minnesota

“We know that a safe and supportive environment can mean the world to students and fundamentally change their school experience,” Meyer said. “Bringing Kelly Holstine on staff to continue that work is the next step in building the best possible school environments for all of Minnesota’s youth, including, and especially, our LGBTQ students.”

Holstine, who resigned from her job in the Shakopee Public Schools as an English Teacher at Tokata Learning Center, said she plans on using her years of experience and training to help MN educators decrease inequity and increase inclusivity in their classrooms and schools. She will provide support, teach concrete strategies, facilitate self-reflection, and assist with policy changes. Her goal is to work with other folks across the state in order to decrease the staggering Educational Equity Gap in MN. 

“As the Director of Educational Equity at OutFront Minnesota, I am excited to work with Minnesota’s educators, youth program staff members, advocates, and policymakers to support and create school environments that cause humans to feel safe, respected and valued,” Holstine said. “OutFront’s Educational Equity Program will work with all the key stakeholders in order to help districts become more inclusive and supportive of LGBTQ people.”

Kelly D. Holstine, Outfront Minnesota

“As the Director of Educational Equity at OutFront Minnesota, I am excited to work with Minnesota’s educators, youth program staff members, advocates, and policymakers to support and create school environments that cause humans to feel safe, respected and valued,” Holstine said. “OutFront’s Educational Equity Program will work with all the key stakeholders in order to help districts become more inclusive and supportive of LGBTQ people.”

Holstine is a gender nonconforming lesbian and an extraordinary educator. OutFront decided she was the right person to expand the group’s program, especially now when lesbian, gay and bisexual students are 5 times as likely commit suicide than heterosexual youth (CDC, 2016) and when knowing that a 2019 study by the CDC found nearly 35% of the trans students surveyed had attempted suicide in the previous year. 

Trainings can be scheduled by contacting Kelly by email: kdholstine@outfront.org or by phone:  612.767.7658. 

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OutFront Minnesota’s mission is to create a state where lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer people are free to be who they are, love who they love, and live without fear of violence, harassment or discrimination. For more than 30 years we have led the way toward LGBTQ equity.