• Actively participate in your school’s gay/straight alliance.
  • Educate yourself by reading LGBT books, magazines like The Advocate or the Gay Alliance’s newspaper The Empty Closet.
  • Attend the Empire State Pride Agenda Annual Spring Dinner in May.
  • Make yourself visible as an ally. Knowing allies are present on campus makes LGBT people feel safer, more welcome and more positive about their school environment. Decorate your office, car, self with stickers, buttons, pins, etc. Go to a Safe Zone
  • Training and put a Safe Zone sticker on your door.
  • Be part of the excitement on Equality and Justice Day in Albany in the end of April or early May. Lobby, rally, and meet new friends. Buses are organized through the Gay Alliance. (www.gayalliance.org)
  • Make a donation to the Gay Alliance. Donate $30 or more and you will receive The Empty Closet monthly newspaper in the mail, with information on LGBT news and local LGBT events. (www.gayalliance.org)
  • Be loud and proud at the Rochester Pride Parade, Festival and Picnic in mid-July. (www.gayalliance.org)
  • Go to the ImageOut Film festival in mid-October. (www.imageout.org) ImageOut hosts the largest LGBT film festival in New York State outside of the New York City area.
  • Get a team together to march in the AIDS Walk/Run (https://www.trilliumhealth.org) or support a rider in the Gay Alliance’s annual bike ride fundraiser Ride For Pride (www.gayalliance.org).
  • Vote for politicians who are pro-equality! Write to them and tell them what you think.
  • Become a volunteer member of the Gay Alliance Speakers Bureau, a chaperone for Gay Alliance Youth Program events, like the
  • Big Gay Prom or a general volunteer at Gay Alliance events like Rochester Pride! It’s a great way to get involved and meet new people! Contact Jeanne at jeanneg@gayalliance.org or (585) 244-8640 ext. 14.
  • Let people know that homophobia and transphobia in any form are not cool! Promote respect for all people by speaking up and sharing your opinion.