Every year, GSA Network hosts GAYLA, the GSA Advocacy & Youth Leadership Academy. GAYLA is a three-day intensive training in the legislative process, policy and administrative advocacy, media activism, and other important leadership skills. 

Students trained at GAYLA fight to protect and advance the rights of LGBTQ students and allies. GAYLA culminates in Queer Youth Advocacy Day, where students use their new skills to educate and engage lawmakers at the State Capitol in Sacramento.

This year, GAYLA will take place on April 26-28, 2013.

QYAD will take place on Monday, April 29, 2013.

GAYLA applications have now closed. We will be accepting participants on a rolling basis, and will notify all applicants by March 22nd.

About GAYLA

To attend GAYLA, students must apply and be accepted. Applications are now closed.

GSA Network will review applications on a rolling basis, and will notify applicants about whether or not they're accepted over the course of the next three weeks. All decisions will be made by March 22nd.

Who should apply?

• Youth (age 18 and under) who are interested in making their schools safer for LGBT students should apply.
• You must attend a California middle school or high school.
• We are especially looking for students who are high school juniors or younger, since GAYLA youth often work on a campaign that continues into the next school year.
• Middle school students can also apply.
• Youth of color, low-income youth, and transgender and gender non-conforming youth are strongly encouraged to apply.

If you have any questions, please email Yvonna at yvonna@gsanetwork.org.

GAYLA 2013 is organized and sponsored by:

Special thanks to the following individuals and organizations for their financial contributions:

and Members & Staff of the California Legislative Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Caucus:

Speaker John A. Pérez   
Senator Mark Leno
Assemblymember Bonnie Lowenthal   
Assemblymember Rich Gordon
Assemblymember Toni Atkins   
Assemblymember Tom Ammiano
Assemblymember Ricardo Lara    
Assemblymember Susan Eggman

and

Assemblymember Mariko Yamada
Assemblymember Cristina Garcia
PFLAG San Ramon Valley
PFLAG Oakland-East Bay
PFLAG Sacramento
Gay Central Valley
Soroptimist International of Auburn

Thanks to the following organizations for their in-kind donations:
Food Not Bombs-Sacramento, Mr. Pickle, Costco, 524 Restaurant

After GAYLA

After being a leader at GAYLA, students are encouraged to continue advocating for LGBTQ youth in schools by:

• Training members of your GSA in advocacy skills.
• Serving as a media spokesperson in your region on GSA, safer schools, and LGBTQ youth issues.
• Making follow-up calls or visits with your lawmakers.
• Joining the GSA Network’s Statewide Advocacy Council.
• Organizing & participating in a campaign during the following school year to advocate for full implementation of the gender identity non-discrimination law in California schools, which may include visits with lawmakers and education officials, rallies, letter-writing campaigns, and speak-outs in your area.

Past Events  

GAYLA 2012 was held on April 29-May 1 in Sacramento.

Read the blog from QYAD/GAYLA 2012.

GAYLA 2011 was held on April 1-4, 2011 in Sacramento.

Read the blog from QYAD/GAYLA 2011.

GAYLA 2010 was held on April 23-26, 2010 in Sacramento.

Read the blog from QYAD/GAYLA 2010.

See quotes and photos from previous years below.