Hunger Games star Josh Hutcherson and the founder of the Straight But Not Narrow campaign, Avan Jogia, meet with Gay-Straight Alliance Network members to discuss the importance of straight allies.

The founder of a network that provides support for gay students and the founders of two effective nonprofits that provide hope and training for at-risk youths in Oakland and Santa Clara County are among the five winners of this year’s James Irvine Foundation Leadership Awards.

Middle school was tougher on Taylor Kennepohl than it was on most.

Even before eighth grade, when she realized she was gay, she endured a barrage of anti-gay insults. They called her a litany of derogatory names meant to sting. It made her feel like a freak.

Today marked the first annual National Gay-Straight Alliance Day, and several of the groups across the country heard from Sen. Al Franken on his anti-discrimination bill's prospects of passing through Congress and bringing change to their schools.