Today I'm sharing with you an experience I had earlier this week when I went back to my hometown in rural Wisconsin to speak at the school board meeting where they were holding a public hearing to determine if they were going to "allow" the creation of a GSA - which they called the Pride/Ally Club!

In the episode I'm going to share with you my thought process in deciding to go back and speak, the emotional roller coaster that is being fully authentic in a place where I learned to protect myself at all costs, and the power of a collective effort to advocate for what is right in a community where I never thought I'd see a day that I'd stand up, at a microphone, and share my true self.

Watch the recording of the meeting here: https://youtu.be/C5Q7tSg39ZQ

Notable timestamps:
3:40 - Opening the Public Hearing re: club creation

5:30 - Proposed club advisor shares a student-created presentation re: Pride/Ally Club

13:00 - Floor is opened for public comment (Warning: many of the public comments cite religious texts, weaponize the bible, and include inflammatory statements. There are also several references to suicide throughout. Please take care of yourself.)

31:30 - I speak. There are SEVERAL folks who spoke in favor throughout - almost too many to list!

2:14:45 - Board Discussion and vote on creation of Pride/Ally club

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