In Charlotte on April 7: Campus Pride & Time Out Youth present "Believe in Youth" with Zach Wahls |

Campus Pride & Time Out Youth present ‘Believe in Youth’ annual speaker series on April 7 with young adult marriage equality advocate Zach Wahls

2011 “Top Political Video” YouTube sensation and author of “My Two Moms” to speak in Charlotte, empower LGBT and ally young people to action and change

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Campus Pride and Time Out Youth have partnered to present their third annual “Believe in Youth Awareness Event” with national young adult leader and marriage equality advocate Zach Wahls. The event, free and open to the public, will be held on Saturday, April 7, 2012, at 5 p.m. at the Wells Fargo Auditorium at Knight Theatre at Levine Center for the Arts, 430 S. Tryon St.

Zach Wahls to receive national award at annual Camp Pride
Zach Wahls is also scheduled to keynote at Camp Pride, Campus Pride’s Summer Leadership Program slated for July 17-22 at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tenn., where he will receive Campus Pride’s honorary National Voice & Action Leadership Award. Camp Pride is a one-of-kind leadership experience that brings together over 60 LGBT and allied young people from across the country for five days of student leadership development, campus organizing techniques, conflict management, social justice advocacy, diversity education and more. It is featured in the upcoming documentary, “Legalize Gay: The Civil Rights Movement of a Generation,” and will air nationally in May on the LGBT TV network Logo. Click here for more info on Zach Wahl's award and how to register for Camp...

Zach Wahls, 20, is known as “that kid from YouTube with two moms.” His passionate testimony before the Iowa General Assembly against a proposed anti-LGBT constitutional amendment was the number one YouTube “Political Video” of 2011. Today, Wahls continues his national advocacy by speaking in favor of marriage equality and comes to North Carolina one month prior to the statewide vote on the anti-LGBT constitutional amendment, Amendment One. His book, “My Two Moms: Lessons of Love, Strength, and What Makes a Family” (Gotham Books), is due to be released on April 26, 2012.

“Zach’s amazing conviction in standing up for the rights of his family has been an inspiration to LGBT young people, families and straight allies across this nation,” said Campus Pride Executive Director Shane Windmeyer. “At a time when the national debate on marriage equality for same-sex couples continues to be used as a political football, Zach’s simple message of love, honor and commitment reminds each of us what a family is really about and acts to empower young people across the nation to stand up for what they believe is right and true.”

Time Out Youth Executive Director Rodney Tucker added, “Zach represents a new generation of Americans who willing to step up for their LGBT families, friends and peers. Developing strong allies like Zach is important to our mission. Zach is an excellent example of how our straight allies can represent the LGBT community and lead in the fight for equality.”

Campus Pride’s and Time Out Youth’s “Believe in Youth” has previously hosted national equality advocate Judy Shepard, mother of 1998 hate crime victim Matthew Shepard, and Mitchell Gold, a North Carolina furniture maker, national LGBT advocate and philanthropist.

The April 7 event is free and open to the public. Donations are encouraged; proceeds with benefit the Charlotte-based Campus Pride, the nation’s leading nonprofit for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender (LGBT) and ally college student leaders, and Time Out Youth, Charlotte’s local support, advocacy and education organization for LGBT youth ages 13-23.