Update (March 20, 9:25 a.m. EDT): You can watch the White House conference today live via the White House's website starting at 9:30 a.m. EDT. Tune in here...

The White House is hosting its third LGBT Conference today at the University of Texas-Arlington. The event will feature U.S. Attorney General Eric H. Holder Jr. and White House Senior Advisor Valerie B. Jarrett and focus on safe schools and communities.

From Dallas Voice:

The next White House LGBT Conference will be at the University of Texas at Arlington on March 20 and will focus on safe schools and communities, according to an announcement from the White House this afternoon.

The event is the third conference in a series of several the White House launched in February. It will be hosted by the U.S. Department of Justice in partnership with UTA’s College of Liberal Arts Department of Criminology and Criminal Justice and the College of Education and Health Professions.

U.S. Attorney General Eric H. Holder Jr. and Valerie B. Jarrett, senior advisor to the president, will speak at the event, according to a White House release.

“The White House LGBT Conference on Safe Schools & Communities will provide advocates, community leaders, and members of the public an opportunity to engage with the Obama Administration on efforts to ensure safety and security for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people in schools and communities throughout the country,” the release states.

Read Dallas Voice's full article here, and be sure to follow them (@dallasvoice) and the #WHLGBT hashtag on Twitter for live updates throughout the day.

In preparation for the event, two national organizations have released supporting material to the public.

The National Center for Transgender Equality (NCTE) released a preview of its Safe and Supportive Schools chapter from its upcoming publication, "A Blueprint for Equality: A Federal Agenda for Transgender People." Read more about the release and download the chapter here.

Additionally, the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) released an issues brief detailing the work of the Obama Administration on safe schools issues and some of the work HRC has been doing to aid in the process of creating safer schools.

Campus Pride congratulates those who will be participating in the conference today and thanks President Barack Obama and his administration for their continued efforts to raise awareness on issues important to the health and needs of the LGBT community and, in particular of LGBT young people. Healthy schools and learning environments-- from primary and secondary education to higher education -- are crucial to the well-being of LGBT youth.

Tovah Leibowitz
New York University
Class of 2012
Program of Study: Double Major: Gender & Sexuality Studies and Filmmaking
Intended profession: Film Editor & Gender Sexuality Professor

“I am deeply honored, but more importantly, I feel privileged to live and work alongside the thousands of students committed to projects of social justice, community organizing, and campus activism. Students are powerful agents of change and organizations like Campus Pride and the V&A National Leadership Award continue to strengthen us by recognizing and supplementing youth action. The work I do at NYU is never just my own, but a result of the relentless collective effort of dedicated students, administrators, and professors. This award not only celebrates the work we've accomplished together, but further unites and empowers us to face the challenges still ahead." ~ Tovah Leibowitz

Marco Antonio Flores
University of California, Berkeley
Class of 2012
Program of Study: Gender & Women’s Studies, LGBT Studies
Intended profession: University Professor

“I am honored to receive the Campus Pride Voice & Action National Leadership Award. After receiving the award notification my immediate response was to contact my recommenders and share the wonderful news with them. I continue to be inspired by many community activists and scholars before me who have been able to create spaces of advocacy for social justice at UC Berkeley. Estoy lleno de alegría to receive this award and share it with those who continue to move me.” ~ Marco Antonio Flores

Jacob Tobia
Duke University
Class of 2014
Program of Study: Human Rights Advocacy and Leadership
Intended profession: International Human Rights Researcher/Advocate

"I'm ecstatic to be presented with the National Voice and Action Leadership Award. It is such an honor to be included in a long legacy of passionate LGBTQ activists who are committed to making change on their campuses. Undoubtedly, the award and the opportunity to work with OUTmedia that the award represents will help me to be a more effective activist on my campus. I'm planning on bringing an OUTmedia performer to Duke for a get-out-the-vote rally against an amendment that will define marriage as between one man and one woman in the constitution of my home state of North Carolina. Thank you Campus Pride!" ~ Jacob Tobia

Active in LGBT grassroots activism and education efforts since high school, Jacob currently serves as the director of LGBTQ policy and affairs in the Duke University Student Government. He also serves as president of Duke Students for Gender-Neutrality, is a member of the Duke LGBT Task Force and serves as outreach chair for Blue Devils United, the undergraduate LGBT student group.

Jacob has also been active organizing his campus against the impending May 8, 2012, vote on an anti-LGBT constitutional amendment that would ban recognition of marriages, civil unions, domestic partnerships and other benefits for same-sex couples and unmarried opposite-sex couples.

HUFFINGTON POST
GAY VOICES
Shane L. Windmeyer, Executive Director, Campus Pride

I commend the LGBT and ally students at both Pepperdine University and University of Notre Dame for not giving up, despite the challenges posed by administrators. Faith empowers us to believe in something greater than ourselves. Your faith is strong and, on behalf of Campus Pride, I thank you for your courage and leadership.

Pepperdine University, University of Notre Dame, and other private, religiously affiliated colleges need to do the right thing. All students deserve support and safety at college. It is time to recognize your LGBT students as part of your faith community.

READ THE FULL ARTICLE ONLINE
GAY VOICES -- HUFFINGTON POST

Shane L. Windmeyer, the Founder and Executive Director of Campus Pride, will now be a national blogger for the Huffington Post Gay Voices. The new section of the site was launched this past year and is dedicated to the diverse voices of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community.

"Campus Pride believes in the role media plays in shaping the lives of young people. Our mission is to give 'voice' and 'action' to LGBT and ally young adults. My hope is that my blog posts with the Huffington Post will help to do this by highlighting issues impacting our LGBT youth communities," Windmeyer said. "I want our movement to commit to LGBT youth and see the valuable work that Campus Pride does for future leaders."

The Huffington Post was founded by Arianna Huffington in May 2005, and launched a few days later on May 9. The Huffington Post has an active community, with over one million comments made on the site each month.

In 2011 the staff of Campus Pride decided that another level of recognition was to be added to the National Voice & Action Leadership Award. The staff felt that there were too many amazing student leaders creating positive change on their respective campuses to only give recognition to the final recipients of the ward. This was the main reason the Top 12 Leaders in Action recognition was created. This year was another example of just that! All of the committee members agree that the applicants who applied and the work they have done is the very reason Campus Pride developed this national honor. These students are on the front lines of the movement creating positive change every day. We should be proud and thankful of all the work they do.

Just before the New Year, Campus Pride finished its review and selected the Top 12 Leaders in Action. These 12 students will also be forwarded on to the final review process. This final review process will result in the selection of the National Voice & Action Award Recipient(s).

Now please let us introduce you to the Top 12 Leaders in Action (listed in alphabetical order by first name); Ande Stone – University of Georgia, Anthony Wagner – University of Michigan-Dearborn, Derrick Clifton – Northwestern University, Eric Highers – Albion College, Giovanni Correale – Florida International University, Jacob Tobia – Duke University, Julie Champion – Georgia Tech, Kevin Claybren – University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Ky Kubitz – University of Oregon, Marco Flores – University of California-Berkeley, Matthew Troy – Greensboro College, Tovah Leibowitz – New York University.

Learn more about these Top 12 Leaders after the jump!

REGISTER NOW
UPCOMING CAMPUS PRIDE WEBINAR
REGISTER NOW -- http://cplookingbeyond.eventbrite.com/

Wednesday, November 16, 2011
Looking Beyond Transgender Day of Remembrance: Educating Campus Communities about the Lives of Transgender People

Moderator: Shane Windmeyer, Campus Pride

Guest Presenters: Genny Beemyn, Ph.D, Director, The Stonewall Center, UMass Amherst & Nancy Jean Tubbs, Director, LGBT Resource Center, University of California, Riverside

3 p.m. EST - $95 per site includes web recording

Description: Although transgender and gender nonconforming people have become more visible on college campuses and in the media and popular culture over the last decade, many cisgender (non-transgender) faculty, staff, and students lack even a basic understanding of the lives of transgender individuals. Clearly work must be done to educate campus communities. This webinar will focus on how institutions can implement a campus-wide transgender ally training program or offer transgender ally training sessions for specific departments and offices. The presenters, who have extensive experience conducting transgender-focused trainings and presentations on college campuses, will discuss their strategies for educating different audiences and share the handouts and exercises that they use in different training sessions.

Participants will gain knowledge on:

DEADLINE EXTENDED UNTIL DECEMBER 5, 2011
APPLY NOW

More info online at www.CampusPride.org/VoiceandAction

National award recognizes outstanding contributions of college student leaders across the country; Application process closes on December 5, 2011

CHARLOTTE, NC; November 10, 2011 – Today Campus Pride (www.campuspride.org) is reminding everyone that there is still time left to submit applications for the Voice & Action National Leadership Award, an honorary recognition highlighting the extraordinary contributions of young adult leaders at colleges and universities across the United States. For the fourth year, the national award is the only one nationally focused on the work of undergraduate college students who are creating positive change for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender (LGBT) and ally issues. The application process closes on Monday, December 5, 2011.

“Young adults have always been a force locally in communities and on college campuses creating systemic, long term change -- but seldom are they recognized for their efforts nationally,” said Shane Windmeyer, Executive Director of Campus Pride. “The Voice & Action Award gives ongoing visible national recognition where it has long been overdue.”

Shane Windmeyer, LGBT activist and co-founder of Campus Pride, came on the show to discuss a variety of LGBT issues that impact students on college and university campuses.

Topics for the show included: ROTC on campus as it relates to DADT, Lady Gaga and university administrators, roommate matching and campus housing, the It Gets Better project, NC State and free speech, and some of Campus Pride’s initiatives. Overall, it was an info-packed episode of Student Affairs Live!

Go to http://higheredlive.com/tag/campus-pride/