Name: Denisse Marie Echevarría Silva
Age: 23
Mayor: Mechanical Engineering
Briefly, explain what the Gay-Straight alliance project pursues:
Denisse: The Gay-Straight Alliance (GSA) seeks to create a safe environment in schools for students to support each other and learn about homophobia, transphobia, and other oppressions. It also educates the school community about homophobia, transphobia, gender identity, and sexual orientation issues, and fight discrimination, harassment, and violence in schools.
What makes it different from other pro LGBTT rights organization?
Denisse: The Gay-Straight Alliance is different from other pro LGBTT rights organization at the base that inspired it’s foundation. To assure a stable and student-led resource, we founded the next LGBTTQA+ as an alliance that has a national base in the United States.
What motivated you to create GSA?
Denisse: Before the GSA, there have been other official and non-official groups that stood for the LGBTTAQ+ community. These groups however disbanded or met sporadically. I, as a student that identifies and feels strongly for the cause, believe that an organization that represents this sector of the community is needed to provide safe and educational spaces.
What is the main contribution of GSA to the academic community?
Denisse: The main contribution to the academic community is providing a broader perspective on human gender identity and sexual orientation. making sure that people understand what’s an Ally, non-binary genders and non-heteronormativity sexual orientations; which perpetuates the acceptance of other identities and sexual orientation on our actual and future society.
How has this organization contributed to your personal life?
Denisse: As founder and 2-year-term president, I have been exposed to situations where I have to develop my leadership, organizational, and communication skills. During the process of raising this project from scratch, I have learned further about sexuality, gender, and legal representation. Dealing with people is a challenge, and being able to keep going and finally gaining recognition from the GSA Network in California is proof that during this experience we are growing as citizens while pushing the cause forward in our country.
What GSA’s approach on self-confidence?
Denisse: The Gay-Straight Alliance serves as a vehicle to make people comfortable and proud in the process of talking and acting about LGBTTIQA+ and Allies issues, life experience and movements. It provides a public space for expression and defending ideas that boosts the teaching, and further acceptance, of non-binary genders and sexual orientations different than heterosexual.