GLSEN Statement on Betsy DeVos’s Nomination as U.S. Secretary of Education
NEW YORK (November 23, 2016) – GLSEN Executive Director Eliza Byard released the following statement in response to the announcement that President-elect Donald Trump intends to nominate Betsy DeVos for U.S. Secretary of Education. DeVos is a prominent philanthropist and one of the primary advocates of “school choice” initiatives centered on vouchers and tax credits. DeVos and her family also have a long history of funding right-wing Christian advocacy groups, including Focus on the Family, the Family Research Council and Alliance Defending Freedom.
“We are deeply concerned by the nomination of Betsy DeVos for U.S. Secretary of Education. GLSEN is committed to the principle that all students have a right to high-quality public education free from discrimination. DeVos’s record of advocacy for vouchers and tuition tax credits represents a rejection of that principle. We have seen time and time again that so-called “school choice” undercuts civil-rights enforcement and drains public education systems of desperately needed funds. True educational equity requires schools that serve the most at-risk students, including students of color; students with disabilities; lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and/or questioning (LGBTQ) students; and English-language learners. Vouchers and tuition tax credits do not advance this cause.
“As we have seen over the past eight years, federal civil rights oversight of education is essential to ensure that all students in this country have real access to opportunity. There is so much to be celebrated in the civil rights gains made during the Obama Administration. As a nation, we must build on that legacy. Over the years, people of good will across the political spectrum have been able to come together to promote the success of all students, and we call upon DeVos to join us in moving forward.”
About GLSEN
GLSEN champions safe and affirming schools for all students. We envision a world in which every child learns to respect and accept all people, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity/expression. Each year, GLSEN programs and resources reach tens of thousands of K-12 schools across the United States, and our network of chapters brings GLSEN’s expertise to their local communities. GLSEN's progress and impact have won support for our work at all levels of education in the United States and sparked an international movement to ensure equality for LGBTQ students and respect for all in schools. For more information on GLSEN’s policy advocacy, student leadership initiatives, public education, research and educator training programs, please visit glsen.org.
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UTAH SENATE ANNOUNCES NEW COMMITTEE POSTS
Senator Lyle Hillyard ends twelve-year service as Executive Appropriations Chair. Senators Stevenson, Van Tassell, and Henderson appointed to top leadership spots
Salt Lake City – Today, Utah Senate President Wayne Niederhauser announced new committee assignments and other leadership appointments for the Utah Senate. Senator Lyle Hillyard was recognized for twelve years of incredible service as Senate Chair of the Executive Appropriations Committee. He will now chair the Public Education Appropriations Committee. Senator Jerry Stevenson will be the new Executive Appropriations chair, with Senator Kevin Van Tassell serving as vice chair. Senator Deidre Henderson will chair the Senate Rules Committee.
The full list of new assignments is available at http://senatesite.com/utahsenate/senate-chairmanships-announced/ . These two-year assignments will begin January 1st, 2017.
Senate President Wayne Niederhauser made the following statement, regarding the outgoing chair of Executive Appropriations:
As the senate appropriations chair, Lyle Hillyard is one of the heroes of the last twelve years. Through good times and bad, he developed budgets that were balanced and conservative, without significant debt. He advocated for small, efficient government. He prepared for downturns when the economy was good, and cut carefully when times were rough. Lyle was always well-informed, good humored and independent. He was beholden to no one but the people of his district and the State of Utah. We look forward to his continuing service.
I hope Utahns understand that when our state is recognized for being well-managed and economically strong, part of that credit is due to the quiet service of Lyle Hillyard.
Senator Lyle Hillyard also issued a statement.
It was a privilege to serve as the Senate Executive Appropriations Committee chair. We have seen rich surpluses when we struggled to know how to best allocate all of the money, and severe downturns when we struggled to know where to cut. I appreciate the tireless service of Jonathan Ball and our Fiscal Analyst’s Office as well as the different Governors and all the staff with whom we have collaborated. Though we occasionally found ourselves on opposing sides, we were generally able to resolve those in the best interest of the state of Utah. I also want to recognize my colleagues. Every senator - both Republican and Democrat - contributes significantly and deserves credit for our budget successes.
Change is rarely easy, but the timing is great for my family. I look forward to focusing in on the public education budget, and feel gratitude for the honor and responsibility I had to serve as Executive Appropriations Chair.
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Melbourne, FL - November 28, 2016 - In honor of Giving Tuesday (November 29th), To Write Love on Her Arms (TWLOHA) has launched its brand new "#into17" campaign. The month-long giving campaign aims to raise $100,000 by midnight on December 31st, which will help TWLOHA share a message of hope with more people than ever before in the new year. To participate, join the conversation using #into17 or donate to the Classy fundraising page.
On the campaign's homepage, TWLOHA lists some ways the organization wanted to broaden its reach in the next year:
"We want to meet 2 million people with the message of hope and help at 150 events and festivals across the country.
We want to help grow our University Chapters program and develop a high school program to equip the students to challenge the stigma of mental health.
We want to support hundreds of people's journey of treatment and recovery and connect thousands to local mental health resources.
We want to continue sharing stories of hope through our online presence.
With your support, we will be able to meet these needs in 2017.
To Write Love on Her Arms is a nonprofit dedicated to presenting hope and finding help for people struggling with depression, addiction, self-injury, and suicide. TWLOHA exists to encourage, inform, inspire, and also to invest directly into treatment and recovery. Since its start in 2006, TWLOHA has donated over $1.8 million directly into treatment and recovery and answered over 200,000 emails from over 100 countries. For more information, please visit: www.twloha.com
Over the past ten years, TWLOHA has been heralded by press and seen on NBC Nightly News, CBS Sunday Morning, MSNBC, Rolling Stone, Paste Magazine, Relix, US Magazine, Glamour, Yahoo!, The Huffington Post, The Chronicle of Philanthropy, NYLON Guys, MTV, Elle, NPR, and so many more. The organization has seen support from numerous celebrities including actress Jessica Chastain, actor Jared Padalecki, Miley Cyrus, Liv Tyler, Joaquin Phoenix, actress Sophia Bush, singer/songwriter Mat Kearney, USA soccer stars Alex Morgan, Ashlyn Harris and Ali Krieger, singer/songwriter Christina Perri, rock band Switchfoot, pop rock act The Summer Set, Hayley Williams (Paramore), among others.
This past September, TWLOHA wrapped its 5th annual campaign to honor National Suicide Prevention Week and World Suicide Prevention Day. The organization was overwhelmed by the amount of love and support shown during this year's campaign, titled "And So I Kept Living,"which, thanks to the help of supporters all over the world, raised more than $98K for treatment and counseling.
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HSU dog serves as Subaru Love Promise ambassador, needs votes to name
Mark Miller Subaru adopts dog from the Humane Society of Utah
Mark Miller Subaru is a proud supporter of the Humane Society of Utah (HSU) and recently adopted a 10-month-old labradoodle from the HSU adoption center located at 4242 S 300 W in Murray, Utah. The dog will serve as a Subaru Love Promise ambassador and is being trained as a certified therapy animal to offer comfort and joy to employees and customers at both Mark Miller Subaru Midtown and South Towne locations Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. An online campaign launched Monday, Nov. 28, to vote on a name for the dog and raise donations for the HSU.
“It’s an honor for one of our shelter dogs to serve as a Subaru Love Promise ambassador,” said Jenny Castro-Conde, HSU corporate sponsorship manager. “We hope he encourages others to adopt and make their promise to love a furry companion.”
The dog will make an appearance at HSU Tuesday, Nov. 29, at 2 p.m. to encourage naming votes from the community. Individuals may vote on the name they like best by visiting https://squareup.com/store/mark-miller-subaru and donating one dollar per vote. All
proceeds made from voting will be donated to the Humane Society of Utah.
“We are beyond excited to welcome the newest addition to our dealership family,” said Jeff Miller, Mark Miller Subaru general manager. “His adoption reinforces our commitment and support of the Humane Society of Utah. Furthermore, his adoption reinforces the national Subaru value of embracing and loving pets. We love our new labradoodle and are certain that he will bring comfort and joy to all those he encounters.”
The Subaru Love Promise dog adoption sets an example of how community partnerships between organizations can work toward making a positive and lasting impact on the world.
For more information about adopting from HSU, visit www.utahhumane.org.
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100 THINGS TO DO IN SALT LAKE CITY BEFORE YOU DIE HOLDS ALL OF SALT LAKE CITY’S BEST HOLIDAY AND WINTER ACTIVITIES
ST. LOUIS, MO– Whether it is singing, shopping, or skiing that you are after, 100 Things to Do in Salt Lake City Before You Die has you covered this upcoming winter season. Use the carefully curated “Activities by Season” section in the back of the book, selected by author and local Jeremy Pugh to get the most out of your Salt Lake City winter experience. This pocket-sized guide makes for a great gift for both locals and tourists; your loved ones will never run out of things to do! Below are some winter and holiday specific activities straight from the book itself:
Jeremy Pugh is a writer living in Salt Lake City who, in one way or another, has been writing about culture, history and the outdoors in Salt Lake City for more than a decade. Formerly the editor of Salt Lake magazine, Pugh is a freelancer and consultant writing for SKI, Sunset and Salt Lake magazines. A lifelong Utahn, Jeremy travels widely but always loves returning home to the mountains where he bikes, hikes, and skis as much as is humanly possible. He invites you to share your SLC experiences on Twitter at @100ThingsSLC.
Jeremy Pugh
801-673-5190
saltlakeeditor@gmail.com
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Call for Entries announced
for 2017 Gabriel Awards
The call is out for media that nourishes the human spirit. The 2017 Gabriel Awards has announced its Call for Entries for film, network, cable television, radio and social media that uplifts and inspires. The deadline is Friday, Jan. 20, 2017 for programs that were released via broadcast, internet or a theatrical release between Jan. 1 and Dec. 31, 2016.
The Gabriel Awards, sponsored by the Catholic Academy of Communication Professionals, now is including categories for internet and social media entries. These important programs receive recognition amongst peers in the industry.
Over the past 52 years, the Gabriel Awards has established itself as a premier program for honoring excellence in media that is uplifting and inspiring. The goal is to recognize the best in creativity and programming that reflect a value-centered vision of humankind and reporting with a clear and positive treatment of issues.
Each year, categories include film, radio, television with subcategories covering documentary, arts, entertainment, news and community awareness. Special awards are given to Radio and Television Stations of the Year in the categories of Commercial/Public and Religious, demonstrating outstanding achievement in overall efforts.
New media has been added to the annual lineup, which includes video, blogs, Facebook, Twitter as well as a New Media Campaign of the Year award. Members will share their interactive campaigns and provide an overview of results in an effort to achieve this new Gabriel Award.
The deadline for entries in the 2017 Gabriel Awards is Friday, Jan. 20. To be eligible, a program must have been broadcast, traditional or internet, had its theatrical release or been posted or streamed on the internet between Jan. 1 and Dec. 31, 2016.
Entry details and form can be found at www.GabrielAwards.com. The entry fee is $175 for all categories, which include religious, ecumenical or interreligious, arts and entertainment, news and informational, and to children’s program. Some categories are also broken down according to national or local distribution.
The Catholic Academy of Communication Professionals (CACP) is a professional organization of communication professionals supporting the mission and ministry of the Catholic Church in the United States. CACP is sanctioned by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.
CACP is the official and primary organization for diocesan Directors of Communication and communication professionals involved in the many ministries, offices, dioceses, archdioceses, religious orders and organizations serving the Catholic Church.
For more information, go to www.catholicacademy.org.
