- NOW A LOOK AHEAD TO THIS WEEKEND AND A STATEWIDE AWARD
CEREMONY FOR STUDENTS ACTIVE IN THEIR HIGH SCHOOL GAY-STRAIGHT
ALLIANCE ORGANIZATION.
GSAFE IS THE STATE SERVICE ORGANIZATION THAT SUPPORTS
STUDENTS, TEACHERS AND FAMILIES ON MATTERS RELATED TO LGBTQ
ISSUES IN SCHOOLS AND BEYOND.
EACH YEAR SELECTED STUDENTS WHO FURTHER THAT MISSION ARE HONORED
FOR THEIR WORK AT A BANQUET FOR EDUCATORS AND YOUTH FROM AROUND
THE STATE.
THE AWARDS DINNER IS TOMORROW NIGHT.
OUR NEXT GUEST IS A GREEN BAY SOUTHWEST HIGH SCHOOL SENIOR WHO
IS ONE OF THE 2018 SCHOLARSHIP WINNERS.
MERCEDES DANFORTH-HERNANDEZ WILL BE RECOGNIZED FOR HER WORK
EXPANDING HER SCHOOL'S GAY-STRAIGHT EFFORTS FOR ALL
STUDENTS, INCLUDING ONEIDA TRIBAL TEEN MEMBERS.
MERCEDES JOINS US NOW FROM GREEN BAY.
THANKS VERY MUCH FOR BEING HERE.
- THANKS. I'M GLAD TO BE HERE.
- WE WANTED TO SAY CONGRATULATIONS.
AS WE JUST MENTIONED, YOUR WORK AT SOUTHWEST HIGH HAS INCREASED
THE SIZE OF THE SCHOOL'S MEMBERSHIP IN YOUR GAY-STRAIGHT
ALLIANCE CHAPTER.
HOW DID YOU GO ABOUT THAT?
- WITH THAT, WE STARTED OUT VERY SMALL BECAUSE WE WEREN'T
REALLY USED TO EACH OTHER, BUT AS WE CONTINUED WORKING AND
SOCIALIZING AND GETTING TO KNOW EACH OTHER,
WE EVENTUALLY ALL BECAME LIKE PRETTY GOOD FRIENDS.
AND WITH THAT, THEY INVITED THEIR FRIENDS AND THE
INCLUSIVITY JUST DROPPED AND WE ALL STARTED TO GET TO KNOW EACH
OTHER AND ACCEPT EACH OTHER.
AND I THINK WITH THAT, WE WERE ALL SUPER ENCOURAGED TO LIKE
GROW TOGETHER.
AND SO YEAH.
- YOU'VE ALSO WORKED TO EXPAND YOUR SCHOOL'S GAY-STRAIGHT
MEMBERSHIP TO INCLUDE ONEIDA TRIBAL MEMBERS.
YOU YOURSELF ARE ONEIDA.
HOW ARE CHALLENGES FOR YOUNG INDIAN LGBTQ PEOPLE DIFFERENT
FROM NONNATIVE YOUTH?
- I THINK FOR NATIVE YOUTH, WE SUFFER FROM A LOT OF
UNDERREPRESENTATION, ESPECIALLY IN THE MEDIA.
SO WITH THAT, WE ARE KIND OF CONFINED TO OURSELVES IF WE LIVE
ON OR OFF THE RESERVATION.
AND I THINK ESPECIALLY IN A SCHOOL ESTABLISHMENT,
THERE ISN'T A LOT TO RELATE TO OR SEEK OTHERS WHO MAY BE LGBT
OR JUST AN ALLY.
AND SO I THINK THAT WITH EXPANDING ON ADVOCATION,
ESPECIALLY FOR OTHER NATIVE YOUTH,
THAT LIKE TO SEEK OTHERS AND TRULY UNDERSTAND WHAT IT IS TO
BE YOURSELF AND TO ACCEPT YOURSELF AND NOT JUST TOLERATE I
THINK, YOU KNOW, WE EVEN GOT TO DO MORE THAN WE THOUGHT WE
WOULD.
- WHAT DO YOU SAY TO A YOUNG PERSON WHO MIGHT BE WATCHING
THIS TONIGHT WHO'S AFRAID TO COME OUT?
- I THINK THAT NO MATTER WHAT, NO MATTER WHAT YOU THINK OF
YOURSELF OR WHAT OTHERS THINK OF YOU,
YOU ARE STILL HUMAN AND THERE ARE OTHERS LIKE YOU AND THERE'S
OTHERS GOING THROUGH EXACTLY WHAT YOU'RE GOING THROUGH.
AND EVEN THOUGH YOU FEEL MISUNDERSTOOD AND
UNDERREPRESENTED, YOU'RE NOT ALONE AND YOU ARE ACCEPTED,
NO MATTER WHAT.
NO MATTER WHO YOU THINK PEOPLE ARE INSIDE,
THEY'RE GOING TO ACCEPT YOU NO MATTER WHAT,
NO MATTER WHO YOU THINK THEY ARE.
- HOW IMPORTANT WERE ADULT MENTORS IN THIS WORK THAT YOU'RE
DOING?
- OUR ADVISERS WERE SO HELPFUL, AND THEY ARE COUNSELORS
THEMSELVES.
EVEN THOUGH THEY ARE BUSY, THEY'RE DOING A LOT OF WORK,
YOU KNOW, IN THE STUDENT BODY.
AND I THINK, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE SO RESPECTFUL TOWARDS US AND,
YOU KNOW, TOWARDS-- NO MATTER LIKE OUR GENDER OR SEXUALITY OR
RACE, THEY ARE SUPER UNDERSTANDING.
AND I THINK THAT THE MORE UNDERSTANDING AND ACCEPTING THEY
WERE OF US IN OUR PROGRAM, THE MORE COMFORTABLE WE BECAME.
AND AS THAT CONTINUED, THEY WERE MORE COMFORTABLE COMING OUT,
ESPECIALLY IN A GROUP.
- WHAT ARE YOUR HOPES AND EXPECTATIONS FOR YOUR HIGH
SCHOOL FROM WHICH YOU WILL NOW BE GRADUATING GOING FORWARD IN
TERMS OF KEEPING THE WORK THAT YOU'VE DONE GOING?
- I NOTICED THAT THERE ARE A FEW SENIORS,
MOST OF WHICH ARE MY FRIENDS IN GSA AND WE LOOK BACK ON IT AND
WE SEE ALL OF THESE FRESHMEN, SOPHOMORES,
ALL THESE UNDERCLASSMEN AND THEY ARE SO INSPIRING AND THEY'RE SO
INSPIRED THEMSELVES.
THEY'RE VERY PASSIONATE AND THEY'RE VERY DRIVEN FOR
ACCEPTANCE.
AND I THINK THAT THEY'RE GOING TO DO SO MUCH MORE THAN WE DID
AND I'M SO HAPPY AND I'M SO GLAD THAT I GET TO SEE THAT.
- YOU LAID THE GROUNDWORK.
BUT WHAT ARE YOUR PLANS AFTER GRADUATION AND FOR
THE SCHOLARSHIP MONEY THAT YOU WILL RECEIVE TOMORROW NIGHT?
- I'M DEFINITELY COUNTING IT TOWARDS COLLEGE,
AND I'M HOPING TO DO WORK IN SOCIAL SCIENCES AND LITERATURE.
- AND WHERE DO YOU EXPECT TO GO TO COLLEGE?
- ST. NORBERT.
- AND WHY DID YOU CHOOSE ST. NORBERT?
- I CHOSE ST. NORBERT BECAUSE THEY GAVE ME A REALLY GREAT
OPPORTUNITY, AND I'VE ACTUALLY HAVE LIKE FAMILY WHO GO THERE.
AFTER TOURING THE CAMPUS, I SAW SO MANY LIKE-MINDED PEOPLE.
I'VE BEEN RECOMMENDED ORGANIZATIONS,
SOCIAL ORGANIZATIONS TO PARTICIPATE IN.
AND I THINK IT WOULD BE A GREAT FIT FOR ME.
- ALL RIGHT.
MERCEDES, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
AND, AGAIN, CONGRATULATIONS.
- THANK YOU SO MUCH.