Equality California Institute’s Stop the Hate program focused on protections for LGBTQ+ youth, who continue to face high rates of harassment and discrimination in schools.
The organization established an advisory committee of local LGBTQ+ nonprofit partners to address data gaps in statewide surveys that do not fully capture LGBTQ+ student and staff well-being.
The advisory committee drafted a policy recommendation calling on California to expand data collection systems to more fully include LGBTQ+ students and staff. Equality California Institute launched the policy paper at a Stop the Hate convening at the Connie Norman Transgender Empowerment Center, where community organizations, advocates and public agencies discussed how better data can lead to stronger protections.
Since publishing the work, Equality California Institute staff have met with representatives from the California Department of Education and state legislators. The work created a foundation for long-term policy advocacy and strengthened partnerships among organizations committed to safety and community for LGBTQ+ people.
EqCA.org (opens in a new tab)