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Executive Producers CFED is a champion of asset building and advocates for the creation of children’s savings accounts across the country.  CFED was a key advisor to the City of San Francisco in setting up Kindergarten to College.  Contact us to learn more about children’s savings accounts. www.cfed.org Citi Community Development leads Citi’s commitment to [...]

A Foot in the Door is recommended for: Policy advocates and government agencies. Use the film to spark discussions about the long-term economic benefits of programs like Kindergarten to College, both city and nation-wide. It can be used as a model for establishing similar initiatives and as a tool for fostering partnerships with other agencies, organizations, [...]

Many years ago when Helen Cohen and I were producing It’s Elementary—Talking About Gay Issues in School, we came up with a list of all the reasons why it is important for educators to find age-appropriate ways to incorporate respectful discussion of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people into K-12 curricula. We knew it was [...]

Children who have a college savings account in their own name are seven times more likely to actually go to college than those who don’t—regardless of how much money is saved in the account. Making sure every student has their own college savings account not only increases the chances that they will go on to [...]

A GroundSpark (formerly Women’s Educational Media) production in association with The National Center for Lesbian Rights Produced and Directed by Debra Chasnoff Co-Produced and Edited by Kate Stilley Special Thanks (in order of appearance) Kate Kendell Joyce Newstat Mabel Teng Gavin Newsom Del Martin Phyllis Lyon Cinematography Sophie Constantinou Fawn Yacker Music Miriam Cutler Title [...]

Photos These are just some of the screen shots from the film available for use in your print or online publication. All images should be credited “GroundSpark” and are protected by international copyright. If you would like images in another format, size or resolution, please email us or call 415-641-4616. TO DOWNLOAD HIGH-RESOLUTION IMAGES (300 [...]

These are just some of the screen shots from the film available for use in your print or online publication. All images should be credited “GroundSpark” and are protected by international copyright. TO DOWNLOAD HIGH-RESOLUTION IMAGES (300 dpi) Click on the image you want to save (or the link below the image). Right click or [...]

Photos These are just some of the screen shots from the film available for use in your print or online publication. All images should be credited “GroundSpark” and are protected by international copyright. If you would like images in another format, size or resolution, please email us or call 415-641-4616. TO DOWNLOAD HIGH-RESOLUTION IMAGES (300 dpi): 1. [...]

“Let’s Get Real” is another powerful example of the value of kids teaching kids. The portent underlying this video is the contemplation of what happens after the taunting and name-calling have ended. How does it make someone feel, and how long do those feelings last? The video and guide take the subject of bullying by [...]

View our 2011 – 2012 Annual Report   Make a Donation I want to help GroundSpark ignite change through film. Please use my contribution today to bring GroundSpark’s culture changing films and educational tools to communities across the country! Please complete the form below to make your tax-deductible donation online. If you would prefer to [...]

GroundSpark recently offered a complimentary screening of the educational training version of our film It’s Elementary. In exchange, we asked that users provide us with a brief description of how they would be putting the film to use. Sifting through the numerous responses, it was invigorating to see the viewer diversity that arose from this [...]

Straightlaced can be used in a variety of settings to open dialogue about issues of teens, gender, sexuality – and to inspire both youth and adults to create safer and more inclusive environments for everyone. These settings include: Classrooms and schools. Include the film and discussion activities as part of a high school English, social studies, [...]

A Foot in the Door We recently completed A Foot in the Door, a commissioned project that profiles Kindergarten to College. K2C is a universal college savings account program administered by the City and County of San Francisco. GroundSpark, in partnership with Citizen Film, was contracted by Citi Community Development, CFED,  and the San Francisco [...]

GroundSpark’s workshops are both practical and inspiring. All of our professional development programs are centered around one or more of the films in our Respect For All Project. We use film to bring people together, open dialogue and inspire action. Our highly acclaimed, award-winning documentaries are crafted to open hearts and stretch minds, and always [...]

GroundSpark’s professional development workshops draw on the power of our Respect For All Project films to support educators, youth and human service providers, and other community leaders in addressing some of the most pressing educational and social issues of our times. These issues include: Understanding differences Inclusive school climate Bias-based bullying Gender, race and sexuality [...]

GroundSpark’s President and Senior Producer, Debra Chasnoff, is often invited to be a guest speaker at conferences, screenings, and other events. Debra’s presentations are usually offered in conjunction with a screening of one or more of the films she has directed for GroundSpark, or include selected excerpts from films with relevant subject matter. Presentation Topics [...]

When I received an invitation to “Some Prefer Cake” the lesbian film festival in Bologna, Italy, of course I said “Si si si!” Tagliatelle, tortellini en brodo, miles of archway-covered streets and a sea of Italian lesbians. I cleared my calendar immediately. I’m happy to report that I was able to enjoy all those delights [...]

We are proud to partner once again with GLSEN, (Gay, Lesbian, Straight Education Network). GroundSpark is presenting a special offer as part of Ready, Set, Respect! GLSEN’s Elementary School Toolkit. For the first time, you can stream the educator training version of our acclaimed film It’s Elementary—Talking About Gay Issues in School and receive a [...]

GroundSpark has teamed up with GLSEN to provide educational resources this year. Please enter your information in the following form, then enjoy your free streaming of “It’s Elementary,” courtesy of GroundSpark and GLSEN! * First Name * Last Name * Organization * Job Title * Mailing Address * City * State * Zip * Email [...]

Kim Westheimer, Director of Welcoming Schools at the Human Rights Campaign Foundation, guest blogs for GroundSpark following an event last week hosted by HRC and the St. Louis Chapters of the Anti-Defamation League and the National Conference on Community and Justice. The event took place at the Missouri History Museum: Too often, we get so busy doing our [...]

San Francisco, CA, October 1, 2007 …GroundSpark – formerly Women’s Educational Media – today announced events celebrating the 10th anniversary and upcoming re-release on DVD of It’s Elementary—Talking About Gay Issues in School. The groundbreaking documentary was the first film to show how elementary and middle school teachers can facilitate age-appropriate classroom discussions that include [...]

GroundSpark is offering free streaming of our film Let’s Get Real in support of GLSEN’s National No Name-Calling Week.

Since we released Straightlaced, we’ve seen more and more parents become visible advocates for their transgender and gender non-conforming children. Sam’s story makes us more determined than ever to get Straightlaced screened in as many high schools as possible this year.

  Annual Reports 2011-2012 Annual Report 2010-2011 Annual Report GroundSpark 2010 Financial Review   Board Policies 1. Conflict of Interest Policy 2. Whistle-Blower Policy 3. Document Retention Policy 4. CEO Compensation Determination Policy   Taxes 990 Tax Records

GroundSpark’s comprehensive, accessible 160-page curriculum guide is designed to enhance the use of Straightlaced in school, community group and professional development settings. “This excellent companion piece provides educators with activities and tools to truly deepen the conversation and learning sparked by Straightlaced.” —Beth Yohe, Associate Director of Training and Curriculum, National Education Division, Anti-Defamation League [...]

AUDIO Podcasts for Leaderful Schools interviewed Debra Chasnoff re her keynote speech at Oakland Univ Sexuality & Gender Issues in Education conference Bullying intervention and prevention: What works, what doesn’t and what you can do on WILL 580 am Hear Debra Chasnoff on KCRW Discussing LGBT History in California Schools Debra Chasnoff on Birmingham, AL [...]

As the organizers were closing up the main meeting room Friday night at the Northwest LGBTQ Youth Conference for Hope, in Meridian, Idaho, one of them approached me and whispered, “there’s a young woman in the audience who is in tears and she’s asked to speak with you.” I looked up and saw her. Cute [...]

Sixteen years ago, producer Helen Cohen and I were at PS 87 in New York City filming a fifth grade class during a civics lesson. “Today the law says that if you’re the same sex —two men or two women— you can’t get married, it is against the law,” their teacher explained. And then he [...]

Click to view/download full size image. Photo credit: Rick Gerharter Click to view/download full size image. Photo credit: Rick Gerharter Click to view/download full size image. Photo credit: GroundSpark

Legendary lesbian civil rights pioneer Del Martin passed away in 2008. To honor her incomparable contributions, San Francisco celebrated her life with a moving civic celebration in its City Hall grand rotunda. Phyllis Lyon, her partner for over 50 years, was, of course, in attendance, along with a who’s who of city’s pioneering community of [...]

GroundSpark is proud to announce our Founding Director Debra Chasnoff will be the keynote speaker at the 2nd Northwest LGBTA Youth Conference for Hope. There will also be a screening of our film, It’s STILL Elementary. This conference was inspired by the 2009 LGBTQIA Youth Conference for Hope, hosted by the Odyssey Youth Center in [...]

GroundSpark has learned that the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights will turn its attention to peer-to-peer bullying, harassment, and violence in schools this May—and your stories are wanted. Beginning with a day-long briefing on peer-to-peer violence in K-12 public schools on May 13th, the Commission’s report will examine bullying and other types of peer-to-peer violence where [...]

Announcing Our National Straightlaced Partners! Last week, the White House hosted a conference on combating bullying. The same day, both houses of Congress reintroduced the Student Non-Discrimination Act to protect the rights of LGBT and gender non-conforming students in our nation’s schools. We can’t think of better timing to proudly announce our national partners for [...]

Originally published in The Huffington Post Hats off to the Obamas for drawing national attention to the problem of bullying in our school communities. Hosting a conference at the White House to draw more media attention to bullying is an excellent step forward. Like most symbolic White House gatherings, though, this conference recommended some good [...]

Interested in organizing a screening of Straightlaced in your school, organization, or community? Check out our screening kit for suggestions, tips and other helpful resources! And be sure to let us know the details about your event, so we can list it on our events calendar. We are also happy to provide the following: Editable promotion flyer for your Straightlaced screening Free [...]

Following is a list of current Straightlaced partners. For more information about partnering with the Straightlaced campaign, please contact us. Our partnering organizations include: Anti Defamation League www.adl.org The ADL’s A WORLD OF DIFFERENCE Institute is a leading provider of anti-bias and diversity education training programs and resources used by PreK-12 schools, universities, businesses and [...]

Last night the Vallejo Unified School District 30 miles north of the Golden Gate Bridge, voted 4 – 1 to continue its anti-bullying curriculum for students in its elementary, middle, and high schools. The curriculum was put in place as the result of a settlement negotiated by the American Civil Liberties Union of Northern California [...]

Twenty-five years ago, Kim Klausner and Debra Chasnoff produced the landmark documentary film, Choosing Children. The film explored the then-almost-unheard-of idea that lesbians and gay men could have children — after coming out. Choosing Children helped launch the LGBT baby boom and opened up the possibilities for each of us to create our own definition of “family.” [...]

I had planned to send out a blog post today announcing our new partnership with Google, but now I need to also let you know about another tragedy that has occurred in the midst of our gratitude. Yesterday we learned of yet another young teenager who was being harassed daily with anti-gay slurs and who [...]

On behalf of GroundSpark’s board of directors and staff, I am delighted to announce we now have a new executive director! Please join me in warmly welcoming Susan Mooney to GroundSpark, where she will work in partnership with our board, staff, and founder, Debra Chasnoff, to lead the organization into our next exciting chapter. Susan [...]

As news of five suicides committed by youth who were targeted with homophobic harassment has spread across the country, GroundSpark has redoubled our commitment to helping communities do a much better job of addressing anti-LGBT bias, particularly in school. We are making some of our tools available for free for the next two months in [...]

We believe schools can be caring communities in which everyone has the opportunity to be engaged, included and respected, regardless of his or her sexual orientation or gender expression. We envision schools that are free of anti-gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender prejudice and harassment, in which all students can realize their full potential. For the well-being of youth [...]

GroundSpark is proud to be a partner for No Name Calling Week, January 21 – 25, 2013. Our highly acclaimed, award-winning 37 minute documentary film, Let’s Get Real, is an excellent film to show during NNCW. Every DVD also comes with an in-depth screening and curriculum guide. GroundSpark is providing free streaming of Let’s Get [...]

In the fall of 2010, the national media was filled with stories of the deaths of many teenagers who took their own lives. The news reports indicated that these young people committed suicide after being subjected to harassment and ridicule because they were gay, thought to be gay, or behaved in ways that didn’t conform [...]

2007 GroundSpark Celebrates 10th Anniversary of Release of Groundbreaking Film It’s Elementary (10/1/07) 2000 (links to press releases coming soon) Report from Coalition of National Experts Highlights Need for Schools to Address Gay Issues (1/5/00) 1999 (links to press releases coming soon) Public TV Misses a Chance to Help Youth (12/2/99)  It’s Elementary Receives Annual [...]

Respect for All Project films are screened throughout the country to spark dialogue and action on creating safe, bias-free and inclusive communities and schools. Contact us to schedule a screening in your area. Find out more about upcoming screenings.

As a documentary filmmaker, it is so rewarding when your work is used in communities affected by the very issues your films raise. Every year we hear from school staff, community leaders, religious groups, youth and parents about the ways that GroundSpark films help local efforts to reduce prejudice, increase empathy, and open hearts and [...]

A new study being published in the July issue of the American Academy of Pediatrics’ journal Pediatrics has found that children raised by lesbian parents are just as strong socially, academically and in total competence than as their peers raised by non-lesbian parents. What great news to read on a Monday morning! Finally, a study [...]

GroundSpark has been keeping our eyes on textbooks the past few months, as new guidelines about their content were enacted across the world. Schools rely heavily on textbooks, and the information they contain forms the building blocks for how youth see each other and the world. As we optimistically shared to our Facebook fans, the [...]

At the end of April, our Respect For All Project facilitators, Nancy Otto and Scott Hirschfeld, led a training in Asheville, North Carolina centered around our anti-bullying film Let’s Get Real. The training was organized by Safe Schools for All, an emerging alliance in western North Carolina of organizations committed to addressing bias-based harassment in [...]

Dear Friends, I have some very exciting news to share with you about how GroundSpark is preparing for our next phase of igniting change through film. After 20 years at the helm, I am going to move into a new role at GroundSpark where I can focus more exclusively on creative and political leadership. To [...]

In April, Debra Chasnoff had an op-ed published in the Huffington Post about the underlying gender issues that haven’t been discussed very much in the community response to the suicide of 15 year old Phoebe Prince. (LINK to article). We received a wide range of responses to the article, some published on the HuffPo website, [...]

A few months ago, Straightlaced–How Gender’s Got Us All Tied Up screened at the National Association of Independent Schools’ People of Color Conference in Colorado. Wanda Holland Greene, Head of the Hamlin School in San Francisco and long time supporter of GroundSpark, co-presented the film with Social Studies Teacher Kirsten Gustavson to an audience made [...]

I was recently out in western Massacusetts for screenings of Straightlaced and Let’s Get Real. At one of them, the superintendent and assistant superintendent of the South Hadley, Massachusetts school district were in attendance. They were very moved by the films and said they thought they would be very helpful to their work in the [...]

I’m Sukh, an intern for GroundSpark and a student of public health interested in the issue of school bullying as a public health concern and novel ways of preventing it. Two weeks ago on Let’s Get Real and David Lazarus shared this advice with listeners…Thanks Bob! So, can karate classes combat bullying? In the field [...]

Last year I went to Greensboro, North Carolina to screen Straightlaced, It’s Elementary, It’s Still Elementary, Let’s Get Real, and That’s a Family! for several different groups of educators in the community. As often happens after these events, attendees left very inspired to take the next step in their communities to put these films to [...]

GroundSpark’s work in Lake County, California is featured in an important story on today’s “California Report” airing on public radio throughout the state at 8pm today. Reporter Scott Shafer wanted to do a follow up story on the two-year anniversary of the tragic murder of Ventura County openly gay eighth grader Lawrence King. With a [...]

Last week we received an email from a woman named Monique Marshall. Apparently she had attended the Straightlaced premiere in Los Angeles last March. Monique purchased a copy of the film and then took it home to watch with her ten-year-old daughter, Moreau. After seeing the film, Moreau asked her mother if she could write [...]

Last Saturday was a miserably cold day with dreadful weather conditions in Lexington, KY. While many locals camped out at home with hopes of catching the University of Kentucky basketball game on TV later that afternoon, another group gathered at Kentucky Theater in the early part of the morning in great anticipation of the state’s [...]

At every screening of Straightlaced where there is a Q and A afterwards, someone always, understandably, asks, “Who is Hannah Landers?” Because at the end of the film, a title comes up that says: In memory of Hannah Landers September 28, 1990 – May 6, 2008 In May of 2008, Sue Chen, my co-producer, had [...]

In a case that GroundSpark has been following closely, the Alameda County Superior Court ruled this week that lessons designed to address anti-gay and lesbian bullying in the district’s elementary schools do not simply constitute “health lessons” and therefore are not subject to the state’s policy of allowing parents to “opt out” of having their [...]

Hello to all the friends and fans of GroundSpark. I’m the new guy on the board of directors. Brittney Shepherd, our staff producer, asked me to introduce myself and answer the question: Why did you join the board? To learn more about my background and and our other amazing members of our board of directors, [...]

We are very proud to announce that Debra Chasnoff’s alma mater, Wellesley College, recently honored her with a Lifetime Achievement Award in Documentary Filmmaking from the college’s Art Department and Cinema and Media Studies Program. Here’s a bit from the speech, Beth Pfeiffer, one of the trustees of the college, made during the award presentation: [...]

We are gearing up for the Twin Cities premiere of Straightlaced, which will take place Monday November 16th in Minneapolis. This will be the last regional premiere of the film, completing an thirty-city, ten-month long tour of Straightlaced! With an impressive array of community partners and dedicated volunteers working on the ground to fill the [...]

On the evening of October 29, a group of students, educators parents and social service providers gathered at the Long Island GLBT Community Center in Bay Shore, NY for a screening of and discussion about Straightlaced, facilitated by GroundSpark national Trainer Scott Hirschfeld. Sponsored by the Long Island Gay and Lesbian Youth’s Safe Schools Initiative [...]

The acclaimed Teaching Tolerance program recently released a great new activity for young people in efforts to explore family diversity and the different ways in which to define a family. Making use of the 2010 Census and GroundSpark’s film That’s A Family!, the activity challenges students to explore diverse configurations that form families. Check out [...]

Did you know that the fourth annual National Bullying Prevention Awareness Week starts next week (October 4-10)? Organized by The PACER Center, this week long event encourages communities to work together to increase the awareness of the prevalence and impact of bullying on all students by hosting a variety of events. GroundSpark’s film Let’s Get [...]

Our film, Let’s Get Real, which (in case you haven’t heard!) features actual middle school youth—not adults or actors—speaking candidly about their varied and often painful experiences with name-calling and bullying, will screen tomorrow at the First Annual Family Conference hosted by the MEGA Family Project! This conference is the first of its kind in [...]

[vPIP class="hVlogTarget" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" onclick="vPIPPlay(this, 'height=180, name=STLPremiere_VideoFootage, flv=true', 'bufferlength=5', ''); return false;"] Wedding video of Del Martin and Phylis Lyon. One year after Del Martin’s passing, we here at GroundSpark would like to remember her and celebrate her life. Here she is at her wedding to Phyllis Lyon in May 2008. Our thoughts go out to [...]

A few weeks ago, I received an email from one of the teachers who helped us find some of the students in Straightlaced, letting me know that Bonnie Tinker, the founder of Love Makes a Family in Portland, Oregon had died. Here is an article about the accident.  Bonnie, who was 61, was hit by a [...]

One Wedding and a Revolution has been accepted for the 4th Annual Gero-Ed Film Festival held at the Council on Social Work Education’s (CSWE) Annual Program Meeting. The festival features films that show positive images of older adults or that highlight aging issues. Since 2006 the Gero-Ed Film Festival, which is sponsored by the CSWE [...]

GroundSpark Needs Volunteers! We are looking for a few special people to help with mailings, processing film sales, data entry and database maintenance (must know Filemaker). If you are in the Bay Area and can commit to a few hours per week, please join us! Please contact Zeena Batliwalla, Development Associate, to get involved.

Every year the CINE Golden Eagle Award is bestowed upon filmmakers as a recognition of excellence in production. Straightlaced was one of the films chosen for the award this year and we are definitely excited about this! With the West Coast film festival premiere last week at Frameline, the FREE Los Angeles screening at OutFest, [...]

Straightlaced: How Gender’s Got Us All Tied Up screened at the Roxie Theater last Friday to a sold out crowd at Frameline 33: San Francisco’s LGBT Film Festival! With a mixed crowd of film lovers, educators, Debra Chasnoff fans, and youth, the film was received warmly at it’s West Coast film festival premiere.

Debra Chasnoff’s landmark film, It’s Elementary – Talking About Gay Issues in School, is hailed as a “model of intelligent directing” by International Documentary, and has led to profound changes in adults’ attitudes on how to talk to children about LGBT people.

Next Friday, June 26 at 6:00 PM, Director Debra Chasnoff and Producer Sue Chen will be at the Roxie Theater for a local San Francisco screening of Straightlaced
http://www.frameline.org/festival/film/detail.aspx?id=1718&FID=45

In response to Vallejo Unified’s settlement of a lawsuit about anti-LGBT harassment, the Angie Coiro show is going to be talking about safe schools litigation tonight. On the show from 6:30-6:50ish will be Lance from Straightlaced, who filed his own lawsuit. He will be talking about his own experiences as well as Straightlaced. You can [...]

Our Los Angeles Premiere of Straightlaced–How Gender’s Got Us All Tied Up was last week and we had a wonderful turn out! We were thrilled to have Academy Award winners, Dustin Lance Black and Bruce Cohen of Milk, on hand to help welcome the film. You can watch their opening remarks below! [div hVlog style="text-align: [...]

GROUNDBREAKING DOCUMENTARY ON GENDER NORMS IN HIGH SCHOOLS STRAIGHTLACED PREMIERES IN NEW YORK, TUESDAY MAY 26 AT HUNTER COLLEGE New York, NY : The New York City benefit premiere of the new feature-length documentary Straightlaced–How Gender’s Got Us All Tied Up, will be held at the Kaye Playhouse at Hunter College 7:00pm on Tuesday, May [...]

News from around the world that directly connects to the issues GroundSpark works on in our Respect for All Project!

We’ve heard about two different, yet very important causes that deserve some much-needed attention. The first regards the tragic murder of Luis Ramirez, the 25-year old father of two who was beaten to death last summer. Evidence and testimony surrounding the beating and death of Luis Ramirez suggest that the defendants’ actions in the beating [...]

The monthly magazine, Lesbian News, featured a fun interview with me this past April. We discussed everything from why I decided to start making films, to my family and GroundSpark’s latest film–Straightlaced! While the article isn’t available online, you can view the first page here and the second page here. The find out more about [...]

In 1984 I made my first documentary film, and launched what was then Women’s Educational Media into the world of filmmaking combined with activist educational campaigns. Choosing Children, which was co-directed and co-produced with Kim Klausner, my kids’ other mom, explored the then unheard of idea that if you were gay or lesbian, you could [...]

Films in The Respect For All Project The Respect For All Project offers a series of award-winning films aimed at K-12 educators, youth service providers, students, and families to promote understanding of diversity and anti-bias education. All the films have accompanying curriculum guides. Our dynamic professional development and community workshops are centered around these films. [...]

News from around the world that directly connects to the issues GroundSpark works on in our Respect for All Project! This week we bring you not only the news of the week, but a selection of articles from RadicalParenting.com, an organization that focuses on youth development from a kid’s perspective.

Anne Mitchell, of Equality Kansas, sent us the following message after hosting two Straightlaced screenings in south-west Kansas: Screening Straightlaced in Garden City and Dodge City, Kansas was so exciting, and brought together over 50 educators, youth, and activists. This was the first time we have hosted a proactive event, instead of being reactive to [...]

News from around the world that directly connects to the issues GroundSpark works on in our Respect for All Project!

The Grand Lake Theater played stage for an amazing event: The East Bay Premiere of Straightlaced! A joint fundraiser for Met West High School in Oakland, Thursday night’s event was a reminder for many here at GroundSpark of why we do the work that we do. There were more folks waiting to get in the [...]

News from around the world that directly connects to the issues GroundSpark works on in our Respect for All Project! This week is a special news roundup featuring the latest blog post from Kate Kendell, Executive Director of the National Center for Lesbian Rights, regarding yet another tragic suicide of a young person due to [...]

Straightlaced director Debra Chasnoff and producer Sue Chen were interviewed by the San Francisco Chronicle this week about the film and the upcoming East Bay premiere in Oakland. Read on for the article or click here to visit the Chronicle’s website.

Straightlaced director, Debra Chasnoff, will be chatting online TONIGHT over at firedoglake.com about the film!

News from around the world that directly connects to the issues GroundSpark works on in our Respect for All Project!

Our perspective on the recent spate of suicides committed by young people as a result of bullying is featured on the Huffington Post and on Facing History, Facing Today. In this article we discuss why these tragedies are occurring, and what schools can do to become part of the solution. This week another young life [...]

News from around the world that directly connects to the issues GroundSpark works on in our Respect for All Project!

This past Tuesday over a hundred diverse community leaders, educators, and youth joined GroundSpark staff at the Chicago premiere of Straightlaced. Following marriage victories in Iowa and Vermont, change was in the air, and people entered the screening already feeling the desire to make a difference in their own community.

Our op ed got published in the Huffington Post about the Eric Mohat suicide, Matthew Shepard and Straightlaced. Here’s a link to the page on the Huffington Post, or you can read it below: On Wednesday, 250 educators and students from Laramie, Wyoming opened the 10th Matthew Shepard Symposium for Social Justice by watching the [...]

News from around the world that directly connects to the issues GroundSpark works on in our Respect for All Project!

If there is anything that the kids in Thats A Family! teach us, it’s that it doesn’t matter where your parents are from, or what gender they are, but it’s growing up in a loving home that makes a family. For many young people with same-sex parents, one parent is prohibited from being with their [...]

News from around the world that directly connects to the issues GroundSpark works on in our Respect for All Project!