Ally to Queer Youth Award – Awardee:
RACHEL MORALES WARNE
Founder, LGBTQIA+ Graduation Celebration
Rachel Morales Warne is a local activist who has a long history of stepping up to interrupt oppression, from protesting with ACT UP during the AIDS epidemic to advocating for LGBTQIA+ youth today. In 2020, Rachel had a vision of an LGBTQIA+ graduation celebrating all of our local queer and trans graduates. Well into planning this event, Rachel was sidelined by the shelter-in-place order, but she quickly pivoted and created the virtual event “LGBTQIA+ Graduation Celebration” which included many guest speakers offering empowering messages to both openly LGBTQIA+ and closeted graduates at a time when many were feeling isolated. Rachel is both a fierce activist and the mom who makes sure all the young people around her are seen, affirmed, and loved for who they are.
Ally to Queer Youth Award – Nominees:
ASHLYN ADAMS
Youth Program Coordinator, The Diversity Center
Ashlyn Adams is the interim co-director and Youth Program coordinator of The Diversity Center. Ashlyn works tirelessly to support the LGBTQIA+ community. Under Ashlyn’s leadership, The Diversity Center has provided much needed support to LGBTQIA+ youth experiencing mental health concerns during the pandemic through online programming that has created a safe and brave space for LGBTQIA+ youth. Ashlyn advocates for the mental health of LGBTQIA+ youth and has partnered with Santa Cruz County Child and Adolescent Behavioral Health to start conversations on how to combat isolation during the pandemic and to provide referrals to LGBTQIA+ inclusive therapists. Ashlyn has also worked hard to make space for QTBIPOC in Santa Cruz County and has expanded bilingual services, set up free tutoring services, and provided food distribution to LGBTQIA+ families in need.
CELESTE GUTIERREZ
Student Leadership and Engagement Coordinator, Santa Cruz County Office of Education (COE)
Celeste Gutierrez is the Student Leadership and Engagement Coordinator at the Santa Cruz County Office of Education (COE), and a strong ally to the LGBTQIA+ community. Celeste runs the Santa Cruz County Alliance for Youth Action, a student leadership group, and she invited the Queer and Trans Youth Council of Santa Cruz County to join to amplify LGBTQIA+ voices. Celeste models inclusivity by displaying the rainbow flag in her office, always includes her pronouns in her email signature and when introducing herself in meetings, and always works to make all the youth groups she works with LGBTQIA+ inclusive. Celeste makes sure there is LGBTQIA+ representation in COE youth events, and when it comes to youth issues, she ensures that LGBTQIA+ youth are not forgotten or left out of the narrative.
DAYNA SINOPOLI
Speaker, Triangle Speakers
Dayna Sinopoli is an out and proud transgender woman who has shared her story and inspired others as a member of Triangle Speakers for several years. Dayna speaks openly about her transition, what it’s like to live as a transgender woman, and the challenges she has faced in a way that is both vulnerable and relatable to straight and LGBTQIA+ people alike. Audience members who have seen Dayna speak have shared that they see her as an inspiration and fierce advocate for herself and others. Dayna engages with her audience and shares her story to make the world a better and more just place for LGBTQIA+ youth, and in doing so helps pave the way for the next generation and gives hope to LGBTQIA+ youth who may be struggling.
GAIL ATLANSKY
Director of Student Services, Santa Cruz City Schools
Gail Atlansky is the Director of Student Services at Santa Cruz City Schools and has a long history of supporting and advocating for LGBTQIA+ students. Gail chairs the Santa Cruz City Schools (SCCS) LGBTQ+ Task Force where she has grown membership and spearheaded the creation of safe space stickers for local businesses to display in their windows to show support for LGBTQIA+ youth. Gail was instrumental in implementing the Safe School Index in SCCS and has advocated for trainings for school staff on LGBTQIA+ issues. Gail also made it possible to have LGBTQIA+ student information disaggregated from the Healthy Kids Survey so schools can better meet the needs of LGBTQIA+ students. Gail is a strong advocate for all our SCCS LGBTQ+ staff and students.
GREG O’MEARA
Principal, Soquel High School
Greg O’Meara is the principal of Soquel High School where he is a strong advocate for LGBTQIA+ students. Greg supports Soquel’s GSA and has advocated for LGBTQIA+ library materials and LGBTQIA+ history and comprehensive sex education training for staff. An active member of the Santa Cruz City Schools LGBT+ Task Force, Greg has worked with The Safe Schools Project of Santa Cruz County to in-service staff and actively distributes new materials and information on how to best support LGBTQIA+ youth. Greg makes available and encourages all Soquel High teachers to display “safe space” posters and stickers in English and Spanish and has conducted the School Climate Index every year since its creation. Greg works hard to make Soquel High a model school when it comes to supporting LGBTQIA+ youth.
HEIDI WINIG
Sexual Health Educator
Heidi Winig is a sexual health educator working in the bay area for the past twenty-five years. Heidi works with Cardea to advocate for quality and comprehensive sexual health education to be taught in all districts in Santa Cruz County. Heidi partners with Jamie Cutter to provide ongoing support for local teachers to provide queer inclusive and affirming sex education. Heidi is always ready to answer teachers’ questions, and has been instrumental in helping teachers understand how to ensure parents are not “opting out” of LGBTQIA+ topics like understanding gender identity and sexual orientation. Heidi uplifts local health educators by highlighting inclusive work that is being done and connects them with state and national resources. Heidi always makes sure there are LGBTQIA+ voices being heard in sex education.
RYANE ORTIZ
Health and Human Biology Teacher, Aptos High School
Ryane Ortiz teaches health and human biology at Aptos High School where she has overhauled the school’s health curriculum to be more LGBTQIA+ inclusive and has advocated for inclusive sex ed at the district level. Ryane volunteered to participate in The Safe Schools Project’s six month long inclusive sex education training in 2018, and she continues to participate in the local Comprehensive Sex Education (CSE) Cohort where she is a leader among her peers. When schools went virtual last March, Ryane helped plan and execute the first ever virtual CSE Cohort meeting to help local health educators ensure their students still received queer inclusive sex ed during distance learning. Ryane is a leader in inclusive sex education and is an advocate for LGBTQIA+ students in all that she does.
SAGE LEIBENSON
Equity Leadership Team, Santa Cruz County Office of Education (COE)
Sage Leibenson is a key member of the Santa Cruz County Office of Education’s (COE) equity leadership team where they have led several initiatives that support the COE’s efforts towards becoming an anti-racist orgnization that centers inclusion, equity, and diversity through an intersectional lens. They have been instrumental in developing the COE’s three year plan for equity, and through “courageous conversations’’ with managers, Sage has expanded the COE’s view of gender, resulting in creating a culture of sharing and listing pronouns on emails and Zoom meetings. Sage helped facilitate several LGBTQIA+ events including the month-long and interactive October 2020 LGBTQ History Month events. Sage is relentless in their advocacy for LGBTQ+ students and staff and has made the COE a more inclusive organization.
SHANDARA GILL, MSW
Founder, Yoga For All Movement
Shandara Gill is the founder of Yoga For All Movement (YFAM), an organization that believes that yoga is a vehicle for social change and which advocates for yoga and mindfulness practices to be accessible to all people. To reach this goal, YFAM has collaborated with United Way’s United4Youth, Live Oak Community Resources, the Santa Cruz County Office of Education, and the Live Oak Unified School District to connect youth with yoga instruction. Shandara worked with LGBTQIA+ youth on the Lost Childhoods exhibit at the Museum of Art and History which linked yoga and art to social change. Shandara also works with LGBTQIA+ youth within the dependency system through Encompass Community Services where she teaches yoga and mindfulness as a pathway towards empowerment, restoring self-regard, and building leadership development.
