Shane's blog

It's been over a month since we lost Tyvola. After 11 years with Tyvola, she died of an aggressive cancer. Of course, Tyvola remains a part of our family. There has not been a day that has went by where she has not been missed and I know that we will always miss her. She was such as sweet baby girl.

 

It seems like a whirlwind, but I had a very successful speaking engagement at the University of Washington this Tuesday, May 6.  On behalf of the Lambda 10 Project (an educational initiative of Campus Pride), I was asked to speak with the Greek community about LGBT issues. 

 

Today I am eating some good Mexican food. In my own way, I do this to recognize and celebrate Cinco De Mayo -- I'm guessing along with the vast majority of Americans who go to Mexican restaurants on this day. My grandfather is actually from Mexican heritage, so nothing compares to the food my Grandmother would make me -- but, believe it or not, there is more to Cinco de May than eating Mexican food and sipping margaritas.

Sundays to many of us represent a day for worship, a day for family and a day for love. Since May 18, 2003, every Sunday has meant something different for me and my family. The six-year anniversary this May marks the day when I heard my father was killed.

 

It's been a busy time for Campus Pride! We have just finished another Stop The Hate Train the Trainer program this past weekend and to date have trained nearly 1200 students, faculty and staff over the last eight years on bias and hate crime prevention at colleges and universities.

Did you know that you can lead a cow up a set of stairs but not down the stairs? Did you know that when a duck quacks you can’t hear it echo and they don’t know why? Hmmmm… The things you learn in college.

 

Bias and hate crimes impact colleges and universities across the United States and are the third most likely place for hate crimes to occur.

A few years back I spoke at University of Maine. I met an undergraduate student named Kevin Taschereau. He was President of his fraternity Delta Tau Delta and came to my program OUT & GREEK. I was fortunate to meet him and he has been a strong ally at UMaine since.

SAN DIEGO, CA, April 13, 2009 – This Saturday, April 18, Campus Pride hosts its second annual West Coast LGBT-Friendly College Fair at the San Diego LGBT Community Center, 3909 Centre Street in San Diego, CA. Nearly thirty colleges and universities from across the country will be in attendance from 1 p.m.to 4 p.m. to recruit lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender (LGBT) and ally prospective students. Free of charge, any interested students and their families are welcome.

So I just spent the Easter weekend attending the Birmingham ShootOUT – basically the gay softball tournament. Wow! It was FUN!