Educational Equity means finding what every student needs to be successful—academically, socio-emotionally, and everything in-between—and getting it for them. The process is complex, dynamic, and ongoing: owning flaws and biases, engaging in courageous conversations to challenge prejudice and discrimination, creating environments where students feel safe to share what they need, and breaking down any systems that are creating barriers. Students who feel valued, seen, and celebrated are the ones who find success. 

We provide support, teach concrete intersectional equity strategies, facilitate self-reflection, and assist with policy changes.

With support from

Education Minnesota logo
Minneapolis Foundation

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A platform by and for LGBTQ+ youth in Minnesota, led by OutFront Minnesota’s Youth Council and Researchers.

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Stay up-to-date on OutFront Minnesota's Educational Equity events, news, and opportunities.

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GSAs/SAGAs

Gender Sexuality Alliances (GSAs) and Sexuality and Gender Alliances (SAGAs) are school support groups that provide resources, safe spaces, and community building for LGBTQ+ students and their allies.

GSAs/SAGAs are an evidence-based strategy to improve school climate for all students.

2025-26 Back-To-School Toolkit for Educators

As we settle in to the 2025-26 school year, we know that educators and students alike are facing difficulty and uncertainty around the ever-changing political landscape. All students have a right to learn–and to feel safe while doing so.
 
We've updated our Post-Inauguration School Toolkit for the new year to help educators support students and colleagues. Please follow our website, emails and newsletters, and social media for the most up-to-date guidance documents. Make sure your preferred contact information and emails with us are up-to-date.

Download PDF Here

MN Educator and GSA Advisor Network

This Facebook group is for Educators and GSA Advisors and OutFront MN’s Education and Equity Department to connect, share resources, provide support and make each other's lives easier! Our goal is to support and advocate for MN LGBTQ+ educators and their allies.

We also believe in the power of GSA advisors and the important role they play in supporting LGBTQ+ students. We provide resources, networking, community building opportunities, training, compassion, and empathy. We understand that isolation, invisibility, and discrimination can impact our mental health and feelings of belonging. We believe that supporting LGBTQ+ educators helps not just educators, but also students and school communities.

LGBTQ+ Youth and Educator Resource Guide

If you have questions and/or need additional resources connected to the following topics, please check out our LGBTQ+ Youth and Educator Resource Guide!

  • Orientation & Identity
  • Coming Out
  • Sexual Health
  • Healthy Relationships
  • Crisis & Anti-Violence
  • LGBTQ+ Intersectionality
  • Being an Ally/Advocate
  • Finding Community
  • LGBTQ+ Inclusive Education

DOWNLOAD PDF HERE

 

Youth Summit helped me feel more like I can be me and reveal my identity.

Student attendee
image of a person with short dark hair, wearing yellow earrings and a green and brown patterned shirt. reads: Youth Summit Special Guest Giiwedin, register by March 4 to join us!

I just love the vibe for the kids that it’s okay to be exactly who they are, and be surrounded by like minded people. They certainly don’t get that feeling at school.

Adult attendee

Thank You to our 2026 Supporters!

Carpenter Evert
Robins Kaplan
Augsburg University
Gustavus Adolphus
Sponsor List

Sponsorships & Vendors

If you're interested in becoming a sponsor or a table vendor of OutFront Minnesota's Youth Summit, you can find more information here. Contact development@outfront.org with any questions.

Support Youth Summit

I feel so good when I'm around queer and trans kids. Their energy is amazing! It's great to be in a safe space that supports us all. The location was good and I'm glad the weather cooperated enough. I love how you really center trans and BIPOC folks in all sessions and parts of the event. This was such a great event and I want more!

Adult attendee

Welcoming Schools

OutFront Minnesota has partnered with the Human Rights Campaign Foundation’s Welcoming Schools program to provide  LGBTQ+ and gender inclusive professional development training, lesson plans, booklists and resources specifically designed for educators and youth-serving professionals. 

The program uses an intersectional, anti-racist lens dedicated to actionable policies and practices. We uplift school communities with critical tools to embrace family diversity, create LGBTQ+ and gender inclusive schools, prevent bias-based bullying, and support transgender and non-binary students. See below for Welcoming Schools offerings.

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Trainings for Educators

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GSAs: Just Getting Started (Gender and Sexuality Alliances)

Gender and Sexuality Alliances can be extremely helpful for 2SLGBTQIA2S+ youth as well as general school climate. In this training, you’ll learn about best practices for starting a group/club like this within your school community as well as how to maintain and facilitate the group. Resources and ideas will also be shared throughout the session and will be an interactive conversation to best meet your school team’s needs.

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Introduction to Supporting 2SLGBTQIA+ Communities | Evidence-Based Strategies for Improving School Climate

Our 2SLGBTQIA+ 101 Training covers basic terms and concepts relating to gender and sexuality. We will learn about the differences between sex assigned at birth, gender identity, gender expression and sexual orientation and what 2SLGBTQIA+ means. We will also begin to learn basic tips on how to be more inclusive and supportive in our school environments. We’ll also discuss the mindsets and action steps necessary to create affirming spaces in our schools as well as working through scenarios in small groups to help build our active allyship skills.

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Trainings for Youth

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Advocacy 101

Our Advocacy 101 training focuses on building power within youth and student groups. We discuss what advocacy and power means and how youth can collaborate with each other to make a difference in their worlds. We also share practical ideas and leave time for brainstorming to get things rolling.

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Coming Out

Our Coming Out training covers what coming out means, tips on creating a safe coming out plan and best practices for when someone comes out to you. Additionally, we talk about myths about coming out and how this process can feel very different to different groups of people.

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Healthy Relationships

Our Healthy Relationships training discusses different types of relationships, myths about relationships as well as practical tools for setting boundaries and communicating with the different people in your life. We also examine how media has impacted our perceptions of relationships in general and specifically queer relationships. Attendees should leave this training with a renewed idea of what is meaningful to them when it comes to building healthy relationships. 

 

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Intersectionality & 2SLGBTQIA+ Communities

Our Intersectionality & 2SLGBTQIA+ Communities training covers key concepts and general terms relating to gender and sexuality, practical skills for being in allyship with 2SLGBTQIA+ communities, and grounds the group in intersectionality principles to create safer, more inclusive environments. Participants will gain a better understanding of intersectionality, a brief introduction to its origins, why we center a Black Queer Feminist Lens in movement work and ways that intersectionality frameworks can create safer, more inclusive environments. There will be time to discuss your own identities and how intersectionality may impact you and those around you. 

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Let's Talk Gender: Introduction to Gender and Trans Issues

While this training is similar to our introductory LGBTQIA2S+ training, we will dive deeper into thinking about our own experiences with gender. We will learn about general terms relating to gender, the differences between gender identity and gender expression along with topics like binaries and the joys and challenges that trans and gender expansive people may experience.

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Creating Safe and Welcoming Schools

HRC Welcoming Schools

HRC Foundation’s Welcoming Schools is the most comprehensive bias-based bullying prevention program in the nation to provide LGBTQ+ and gender inclusive professional development training, lesson plans, booklists and resources specifically designed for educators and youth-serving professionals. Our program uses an intersectional, anti-racist lens dedicated to actionable policies and practices. We uplift school communities with critical tools to embrace family diversity, create LGBTQ+ and gender inclusive schools, prevent bias-based bullying, and support transgender and non-binary students.

Learn More