06/02/2026
At this weekend's Celebration of Leadership we were honored to receive a Mayoral Proclamation to mark the event's 30th anniversary:
Mayoral Proclamation
WHEREAS, GSAFE has its roots in two all-volunteer grassroots organizations founded in 1991, G**s and Le****ns Against Discrimination in Education (GLADE) and Gay and Le***an Educational Employees (GLEE), which came together in 1996 as GLSEN South Central Wisconsin, brought to life through the early leadership of Martha Popp, Vicki Shaffer, and Larry Palm, before becoming Gay Straight Alliance for Safe Schools — or GSAFE — in 2006; and
WHEREAS, in 1997, GSAFE held its first youth scholarship event at the First Unitarian Society, awarding its first two scholarships to Adam Estes and Megan Lemke, beginning a tradition of recognizing the leadership and courage of LGBTQ+ youth in Wisconsin; and
WHEREAS, in 2001, under the leadership of Executive Director Jason Rasmussen and with board chair Judi Devereux challenging him to dream bigger, GSAFE merged its scholarship ceremony and adult prom fundraiser into a single annual gathering at the Concourse Hotel, creating what became known as the Celebration of Leadership; and
WHEREAS, over the past 30 years, GSAFE has awarded 120 scholarships to LGBTQ+ youth — including the five young leaders being recognized here tonight — recognized more than 32 Educators of the Year, and honored more than 28 community activists and organizations through the Judi Devereux Community Activist Award; and
WHEREAS, the Celebration of Leadership has grown from a small gathering into a beloved annual event drawing hundreds of supporters, youth, educators, and community members from across Wisconsin.
WHEREAS, for 30 years the Celebration of Leadership has provided a platform for LGBTQ+ youth across Wisconsin to be seen, heard, and celebrated for their leadership, courage, and contributions to their schools and communities, with student voices centered at the heart of every event;
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