GSA has been an important club at Newman for many years now. The goal of GSA has always been to promote inclusion and education for all. This is why recently, the GSA has changed their name from the Gay-Straight Alliance, to the Gender and Sexuality Alliance, in hopes of furthering inclusion and understanding. The meetings this year have been focused on working through the L.G.B.T.Q.I.A. + acronyms. By dedicating one meeting to understanding each letter, they hope to provide a safe space for those who may not understand what each letter means to come and learn about these identities. They strive to present accurate and inclusive presentations, educate and inform, distribute resources for further learning, and provide an opportunity to ask questions which many may not feel they are able to ask in other contexts. In addition to their Friday lunch meetings, GSA also sponsors events throughout the year. In the fall, they sponsored Ally Week, which included Ally wrist bands and lunch time discussions of what it means to be an Ally. This spring, they will be sponsoring the Day of Silence at Newman. Day of Silence is a nationwide event in which students take a vow of silence for a day to represent all who feel as though they are silenced in their daily lives due to a lack of acceptance of their gender or sexual orientation. If you have further questions about either of these events, or wish to join the GSA, come to a meeting Friday at lunch in Mr. Bond’s room, or talk to the GSA leaders, Katherine Vogt, Charlie Smith and Laura Arenas.