"You-Are-Loved" GlowLight Vigil (for bullied LGBT Youth) October 3, 2010

Hosted by NYU LGBT organizations and Delta Lambda Phi

UPDATE: Please bring glowsticks instead of candles. There is a very strict no candle policy in the park and we do NOT want to be shut down on a technicality.

Within the past two weeks, SIX young men between the ages of 13 and 19 have died from suicide as a result of homophobic bullying:

* Asher Brown(age 13)
* Seth Walsh(age 13)
* Justin Aaberg(age 15)
* Billy Lucas (age 15)
* Tyler Clementi (age 18)
* Raymond Chase (age 19)

These only represent the ones that we know about.

Students at NYU are asking that we all come together as a collective community to remember these young men as well as all of those we have lost due to hatred and bigotry.

It's time to mobilize. The vigil will start at 9:00pm in Washington Square Park underneath the arch. Please bring your own glowstick if you have one as there will be a limited amount available. We will have at least 1,000 glowsticks to provide. The event will culminate in a chalking session in honor of the 2nd annual "You-Are-Loved Chalk Messaging Project." This project is meant to provide uplifting messages as well as shed light on the amount of bullying, harassment, self-injury, and suicidal thoughts that disproportionately affect queer youth.

We need your help to get the word out! Send this group to your ENTIRE friend list. Let's show all the silenced queer youth that there ARE those out there that will accept them for who they are. No one should ever be made to feel alone in this world. We realize this is short notice, but we must act before one more precious life is lost. WE MUST LEARN TO LOVE ONE ANOTHER.

"You Gotta Give Them Hope" ~~ Harvey Milk

RESOURCES:
* IT GETS BETTER:
* "You-Are-Loved Chalk Message Project": http://chalkmessages.org/
* The Trevor Project: http://www.thetrevorproject.org/
* http://nyaf.blogspot.com/2010/09/why-you-are-loved-chalk-message-project.html
* http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1316319/NY-student-Tyler-Clementi-commits-suicide-gay-sex-encounter-online.html
* http://www.queerty.com/billy-lucas-15-hangs-himself-after-classmates-called-him-a-fag-one-too-many-times-20100914/
* http://www.queerty.com/teenager-justin-aaberg-killed-himself-over-gay-bullying-his-mom-wont-let-anyone-forget-20100914/
* http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/blogs/ybenjamin/detail?entry_id=73326
* http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/metropolitan/7220896.html
* http://perezhilton.com/2010-09-30-suicide_crisis_in_america

Official Website: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=158097784219087