Rainbow Connections Master Class Series for learning communities
Allies in Action: Supporting GSAs and Cultivating Empowerment and Leadership of LGBTQ+ Students
April 8, 2026
Learning objectives:
- Describe the core purpose of GSAs and explain how they support student wellness, foster leadership, and contribute to safer, more inclusive school environments.
- Apply at least two strategies to encourage youth ownership, collaboration, and authentic decision-making in student-led club activities.
- Identify and implement approaches for navigating common challenges, including lack of administrative support, limited resources, and community pushback, using advocacy tools.
- Demonstrate active allyship skills and model ways to equip students to act as allies for each other within and beyond the club space.
Presenters
Angela Soto Cerros (they/them & elle/ella) is a Hispanic person who hopes to inspire others by implementing their own lived experiences for community advocacy, educational training, and being a peer mentor. Angela’s lived experiences bring a wealth of understanding of the stigma, challenges, and needs surrounding growing up in a low-income, traditional Hispanic household, a first generation graduate, LGBTQ+ person, existing with mental health conditions.
Angela graduated in 2023 from the California State University of Monterey Bay with a Bachelors of Arts in Psychology. They were also involved as a Youth Advisory Board member with the “Never a Bother”, a suicide prevention campaign, launched by the California Department of Public Health Office of Suicide Prevention.
As the Rainbow Connections Wellness Outreach & Engagement Coordinator from The Epicenter of Monterey County. Angela helps connect youth, ages 14-24, to resources regarding housing, employment, education, mental health and wellness. They are also certified as a Welcoming Schools Facilitator, an anti-bullying training program, to create safer school environments for youth in Monterey County.
Meggie Pina (she/her) is a Queer Chicana multidisciplinary artist, advocate, and community organizer who believes in the power of creative expression and connection to transform lives. As Director of Programs at The Diversity Center, she leads a dynamic team delivering LGBTQ+ affirming programming across Santa Cruz and Monterey Counties. Meggie holds a B.S. in Child & Family Development from San Diego State University and brings over 15 years of experience in nonprofit leadership, community engagement, and large-scale event production. She is also a certified Welcoming Schools Facilitator. She supports GSA, QSA, and Rainbow Clubs in schools, fostering inclusive spaces and mentoring LGBTQ+ youth. Meggie designs culturally grounded Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) curricula for K–12 students, educators, and families. Her approach blends activism with radical self-love grounded in community care, joy, and a strong commitment to collective healing and liberation.
Sam Gomez (they/them) is the Deputy Director of The Epicenter, a youth-led resource center based in Salinas, California. With over a decade of experience in youth development, Sam has dedicated their career to empowering young people and creating systems that are inclusive, equitable, and community-driven.
Sam began their journey at The Epicenter in 2015 as a volunteer with the Our Gente program while completing their studies at California State University, Monterey Bay. They earned a Bachelor of Arts in Collaborative Health and Human Services in 2017 and have since used their education and lived experience to advocate for youth and marginalized communities across Monterey County.
Proudly queer, non-binary, and Latine, Sam is deeply committed to advancing LGBTQ+ inclusion in education, mental health, and social services. As a systems-change leader, Sam works to uplift youth voice and ensure that institutions reflect the diversity and needs of the people they serve.