QUEENS OF THE CASTRO Grace Towers Scholarship for the Arts $1000 What: The Queens of the Castro invite you to apply for The Grace Towers Scholarship for the Arts. In an effort to recognize and support your artistic and professional development as an artist, recipients will receive $1000 scholarship for post-secondary opportunities in all disciplines of the arts. (Theater, Dance, Music, Performance, Visual, etc) Who: We are seeking applicants who identify as members of the LGBTQI community. This means, at some point in your high school career, you should have demonstrated a commitment to raising awareness about LGBTQI issues, combating homophobia and/or bullying or educating your community about similar topics. Where: All high school seniors in California may apply. Winners will be invited to an award ceremony in San Francisco. When: Applications are due May 15, 2014. Why: You deserve free money for all your hard work! Mission Statement The Queens of the Castro is a group of three, gay male drag queens—Darla Gayle, Honda Hybrid, and Jenna Talia—that raise awareness about the differences between gender and sexuality in San Francisco. In particular, we work closely with San Francisco youth by organizing and implementing drag shows in various high schools across the city. In response to the recent teen suicides and the “It gets better” movement, we have decided to extend our influence by raising money for Gay Straight Alliances with fundraising events, increasing our presence on high school campuses and galvanizing the LGBTQ youth to counter bullying and promote love—not mere tolerance—of all human being regardless of their sexuality and gender, real or perceived. At the core of our work is the belief that everyone should know how to love themselves and should never have to hide their identity. We can no longer afford to turn a blind eye to the debilitating effects of dehumanization!