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About
The Queer Student Union (QSU) provides Santa Cruz county high school students with the opportunity to explore LGBTQ+ issues, and build their leadership skills through advocacy and service to their local community. Through student-led projects and events, QSU members can expand their networks, hone their communication and organizational skills, and create a habit of civic engagement that prepares them to become the torch bearers of tomorrow’s LGBTQ+ community.
The QSU also provides input and speakers for other queer related groups and events in the county including the Santa Cruz COE LGBTQ+ Task Force, Santa Cruz Pride, the Diversity Center, and the Safe Schools Project.
The Queer Student Union is made possible through a partnership with The Diversity Center of Santa Cruz County, and co-facilitated by TDC staff.
You can follow the Youth Led Leadership Alliance on Instagram at @sccstudentleadership.
Application
If you would like to be part of the QSU, please click below to fill out the short application. If you have any questions, please contact Student Leadership & Engagement Coordinator, Andres Ortiz at anortiz@santacruzcoe.org or 831-466-5713.
Meetings
*Our orientation and first meeting of the 2026-27 school year will be on Saturday, September 19, 2026 from 10am-2pm at Seacliff State Beach (201 State Park Dr. Aptos, CA 95003). We will do some team building activities, participate in a beach cleanup, learn from a CA State Park Ranger, and have fun! Lunch will be provided.
Weekly Meetings - Weekly meetings will be held on Tuesdays after school. Meetings will primarily be virtual, but for a hybrid experience, you can visit the Santa Cruz High or Watsonville High locations. For Zoom link and room numbers, please contact Group Facilitator, Meggie Pina (meggie.pina@diversitycenter.org), or Andres Ortiz (anortiz@santacruzcoe.org).
In addition to meeting weekly, all of our YLLA groups will come together once a month in person to build leadership skills and work on individual group projects. Locations will alternate each month between North and South County.
YLLA Monthly Meetings - Generally every 4-5 weeks from 11am-2pm. All YLLA groups included. In person only.
*September 19th - Orientation at Seacliff State Beach, 201 State Park Dr. Aptos, CA
October 10th - County Office of Education, 400 Encinal St. Santa Cruz, CA
November 14th - Sequoia High Schools, 229 Green Valley Freedom, CA
December 12th - Santa Cruz Museum of Art and History, 705 Front St. Santa Cruz, CA
January 23rd - Sequoia High Schools, 229 Green Valley Freedom, CA
February 20th - County Office of Education, 400 Encinal St. Santa Cruz, CA
March 27th - Sequoia High Schools, 229 Green Valley Freedom, CA
April 17th - County Office of Education, 400 Encinal St. Santa Cruz, CA
May 8th - Sequoia High Schools, 229 Green Valley Freedom, CA
Queer Survival Guide
Queer Survival Guide
Recognizing a significant gap in LGBTQ+ students' sense of belonging and safety, QSU set out to create a resource with wellness strategies, safety tips, and other valuable information including results from their survey on school climate. Check out the Queer Survival Guide!
LGBTQ+ Advocacy Day
LGBTQ+ Advocacy Day
In March, QSU participated in LGBTQ+ Advocacy Day at the California State Capitol in Sacramento. We had the opportunity to meet with six state legislators and advocate for or against a wide range of bills up for a vote that week. This was our chance to put real-life faces to the laws being proposed, and let our lawmakers know how they would affect youth right here in Santa Cruz County. Thank you to all of the State Senators and Assemblymembers who met with us, and a huge shout out to Equality CA for making this day possible!
QSU on KSQD!
QSU on KSQD!
In December 2025, members from the Queer Student Union appeared as guests on Inside Education, a bi-weekly radio show on KSQD 90.7 FM. We discussed all of the amazing work the group is doing, some of the major issues facing our LGBTQ+ students, and what brings us hope. To hear the episode, click here!
Past Projects
2023 - The Queer Agenda Zine
The 2023 Queer & Trans Youth Council designed, created and printed a zine featuring resources, information and art by and for queer youth and their allies. The entire process from concept to completion was lead by our high school QTYC members Sion Erkiletian and Nico Olmstead. They did research, wrote articles created the graphics, and hand assembled over 300 hard copies for distribution the Queer Youth Leadership Awards in May.
Check out this article from Lookout Santa Cruz!
2022 - All-Gender High School Bathrooms Student Survey
The mission of the 2022 Queer & Trans Youth Council was to support public high school students in Santa Cruz County in having reliable and safe access to all-gender bathrooms at school. To do this, they created and distributed a survey to collect information from Santa Cruz County high school students on the current state of school all-gender bathrooms. Their survey received over 800 responses from high school students across the county. They organized and processed the data to compile the issues that needed to be addressed in order to contact school administrators and offer direct assistance and funding.
2021 - Resources Website for Closeted LGBTQIA+ Youth
The 2021 Queer & Trans Youth Council created the Cryptids in the Closet website to provide closeted LGBTQIA+ youth with informational resources. They chose a URL that wouldn’t alert guardians to the LGBTQIA+ content of the website (CryptidsInTheCloset.com) and the cover page is about cryptids. As part of the design, there is a built in Safety Exit which can be used as a discrete way to leave the LGBTQIA+ site quickly and go back to the cryptid page. There is also an art gallery where they continue to accept art submissions, and there is a gallery of coming out stories that you can also contribute to. Their intent with building this website was to provide a safe place for closeted youth.
2020 - LGBTQIA+ Students' Rights Training for School Staff
The 2020 Queer & Trans Youth Council created and presented a training for school staff in Santa Cruz County about LGBTQIA+ students' rights and how to support LGBTQIA+ them, and when shelter-in-place went into effect, they converted the training to a virtual platform to ensure educators still had access to the information.
Facilitators
Facilitators
Zak Keith (They/Them)
Zak Keith (They/Them)
Zak is Graduate Student Research for the Diversity Center pursuing a PhD in Developmental Psychology where they work with LGBTQ+ community members to understand how they develop their identity. When they aren't studying, they are a non-binary creative who combines their Drag artistry with community activism to create spaces for exploring and celebrating identities freely.
Meggie Pina (She/They)
Meggie Pina (She/They)
Meggie is the Senior Manager of Well-being Programs at The Diversity Center. She is a community organizer, advocate, and artist. She has a deep-rooted respect for the human journey knowing that when we connect with others, share our story, and celebrate life we experience joy and healing.
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