Targeted attacks and attempts to dismantle the US Department of Education have been a priority of the Trump administration: For example, in February, $600 million in grants to nonprofits and institutions that promote diversity, equity, and inclusion were simply terminated. Closer to home, the project-program coordinator at Seattle Public Schools (SPS) is the only dedicated LGBTQIA+ support position across the city, and students and faculty were shocked to hear the grant-funded post may only be available for one more year.

Misa Nakamura, a special education resource teacher at John Hay Elementary and PRIDE Alliance advisor, works with fourth- and fifth-grade students who identify as Queer. In conjunction with SPS Project-Program Coordinator Sam Cristol, Nakamura  shares book recommendations, highlights Queer community events for students and families, and points out LGBTQIA+ important figures that youth can look up to.

“Sam’s support has been huge” Nakamura told the SGN. “I think it is just the most empowered I have felt, having someone whose entire job it is... to find resources and information that we can share with our students. I use the information that Sam sends me almost every week.”

Cristol’s position is funded by the What Works in Schools CDC grant rather than the school district itself. According to Cristol, SPS has received this grant since the '90s, which has funded Queer-focused programs and promoted mental health and wellness support and HIV prevention in schools. 

“I think Seattle really prides itself on being an inclusive district,” Nakamura said. “And you can’t say that if you are not actually providing funding to people and programs who are actually doing the groundwork for helping these different populations feel included in schools.”

When word reached students and faculty that Cristol’s position may only be safe for another year, the school district received postcards and letters of support, encouraging more funding to keep the position up and running.

“The question that we need to answer as a school district, as a state, and as a community is: Do we prioritize this work enough to continue to invest in it, make sure that it’s protected, make sure that we are standing in our values even in the face of repression?” Cristol asked.

For teachers, the safety and well-being of students is their top priority. It is their job to make sure that students feel accepted, loved, and seen regardless of background or community. The Gender-Sexuality Alliance and Rainbow Clubs in Seattle’s middle and high schools are one of the ways teachers promote LGBTQ+ resources and acceptance for Queer and Trans youth.

Even though there is only one position dedicated to Queer resources in SPS, there are other student-run initiatives that are actively fundraising and advocating for LGBTQIA+ rights amid uncertainty. Roosevelt High School senior Milo Nelson helped cofound Queer Voices, a club focused on Queer activism. Through bake sale fundraisers and weekly meetings during lunch, Queer Voices is a space for acceptance and pride, where students can unapologetically be themselves.

“I think that SPS has to acknowledge that there is still homophobia within the public school system, and even though we are a progressive area, that doesn’t necessarily mean we can stop putting effort into resources that help Queer students,” Roosevelt High School sophomore Zoey Bates told the SGN.

Cristol is cautiously optimistic about the future. With a background in teaching and having served as the project-program coordinator since 2022, Cristol has seen the importance of resources not only for the Queer community but also for other vulnerable communities. For students with disabilities, students from immigrant families, and students of color, inclusivity in education is something that needs to be protected.

“What we are really trying to do is just build a safe environment for all our students. We are not trying to turn anybody Gay or spread a certain type of ideology,” Cristol said. “Kids are telling us who they are, and we are listening, and we want to make sure that schools are places where they can be safe as much as any other student.”

In order to keep these resources afloat, teachers and staff are appealing to the community. Donations to SPS LGBTQ+ resources have been made possible through the Alliance for Education, through which people can donate money directly into an individual school’s account.

For more information regarding donations, visit  www.alliance4ed.org/give/school-account.