2009 POINT SCHOLARS

Lea Gee-Tong

Stanford University

Lea’s work in the LBGT community began four years ago as a freshman at Marin Academy when she joined the school's Gay-Straight Alliance (GSA). The following year she became co-president of the group. Their culminating event this year was a live question and answer session with actor Sean Penn in front of the entire school.
For nearly three years now, Lea has been actively involved with the Gay-Straight Alliance Network where she has found her community. She began as a summer intern and is now on the Youth Council, Advocacy Council and the Governing Board. Under the mentorship of the talented and committed GSA Network staff and board, Lea has learned to lobby legislators, engage in strategic planning, and help train the next wave of student leaders.
Lea believes that in order to further the LBGT movement, collaborations among diverse groups need to be strengthened. At Stanford, Lea hopes to learn how to solve complex concepts, including the intersecting of all forms of oppression – racism, sexism, classism, homophobia – in new and relevant ways. She ultimately wants to help communities acknowledge differences while uniting around commonalities and a shared goal of change.