This year, GLAAD’s Campus Ambassadors took Spirit Day to their campuses around the country and encouraged their fellow students to go purple. Here are just a few of our remarkable campus ambassadors and how they went purple to fight against bullying and inspire other LGBTQ students.

Teagan Rabuano, New York University

T-Party, a club for trans, non-binary, and gender-nonconforming students and their allies at NYU, had a photoshoot facilitated by GLAAD Campus Ambassador Teagan Rabuano. The Spirit Day photoshoot promoted words that empower transgender and gender non-conforming people rather than tear them down.

Nicole Gemmiti, Berklee College of Music

At Berklee College of Music, Nicole Gemmiti’s organization, LGBT+ United, led a focused meeting on the impact of bullying, discrimination, and harassment of LGBTQ people.

Priyank Pillai, Brazosport College

The Brazosport College LGBTQSA organization held a group discussion about bullying where they talked about personal experiences with bullying growing up, and what they can do to break the culture of silence that exists around LGBTQ issues in their community. 

Fausto Cardenas, University of Central Florida

Fausto invited popular youtuber Kat Blaque to speak at their university, University of Central Florida, on Spirit Day.

Sorrel Rosen, University of Oregon

Sorrel celebrated Spirit Day at the University of Oregon by wearing purple and waving her Rainbow flag high and proud for all to see!

Bobby Brooks and Dorothy McIntush, Texas A&M University

Check out some more GLAAD Campus Ambassadors and their friends rocking purple Spirit Day styles:

Palmer Haasch, University of Minnesota – Twin Cities

Zakiyyah Forrest, Armstrong State University

Gabriel Brown, Marshall University

Mikaela Ashburn, Ohio University

Savannah Green, Clark Atlanta University

Jackson Riemerschmid, Ohio State University

GLAAD Campus Ambassadors are a volunteer network of LGBTQ and ally college and university students who work with GLAAD and within their local communities to build an LGBTQ movement to accelerate acceptance and end hate and discrimination. If you would like to learn more about the GLAAD Campus Ambassador Program, please contact Clare Kenny, GLAAD’s Campaigns Manager spearheading youth engagement.

About Spirit Day

Each year, millions go purple for GLAAD’s Spirit Day to support LGBTQ youth in a united stand against bullying. Started in 2010 by high school student Brittany McMillan in response to numerous young LGBTQ lives lost to suicide, Spirit Day now draws the participation of celebrities, schools, faith institutions, national landmarks, corporations, media outlets, sports leagues, and advocates around the world, all joining together to stand against bullying and support LGBTQ youth.

As anti-LGBTQ policies, hate crimes, and harassment are on the rise, it is now especially important to let all marginalized youth know they are supported.

This year, Spirit Day is on October 19, 2017. Take the Spirit Day pledge to show LGBTQ youth you’ve got their backs at glaad.org/spiritday. Follow @GLAAD on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and Tumblr to keep up to date with #SpiritDay news.