Regarding Homophobia at Redwood High School
The Source LGBT+ Center is deeply disturbed by the image circulating from Redwood High School of students lined up in shirts that together spelled a homophobic slur. We are dedicated to supporting VUSD students during this time. Read our official statement and learn how you can get involved to ensure LGBTQ+ youth are safe in Visalia.
An open message to the community addressing the homophobic slur at Redwood High School:
The Source LGBT+ Center is deeply disturbed by the image circulating from Redwood High School showing students lined up in shirts that together spelled a homophobic slur targeting the LGBTQ+ community.
Let’s be clear: this is not a harmless joke. Incidents like this reinforce stigma, normalize hate, and send a painful message to LGBTQ+ students that they are unsafe, unwelcome, or unworthy of respect. That message carries real consequences for young people’s mental health, safety, and sense of belonging.
To the students impacted by this hate speech: you are not alone. You deserve respect. The Source LGBT+ Center is here for you, and we will continue to provide spaces where you are affirmed, supported, and protected.
We appreciate Superintendent Kirk Shrum’s prompt and direct response. Swift leadership sets the tone for accountability and makes clear that discrimination has no place in our schools. Schools must be environments of safety, learning, and community. It is the responsibility of adults in those spaces to address harm directly and guide students toward choices that reflect the values of Visalia Unified School District.
This incident is also a reminder that GSA and student pride clubs on campus are not optional. They are essential. LGBTQ+ youth deserve schools where they are respected and supported. Educational leaders must model that standard and make expectations clear. Regardless of the intent, there is a real impact.
The Source stands ready to advocate with students and families for safer spaces on and off campus. We will continue to offer cultural competency training for students, faculty, and staff of any school district. Education remains one of the most effective tools for preventing harm, building empathy, and creating school communities where every young person can thrive. We expect meaningful accountability and tangible steps forward from the Visalia Unified School District.
Our youth deserve better. We can do better.
In solidarity,
The Source LGBT+ Center
Read more about the situation:
New York Post | Sun-Gazette | ABC30 | Visalia Times Delta
Here's What You Can Do:
We are hosting Community Meetings at The Source LGBT+ Center to address the situation and empower our community with the tools to advocate for the safety and well-being of LGBTQ+ youth. Free food will also be provided.
Upcoming meetings:
Wednesday, February 25, at 5:30 PM
Friday, March 6, at 5:30 PM
We will also be attending the next Visalia Unified School District Board Meeting on Tuesday, March 10. The meeting begins at 5:30 PM, and public comment begins about 45 minutes in. The VUSD office is located at 5000 W Cypress, Visalia.
If you are a parent of a child attending a VUSD school, or are a VUSD student, we encourage you to make your voice heard. If you’d like to make a comment, fill out a speaker form in the back of the room, and they will call you up to speak during public comment.
We need your help to sustain these efforts.
We are putting more resources behind advocacy, organizing, and responding to this situation while supporting the youth and families impacted in Visalia.
Be a part of that work and drive change with a donation.
If You Need Help
You are not alone. There are resources here to support you.
Youth Peer Support | Trans Peer Support | 988 | Trevor Project
California Youth Crisis Line | Know Your Rights as a Student in California
Thank you.
Follow us for more updates as the situation develops:
Brian Poth & Nick Vargas: 2024 James Irvine Foundation Leadership Award Recipients
News & Announcements from The Source LGBT+ Center
The Source LGBTQ+ Center is proud to announce that Executive Director Brian Poth and Director of Development and Strategy Nick Vargas were selected as recipients of the James Irvine Foundation Leadership Award. The grant, in the amount of $350,000, will be used to grow and implement new services through The Source while ensuring that every LGBTQ+ individual in the area has access to the support and services they need to live healthy, fulfilling lives.
The James Irvine Foundation is a private, nonprofit grantmaking foundation dedicated to expanding opportunity for the people of California. The Foundation’s focus is a California where all low-income workers have the power to advance economically. Since 1937, the Foundation has provided more than $2.6 billion in grants to organizations throughout California. The Foundation ended 2023 with $3.1 billion in assets and provided $180.3 million in grants. For more, please visit www.irvine.org.
The James Irvine Foundation Leadership Award grant will enable The Source to expand in variety of meaningful ways, like growing our team and offering new services And with your help, we can begin creating even more spaces where LGBTQ+ people can learn, grow, belong, and thrive.
