Lifesavers

November 2008 (00:27:42)

Host(s): Michael Billy

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This month's IN THE LIFE features people who have championed the vulnerable in our society: children, queer teens at-risk, and the dying. In this episode, The Trevor Project and the fight to combat suicide among LGBT youth; Labor, Education and Pride intersect in A Conversation With... Randi Weingarten and Alan Van Capelle; and Freeheld, a Real to Reel about survivor's benefits for LGBT partners.

See other episodes in the 17th Season

The Trevor Project

The tragedy of teen suicide is many times more likely for alienated LGBT youth than their straight peers. James Lecesne's groundbreaking play Word of Mouth, became an Oscar winning short film (Trevor), that gave birth to the only nationwide, 24-hour, suicide prevention helpline that has saved countless thousands, now in its tenth year of caring and serving this crisis.

A Conversation With... Alan Van Capelle and Randi Weingarten

Newly elected American Federation of Teachers' President Randi Weingarten and Alan Van Capelle, Executive Director of NY's Empire State Pride Agenda, reflect on the conversion of paths of the American Labor and LGBT rights' movements, with special attention to bringing people together to organize communities, the joy of teaching, and creating safe school environments.

Real to Reel: Freeheld

In the Academy Award-winning documentary short, Freeheld, filmmaker Cynthia Wade chronicles Police Lieut. Laurel Hester's tireless, end-of-life journey to ensure that her pension benefits would be extended to her life-partner, Stacie.

In this moving Real to Reel segment, we see what inspired this story of a small New Jersey town rising up to stand beside Laurel and Stacie.