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'{{Article issues|orphan =February 2010}} '''Beth Teper''' is the executive director of [[COLAGE]].<ref> The College blue book, Volume 5, 32nd edition, Macmillan Reference (2005), ISBN 0028659589, 9780028659589, page 127.</ref> She is a leading and outspoken advocate for the rights of [[LGBT]] families and for children with [[gay]] and [[lesbian]] parents everywhere and is considered an authority on [[LGBT parenting]] issues.<ref>[http://www.politicsdaily.com/2010/08/12/gay-marriages-biggest-supporters-children-of-gay-parents/ Gay Marriage's Biggest Supporters: Children of Gay Parents] Sarah Wildman</ref><ref> Noelle Howey, Generations of Pride: P-Town's Family Week -- and similar gatherings around the nation -- is becoming the most important event of the year for many gay parents and their children, pages 40-41, ''The Advocate'', June 10, 2003. </ref> ==Biography== Beth was ten when her mother came out as a [[lesbian]] and twelve when her best friend and many other 'friends' abandoned and harassed her after finding out about her mom.<ref> Chloé Harris, "The Village People", ''The Advocate'', July 15th, 2008.</ref><ref> Susan Dominus, "Growing Up With Mom and Mom", ''The New York Times'', October 24, 2004 [http://www.nytimes.com/2004/10/24/magazine/24KIDS.html?_r=1&pagewanted=print&position=]</ref> It wasn't until Beth was 24 that she found a community of other young people with families like hers.<ref name ="bio"> Staff biography at Colage [http://www.colage.org/about/staff.htm]</ref> Her community organizing began at age nine - stuffing/sealing/stamping envelopes and selling buttons for the SF chapter of [[National Organization for Women]].<ref name ="bio"/> A [[San Francisco]] native and [[Oakland]] resident, Beth attended public schools in [[San Francisco]] and graduated from [[Brandeis University]] with a B.A. in [[Sociology]], [[Latin American Studies]] and [[Women's Studies]].<ref name ="bio"/> Before joining [[COLAGE]] she was a leader of outdoor adventures and activism: leading wilderness expeditions, teaching environmental ethics, and sharing the pleasure of food and nature with urban youth and families.<ref name ="bio"/> As part of this work she climbed [[Mt. Whitney]] and rafted the Colorado river in the [[Grand Canyon]].<ref name ="bio"/> She joined [[COLAGE]] in October 1993 and has been an active participant and leader in the [[LGBT]] family movement ever since.<ref name ="bio"/><ref> Beth Teper, "Letter from the Director", Vol. 15 #1, 2003, ''Just For Us'', Colage magazine.</ref><ref> "Recipe for a successful school year? Listen to your kids.", Sep 6, 2007, Bay Windows.</ref> Prior to being COLAGE's Executive Director, Beth served on the COLAGE Steering Committee and as chair of the COLAGE Board of Directors for almost seven years.<ref> "Colage Notes: Staff Updates", Vol. 14 #2 (Fall/Winter), 2002, ''Just For Us'', Colage magazine.</ref> In 1994 she marched and spoke at the rally in New York City for the 25th Anniversary of the [[Stonewall Riots]].<ref> Mike Beebe, "A Toast To Colage", Vol. 16 #3, 2004, ''Just For Us'', Colage magazine.</ref> In 2003 she became COLAGE's third executive director.<ref> Dan Cherubin, Jesse Carr & Meredith Fenton, "Dateline Dan", Vol. 16 #3, 2004, ''Just For Us'', Colage magazine.</ref> In 2005 she led COLAGE's [[Hurricane Katrina]] relief efforts to support LGBT families and groups.<ref> Jesse Carr & Meredith Fenton, "Responding To Hurricane Katrina", Vol. 17 #3, 2005, ''Just For Us'', Colage magazine.</ref> Teper has worked for women's health and reproductive rights, an end to US military action and occupation, LGBT liberation and environmental sustainability.<ref name ="bio"/> She brings a strong background in and passion for popular education, social, economic and environmental justice, and youth empowerment to her work with COLAGE.<ref>Maggie Jackson, "Same-sex couples face unique adoption hurdles", ''Boston Globe'', March 26, 2006.</ref> Currently she meets other children with gay parents, lectures on gay family rights and works to protect the rights of [[Queerspawn]], a term identifying children of LGBTIQ parents, everywhere. She leads COLAGE workshops each summer during Family Week in [[Provincetown]] on [[Cape Cod]].<ref> Noelle Howey, Generations of Pride: P-Town's Family Week -- and similar gatherings around the nation -- is becoming the most important event of the year for many gay parents and their children, pages 40-41, ''The Advocate'', June 10, 2003. </ref> ==See also== *[[Youth activism]] ==Notes== {{reflist}} ==External links== * [http://www.colage.org/ COLAGE] {{LGBT |culture=yes}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Teper, Beth}} [[Category:American activists]] [[Category:American child activists]] [[Category:LGBT rights activists from the United States]] [[Category:People from Oakland, California]] [[Category:Youth empowerment individuals]]'