The Illinois Safe Schools Alliance (the Alliance) mission is to promote safety, support and healthy development for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning (LGBTQ) youth, in Illinois schools and communities, through advocacy, education, youth organizing and research. The Illinois Safe Schools Alliance envisions a world in which youth develop to their fullest potential, learning in safe and nurturing schools, living in communities that accept and honor differences, where everyone has the freedom to express their sexual orientation and gender identity. The goals of the Alliance are: 1) Public education: To educate and involve schools, community organizations, parents, public officials, youth and the general public in Illinois, regarding sexual orientation and gender identity issues and the needs of LGBTQ youth in schools; 2) Youth Organizing: To engage youth across the state of Illinois to become leaders in the LGBTQ safe schools movement and be agents of change in their own schools and communities; 3) Policy Advocacy: To conduct advocacy activities that will result in the inclusion of sexual orientation and gender identity issues in the programs and policies that support the safety and well-being of youth. The Alliance is the result of the joining of forces between Creating Safe Schools for Illinois (CSSI-formerly GLSEN Chicago) and the Coalition for Education on Sexual Orientation (CESO). The two organizations have joined together to lead the LGBTQ safe schools movement in Illinois and to focus on implementing a model of working with school districts on the issues of sexual orientation and gender identity. Our model includes policy advocacy with school district administrators, training for school personnel, and technical assistance with young people on existing or emerging gay/straight alliances.