GLSEN’s National Day of Silence will take place tomorrow, April 20, 2012. Since 1996, GLSEN has sponsored this daylong, in-school action to promote support and compassion for all those silenced intheir schools due to bullying and anti-LGBTQ bias. The Day of Silence will be observed by thousands of students across the nation including at hundreds of schools across Pennsylvania.

The 2nd Annual “Pennsylvania: Breaking the Silence – Night of Noise” will take place in the afternoon with over 20 schools across the state. For this event, the schools observing the Day of Silence will break the silence together by releasing special-made balloons at the end of the day.

We join PSEC and PA students in encouraging everyone to change their Facebook (and other social media) profile pictures to one of the logos on here online for the day: http://pennsec.org/campus-and-local-resources/day-of-silence/.  You can email info@pennsec.org ifyou would like one made for your town.

Each registered school for the “PA: Breaking the Silence – Night of Noise” was sent printed balloons. As students gather at a central landmark at their school toward the end of the day, we asked that everyone write words or messages about how it feels to be silent with permanent marker on the balloon. After everyone in the group has had a chance to contribute, there will be final community remarks, followed by the balloons being released signifying the departure of silence from oppression.

Immediately following, organizations are planning avariety of events of noise, “Night of Noise”, including concerts and community forums to continue the dialogue. We will assemble pictures from all the different events in a collage and post it back here. What are you doing for the Day of Silence – Night of Noise?

Nichole Mahoney is the Pittsburgh Regional Coordinator for the Pennsylvania Student Equality Coalition and an undergraduate student at the University of Pittsburgh. Nichole is from Bethel Park in Allegheny County.