Three different organizations are coming together to promote Pride Week ?” a week-long event that celebrates the gay community through activites dealing with political issues surrounding sexual orientation.

The week will begin on April 24 as PRIDE, Queer-Straight Alliance (QSA) and the Multi-Cultural Center will put up group flags ?” such as the rainbow pride flag and the bi-sexual pride flag ?” said Bonnie Sugiyama, PRIDE program coordinator.

Equality California will come to Sac State on April 25 to hand out brochures and talk about political issues such as gay marriage and the legislative bills the organization is supporting, said Jean Adams, field organizer of the organization.

“We are trying to get young people to understand they do have a voice in politics,” Adams said. Some of the legislative bills may directly affect Sac State students, Adams said.

Bills such as the Civil Rights Housing Act of 2006 and Gwen Araujo Justice for Victims Act are currently going through approvals, Adams said.

The Civil Rights Housing Act “standardizes housing provisions,” so that possible tenants cannot be discriminated based on their sexual orientation, Adams said.

While the Gwen Araujo Justice for Victims Act helps victims of hate crimes. This act prevents perpetrators from using panic strategies to influence a court or jury into leniency for the hate crime, according to the organization’s Web site.

“It prevents perpetrators from uses excuses like they didn’t realize the person was gay and freaked out when they found out and that’s why they beat them up,” Adams said.

On April 26, the event will proceed with “Day of Silence,” an event where people will march from the Lambda Center to the Board of Education.

“This event is to reflect the silence many students go through in the K-12 education system,” Sugiyama said. In some cases, students who are gay are bullied or beat up at school and end up being punished for causing trouble, Sugiyama said.

“We want teachers to listen, teach” and help the cause, not punish, Sugiyama said.

The week will end with the showing of “Brokeback Mountain” in the Women’s Resource Center at noon. A Drag 101 workshop and the 5th annual “Gender-Bending Extravaganza” and Art Show held at 7 p.m. on April 28 will also end the week-long event. The Extravaganza will include “a drag-type talent show where people will play with gender,” Sugiyama said. Free food will also be available.

Binde Rai can be reached at [email protected]