Nevada

Amplifying the Voices of LGBTQ+ Youth in Nevada | GLAAD

Published

2 years ago

March 1, 2024

Amplifying the Voices of LGBTQ+ Youth in Nevada | GLAAD

Over the past several years, the amount of anti-LGBTQ+ legislation appearing in state legislatures around the country has been on the rise. In 2024 alone the ACLU is tracking 463 anti-LGBTQ+ bills in the US, with 172 of those bills attempting to restrict the rights of students and educators, according to the organization’s legislation tracker. While currently, none of the bills come from Nevada’s state legislature, the absence of inclusive school policies makes it difficult for LGBTQ+ students to feel supported and valued.

As the State Director of the Nevada civil rights organization – Silver State Equality – GLAAD Media Institute alumnus André Wade works to uplift youth leaders in the LGBTQ+ community. In 2022, Wade created the LGBTQ+ Student Advisory Council to help identify and recommend changes that need to be made in order to increase acceptance of LGBTQ+ youth in Nevada schools. In pursuit of their goal, the council embarked on an online survey and listening campaign in which it conducted in-depth interviews with LGBTQ+ youth in Nevada to better understand the extent of the issue.

In a Las Vegas Sun op-ed, Wade writes, “The recommendations of the LGBTQ+ Student Advisory Council stand in stark contrast to some of the horrible commentary spewed by outside groups at Clark County School District (CCSD) board of trustee meetings.” While the council advocates for including LGBTQ+ history, stories, and authors in school curriculum, anti-LGBTQ groups such as Moms for Liberty are calling for book bans; often targeting the removal of LGBTQ+ themed books. This rhetoric has even seeped into the CCSD board of trustees with some attendees demanding a shift away from inclusive policies.

Thus, it comes as no surprise that one of the most unsettling findings of the Nevada Student Advisory Survey’s report is that 79% of respondents have “experienced discrimination from those in authority for their LGBTQ+ identity.” Moreover, almost 49% of LGBTQ+ students reported having been deliberately excluded by peers within the last 6 months; one Nevada 12th grader is quoted saying, “The [school] climate right now is very toxic and mentally taxing.”

As anti-LGBTQ+ rhetoric and bills continue to spread, queer youth around the country are becoming increasingly vulnerable to mental and physical harm. This is especially evident in Owasso, Oklahoma where 16-year-old nonbinary student, Nex Benedict (they/them), died on February 8, 2024 after being beaten in the school restroom the day prior. Of the 463 anti-LGBTQ bills that have been introduced into state legislatures this year, 54 of them are from Oklahoma – the most from any state.

To that effect, collaboration between local activists, advocacy groups, and organizations like the GLAAD Media Institute must continue. In September 2023, the GMI traveled to Las Vegas, Nevada for its event Telling Your Story: Messaging & Media Tools for Today’s Activist. During the workshop, the GMI focused on amplifying the voices of LGBTQ+ advocates and leaders in Southern Nevada while listening to them discuss how they work towards achieving full equality for the queer community. Recently, the GLAAD Media Institute traveled to Owasso, Oklahoma where it sought to elevate the voices of Nex Benedict’s family and local LGBTQ+ advocacy groups such as Freedom Oklahoma, and Black Queer Tulsa.

Even so, there is still more work to be done. As André Wade writes, “It’s important that we listen to the voices of our LGBTQ+ students who want lawmakers, decision makers, and community members to do their part to create a world and school environment that is healthy, just and fully equal, so they can better learn, grow and thrive in school.”

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Nevada

Red Flag Warning issued for heightened fire danger in Southern Nevada

Published

9 hours ago

June 8, 2026

Press Room

Red Flag Warning issued for heightened fire danger in Southern Nevada

LAS VEGAS (KSNV) — We’ll start the week with a heightened fire danger with dangerous heat later this week.

TODAY

Expect mostly sunny skies with winds picking up again on Monday. High temperatures will reach 98 degrees in Las Vegas with south winds 10-20 mph and wind gusts up to 30 mph.

A RED FLAG WARNING is in place from 10am to 9pm Monday for gusty winds and dry weather, so if a fire started, it would spread quickly.

Winds are estimated to be 20-25 mph with gusts around 40 mph at times with relative humidity of 5%-15%.

Air quality is ranked ‘good’ to ‘moderate’ for dust and tree pollen. The most common pollens are juniper, cedar, willow, sycamore and palm.

TONIGHT

We’ll see variable clouds this evening with skies going from mostly cloudy to mostly clear overnight.

Wind gusts will pick up again before midnight with gusts 30-40 mph possible downslope of the Spring Mountains in the west valley.

Elsewhere, gusts will be 20-30 mph. Breezes will eventually back down to 5-15 mph overnight. Valley lows will drop to around 74 degrees.

WHAT’S NEXT

We have reached 109 consecutive days without measurable rain in Las Vegas.

No rain is in sight, but for perspective, June is the driest month of the year in Las Vegas. Fingers crossed on a hopefully more active monsoon season!

High pressure builds next with highs 5-10 degrees above normal. Temperatures will reach around 108 degrees in Las Vegas by Friday. The last time we hit a high temperature of 108 degrees was back on August 20th of last year.

Not much relief is in sight by the weekend with highs around 107 degrees and temps at or above 105-106 degrees NEXT Monday through Wednesday.

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Nevada

DNA Doe Project unlocks cold case in Nevada

Published

19 hours ago

June 8, 2026

Press Room

DNA Doe Project unlocks cold case in Nevada

Growing DNA databases continue to unlock decades-old cold cases. How the DNA Doe Project helped to identify remains 37 years later.

Posted
6/8/2026, 2:51:05 AM

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Nevada

Meet the 2026 Nevada Preps All-Southern Nevada boys volleyball team

Published

1 day ago

June 7, 2026

Press Room

Meet the 2026 Nevada Preps All-Southern Nevada boys volleyball team

First team

Ty Ahlstrom, Centennial – The junior had 373 digs and was a first-team 5A all-state libero for the 5A state runner-up.

Evan Ditmar, Palo Verde – The senior first-team 5A all-state outside hitter had 187 kills with a .328 hitting percentage.

Luke Hashimoto, Arbor View – The senior had 302 digs and 37 aces for the 5A state champion.

Porter Hughes, Basic – The senior had 373 kills with 218 digs and 38 aces for the 5A state semifinalist.

Lincoln Larson, Centennial – The senior was the 5A state player of the year and was second in the state with 460 kills, on a .371 hitting percentage, and added 283 digs and 72 aces for the 5A state runner-up.

Jagger Mendenhall, Palo Verde – The senior first-team 5A all-state setter had 414 assists.

Risden Miller, Arbor View – The junior led the 5A state champion with 279 kills and added 173 digs.

RJ Regalado, Centennial – The senior had 723 assists and was a first-team 5A all-state.

Max Romzek, Shadow Ridge – The junior had 152 kills on a .437 hitting percentage with 66 blocks for the 5A state semifinalist.

Mateo Salomon, Shadow Ridge – The sophomore had 169 kills with a .374 hitting percentage for the 5A state semifinalist.

Keagan Sugden, Arbor View – The junior setter led the state with 1,129 assists for the 5A state champion.

Mau Tuiaana, Centennial – The senior had 162 kills on a .397 hitting percentage, 92 blocks and 147 digs for the 5A state runner-up.

Kenyon Wickliffe, Arbor View – The senior had a .477 hitting percentage with 176 kills and 46 blocks for the 5A state champion. He is committed to Cal State Northridge.

Jacob Wienke, Desert Oasis – The senior was the 4A Mountain League player of the year led the Diamondbacks with 290 kills and 154 digs on their way to the 4A state title.

Coach of the year

Nicole Adarme, Arbor View – Guided the Aggies to the Class 5A state title, the program’s first boys volleyball title.

Second team

Graham Blanchard, Arbor View – The senior had 179 kills, 32 aces and 136 digs for the 5A state champion.

Zelworth Chavis, Liberty – The 4A Lake League player of the year had 731 assists and 64 aces for the 4A state semifinalist.

Zavier Coleman, Shadow Ridge – The senior had 139 kills and 136 digs and was a first-team 5A all-state selection.

Andrew Gutierrez, Palo Verde – The junior had 153 kills 35 aces and was a first-team 5A all-state outside hitter.

Ty Hardy, Basic – The senior had 274 kills and 257 digs for the 5A state semifinalist.

Ty Harper, Shadow Ridge – The senior had 211 digs and was a first-team 5A all-state selection for the 5A state semifinalist.

Kaleb Law, Mojave – The senior was the 4A Sky League player of the year and was second in the state with 436 kills on a .457 hitting percentage with 69 blocks, 55 aces and 249 digs to help the Rattlers reach the 4A state semifinals.

Oakland Liugalua, Cadence — The freshman had 406 kills on a .396 hitting percentage with 154 digs and 57 aces.

Gavin McColl, Centennial – The senior had 154 kills on a .333 hitting percentage with 94 blocks for the 5A state runner-up.

Brad Rappleye, Sky Pointe – The junior was the 4A Desert League player of the year and had 187 kills and 78 blocks to help the Eagles reach the 4A state title game.

Levi Randall, Boulder City – The junior had 149 kills with a .477 hitting percentage and 92 blocks for the 3A state champion.

Yeheshua Ruiz, Foothill – The senior had 157 kills with a .426 hitting percentage with 70 blocks and was a first-team 5A all-state selection.

Preston Van Beveren, Boulder City – The senior had 137 kills on a .457 hitting percentage with 99 blocks, 27 aces and 141 digs for the 3A state champion.

David Zwahlen, Boulder City – The 3A state player of the year had 232 kills with a .364 hitting percentage, with 337 digs and 70 aces.