Power in pride: This Brooklyn student wants to reclaim queer activism in NYC schools

A screenshot of a high school student with short dark hair and wearing a hoodie sitting at a wooden desk with an office view in the background.
A screenshot of Mher Melikyan reporting on the Miseducation podcast by The Bell last school year when he was a sophomore. (Screenshot of Miseducation by The Bell Youtube)

This originally aired on The Bell’s Miseducation podcast.

At my school, the Gender and Sexuality Alliance, or GSA, feels more like a social club than a space for activism. And I’m not alone in feeling that way.

In this episode, I look at how GSAs in New York City have drifted from their original purpose: organizing for change and uplifting queer voices. Once at the front lines of student activism, many GSAs now avoid political conversations and lack diversity, even as queer youth face mounting attacks across the United States.

It’s time for a GSA rebrand. To recenter activism and ensure every queer student feels seen and supported, GSAs must be spaces that are bold, inclusive, and purposeful.

Queer youth have played a key role in leading social movements, and history shows that when we organize, we create change. It’s time for GSAs to reflect that legacy and reclaim their role.


This is a video-first episode. You can watch it now on YouTube.

Miseducation is The Bell’s flagship podcast, which gives New York City public high school students the tools to report on inequities in the nation’s largest school system.

To join the conversation, send us a message and follow us on Instagram.

Never miss an episode! Subscribe on YouTube | Spotify | Apple Podcasts | Google Play | Stitcher

The Latest

The board approved an agreement Thursday with an outside law firm to represent it in matters regarding the superintendent’s contract. The cost? $1,000 an hour for a partner at the firm and $550 an hour for an associate attorney.

The school’s enrollment has rebounded under Principal KaTiedra Argro’s leadership. But at the start of the year, the district didn’t let her hire enough staff to keep up.

Board Vice President Monica Hunter has been accused of allegedly using a derogatory term to refer to a Jewish board member. She denies it.

According to data the city released Thursday, the chronic absenteeism rate remains higher than pre-pandemic levels.

Amber Huett-Garcia left the Memphis school board after a four-year term marked by significant superintendent turnover. Here’s what she thinks MSCS needs to do to succeed.

The Detroit Public Schools Community District continued to see improvements in its chronic absenteeism rate, which was at 60% at the end of the 2025-26 school year.