Celebrate "educate2impact day" on May 21

Event will empower the LGBTQ community by promoting equal access to education

LOS ANGELES, May 8, 2014 /PRNewswire/ — Point Foundation today announced May 21, 2014 as the date for the inaugural educate2impact day and launched the website www.educate2impact.org. Everyone deserves equal access to education and educate2impact day will bring attention to the importance of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) students attending and graduating from high school and college.

Photo – http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20140507/85615

Photo – http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20140507/85616

Thomas Roberts, host of MSNBC's "Way Too Early" and contributor to "Morning Joe," will moderate an educate2impact day Twitter town hall on May 21, from 12 p.m. to 1 p.m. EDT. By using the Twitter hashtag #aske2i, social media users can join the online discussion about financial assistance for college and the particular challenges many LGBTQ students face. Panelists for the Twitter town hall are Rohit Chopra, assistant director & student loan ombudsman, Consumer Financial Protection Bureau; Shane Windmeyer, executive director, Campus Pride; Michelle Marzulo, Ph.D., Point Foundation alumna; and Jorge Valencia, executive director & CEO, Point Foundation.

"Education helps empower the LGBTQ community and reduces the social stigma and prejudice that LGBTQ individuals often experience," said Valencia. "It's crucial that we use opportunities such as educate2impact day to support the efforts and aspirations of LGBTQ students, many who have experienced bullying and bias in high school and college that can cause them to drop out of school."

In support of educate2impact day on May 21, Point Foundation and partners are encouraging people to update their social media profile photos via the easy-to-use tools found on the Get Involved page of the educate2impact.org website. "Selfie Diplomas" – printable templates used for the sharing of encouraging statements across social media platforms – as well as graphics and inspirational quotes are also available on the Get Involved page. Use #educate2impact for social media posts.

Point Foundation, the nation's largest scholarship-granting organization for LGBTQ students of merit, thanks its inaugural partners for educate2impact day: Bisexual Resource Center, Campus Pride, GLSEN, It Gets Better Project, PFLAG, The Trevor Project and True Colors Fund.  Additional community partners are encouraged to join us!

About educate2impact day
May begins graduation season, a time to celebrate the accomplishments of young people achieving their dreams of getting a higher education degree.  educate2impact day on May 21 is an opportunity to bring attention to the importance of LGBTQ students attending and graduating from high school and college. www.educate2impact.org

About Point Foundation
Point Foundation empowers promising LGBTQ students to achieve their full academic and leadership potential – despite the obstacles often put before them – to make a significant impact on society.  Since 2001, Point has invested more than $15 million in the education and support of Point Scholars. Point Foundation promotes change through scholarship funding, mentorship, leadership development, and community service training.  www.pointfoundation.org | facebook/pointfoundation | twitter/pointfoundation