The No H8 Campaign

What is the No H8 Campaign?
It started with the passing of Propositing 8 in California, banning same-sex marriage. The No H8 Campaign became a the silent protest of celebrity photographer Adam Bouska and partner Jeff Parshley.

The subjects in these photos wear duct tape over the mouths, symbolizing their voices being silenced and "No H8" written on their cheek.

This campaign in it's two years has grown from simply protesting prop 8 to becoming a silent protest on discrimination of all kind.

http://www.noh8campaign.com/
Check out the website if you want some more information.



I've known Jaime Wacker for ALMOST a year now. She's pretty fabulous. We met last february when she and another woman in the Student life office were trying to start up an Alternative Spring Break for UMSL's students. They wanted a student to help plan it (in about a months time) and I stepped up and obviously it was one of the best choices I've made. It did lead me to Jaime, afterall.

Anyways, Jaime is a Graduate Student who works in student life...whenever I ask her what exactly she's going for her masters in she says, "this. I major in College students". So...I guess that works. She works pretty damn hard at what she does, too. She's involved and (I think) basically runs the University Program Board (UPB) which brings in a lot of the people and entertainment that comes to UMSL. For instance, we've had Sara Bareilles, Jason Derulo and Jay Sean preform (at least, since I've been a student). We've also had speakers! Our most recent and the one that I wish I had bought a ticket to see was Maya Angelou. Apparently, it was friggin' awesome.

So UPB was going to up on a UMSL's Got Talent but it ended up getting canceled for reasons I don't know. What i do know is that Jaime was put up to the task of putting on a program with about a week to plan it. This wonderful girl has been following the No H8 campaign and decided to bring it to UMSL, to see how it would do. So today she got a photographer, set up a background, got the face paints and set it up! Her goal was to get 100 students willing to stand up for this. She made her goal.

I was very proud of her and glad that I had the opportunity to help out after class.

 I was also basically thrilled that not only were my sisters some of the first to volunteer but they probably outnumbered the other greeks that came by (well, except for maybe PIKE, which may have been even).

All that being said, here were some of my favorites from the photoshoot.

One of my sisters, Jameelah!

Jaime and her boyfriend, Jeff

Another one of my sisters, Brandy with her fiance, Matt.
I'll brag a bit and say that them kissing for this picture was partially my idea.

Jaime & I

My favorite one.
Again, Jaime & I