A new educational series in Tempe will boost awareness of the city’s Gay/Straight Alliance.

The alliance’s educational series will educate the community as coworkers and brothers and sisters — regardless of sexual orientation, City Manager Charlie Meyer said.

The group’s mission is to create a more equitable and safe work environment for all employees through increased awareness and education about diversity, sexual orientation and gender identity.

The alliance has chosen to start this now in an effort to engage a larger group of people who weren’t aware of GSA, Meyer said.

“GSA attempts to ensure in the best possible way the security and safety of our workers and community members,” Meyer said.

Monthly meetings will continue to be held. In addition, the educational series will have forums, presentations and speakers a few times a year to attract more community members.

Involvement in the community is important for the alliance, which has participated in Habitat for Humanity projects, community clean up and last year’s Unity Walk.

Speakers Philip Cotton, founder of Unified Voice, and Sandy Bostelle, a member of Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays of Phoenix, were brought in by GSA to open the series at its first event Wednesday.

Cotton talked to the crowd of about 100 people about a new proposition his group has started that looks to gain benefits for same-sex couples and the importance for civil partnerships.

“We are fighting for the chance to get on the bus,” Cotton said. “We are fighting for the chance to choose our partner and spend the rest of our life with that person.”

He said he is hoping that by the 2010 general election, the fight for equality will have propelled several other states to take the action his group is taking now.

Moving forward in a positive manner and Acquiring equal rights for all gays and lesbians is ideal, Cotton said.

Bostelle, a married mother of two daughters, one heterosexual and one lesbian, spoke on behalf of the Phoenix branch of the national non-profit organization PFLAG, which stands for Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays.

PFLAG is committed to celebrating diversity and embracing all people of diverse sexual orientations and gender identities, Bostelle said.

Bostelle talked about her daughter’s life as a lesbian and the struggles they face as a family.

“We are committed to helping to build a society as diverse as possible to try to keep families together because this can tear families apart,” Bostelle said.

Meyer said the GSA hopes with the addition of the educational series, a more diverse group of members of the community will partake in GSA to continue promoting advocacy and support.

“We have something to offer to the larger community,” Meyer said.

Reach the reporter at brianna.mattox@asu.edu.