LAKEPORT – The Lake County Respect For All Task Force will meet from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday, Nov. 16, at the Lake County Office of Education at 1152 S. Main St. in Lakeport.

The group of local individuals is striving to increase awareness about safe and inclusive learning environments. Working with a special organization based in San Francisco to identify possible actions to help the Lake County community, the task force will discuss updates to its action plans and possible next steps.

The Respect For All Project, a program of GroundSpark (www.groundspark.org ), in cooperation with Lake County Healthy Start and Lake County Family Resource Center, is collaborating with local educators, high school students, community leaders, and representatives from a variety of organizations.

The task force has been meeting for approximately one year. Respect For All Project coordinators Cristy Chung and Barry Chersky have traveled from the Bay Area on several occasions to facilitate meetings of the group.

Monday’s meeting of the group will include a special screening of GroundSpark’s newest film, “Straightlaced: How Gender’s Got Us All Tied Up,” according to Chung. Individuals planning to attend the meeting should notify Chung by Friday, Nov. 13, by sending an email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or calling 415-641-4616 ext. 307.

A proposal for the Lake County project explains that GroundSpark, The Respect for All Project (RFAP) “is a non-profit organization that seeks to create safe, hate-free schools and communities by providing youth and the adults who guide their development the tools they need to talk openly about diversity in all of its forms.”

As part of its work toward safe and inclusive learning environments, the task force used GroundSpark’s Community Readiness Assessment tool to interview community members. GroundSpark compiled the results of the assessment, and a draft report was distributed to the task force members. Using the report, the group is focusing now on strategies for its next steps.

Individuals interested in helping the task force in its efforts to assist youth and their families in assuring safe and inclusive learning environments are invited to attend the meetings. More information about the Respect For All Task Force is available on the GroundSpark website, www.groundspark.org .