DR. VIRGINIA URIBE, PhD.
Executive Director, Friends of Project 10 Inc.

"As long as I have a breath in me, I will continue to fight for the rights of gay and lesbian students."

Dr. Virginia Uribe (Project 10 Video, 1989)

Virginia served as a teacher and counselor in the Los Angeles Unified School (LAUSD) district for 42 years, founded LAUSD’s Project 10 program in 1984, and founded Friends of Project 10 Inc. in 1986. 

Project 10 offers technical and educational support to schools for LGBT students. Its mission is to ensure safe, supportive and welcoming campuses free from discrimination and harassment for sexual minority youth. Its services include on-campus support groups that are safe zones for LGBT students, services to help district personnel implement policies affecting LGBT students, and support for school district staff who address the needs of at-risk youth.

Upon retirement from the LAUSD in 1998, Dr. Uribe put he in-school operations of Project 10 into the very capable hands of Gail Rolf and then began her new role as the major fundraiser for Friends of Project 10 Inc., which funds the Models of Excellence scholarship, the LGBTQ Youth Prom, and the annual Models of Pride conference.

Among numerous awards, she has received commendations for her pioneering work from the National Education Association, the US Senate, the California State Assembly and State Senate, the Mayor’s office of the City of Los Angeles, GLADD, the LA Gay & Lesbian Center, CSW, Long Beach Pride, the LA Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce, the LA County Human Relations Commission, Lambda Legal, the City and County of Los Angeles, the Stonewall Scholarship Committee of United Teachers Los Angeles, the Los Angeles Unified School District, the City of West Hollywood, Vox Femina LA, and Stonewall Young Democrats.