Back for its second year at GU Creator’s House, the Stand Up Against Street Harassment workshop—led by content creator Jae Gurley and educator Alberto—returned with an even deeper focus and multi-session training experience. Presented in partnership with L’Oréal Paris and the nonprofit Right To Be, this year’s installment continued its mission of equipping attendees with the tools to safely and confidently intervene when witnessing public harassment. Through interactive conversation, real-life scenarios, and community-building moments, the session empowered guests to turn awareness into action.
Jae Gurley opened the session with a lighthearted but grounding message, welcoming guests and creating space for the tough but necessary dialogue to come. Alberto, joining for the second year in a row, reminded the audience that harassment comes in many forms—whistles, comments, animal noises, gestures—and disproportionately affects women, femmes, LGBTQIA+ people, and communities of color. “We have a solution,” he shared. “And it starts with simple, human actions.”
The session then guided attendees through each of the five Ds: distract, delegate, document, delay, and direct. Each method was demonstrated with both care and humor, making them feel approachable and adaptable for everyday life. “Distract” encouraged people to creatively shift attention away from the harasser, whether by starting an unrelated conversation or simply creating a diversion. “Delegate” reminded guests that you don’t have to intervene alone—you can call on a friend, bystander, or authority figure for help. “Document” emphasized capturing the moment on video (without edits or filters) so that the person experiencing harm can choose how to use the footage. “Delay” focused on checking in after the fact to make sure someone feels seen, safe, and supported. Finally, “Direct” empowered people to speak up in the moment and assert that the behavior is unacceptable.
The hosts engaged the audience with a hands-up quiz, asking which “D” they’d most likely use. Laughter and snaps echoed throughout the room as creators recognized their own instincts, strengths, and opportunities to do better. The energy was uplifting, but the message remained serious: we all have a role to play in making public spaces safer.
To close out the session, Alberto invited everyone to visit righttobe.org and take the free training—part of a global effort to educate millions on bystander intervention. As of 2025, the Stand Up program has reached over 3.5 million people in 45 countries, with a goal of training 4.5 million by the end of the year. “It’s about the right to be safe. The right to be yourself. The right to be a queen,” Alberto said, reminding the audience that safety and self-expression go hand in hand.
This workshop served as a timely reminder that standing up doesn’t always mean confrontation—it can mean community, support, and using your voice or presence in powerful, intentional ways. At GU Creator’s House, that message landed exactly where it needed to: in a room full of changemakers ready to lead with care.