THE ABSOLUTE BRIGHTNESS OF LEONARD PELKEY BACKSTAGE GUIDE 17 providing access to an arsenal of uplifting and inspiring stories of hope, resilience, and determination, as told by members of the LGBTQ community and their allies.  Building community. The It Gets Better Project builds community both internationally and locally by (a) cultivating a growing network of international affiliates (located in Argentina, Austria, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Greece, India, Italy, Mexico, Moldova, Paraguay, Peru, Portugal, Russia, United Kingdom, Spain, and Switzerland) that have embraced the It Gets Better Project’s mission to support LGBTQ youth in their home countries, (b) engaging with young LGBTQ people both on and offline, and (c) connecting them to local community service providers that can provide on-the-ground assistance. The project was given the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Governor's Award at the 64th Primetime Creative Arts Emmy Awards for "strategically, creatively and powerfully utilizing the media to educate and inspire," according to the academy's chairman and CEO Bruce Rosenblum. In March 2011, It Gets Better: Coming Out, Overcoming Bullying, and Creating a Life Worth Living, a book of essays edited by Dan Savage and Terry Miller on the same theme as the web video project, was released. It contains more than 100 essays, some transcribed or expanded from the videos, and others original. Contributors include Jennifer Finney Boylan, Gregory Maguire, Meshell Ndegeocello, Michael Cunningham, Suze Orman, and David Sedaris. Former U.S. President Barack Obama lent his voice to the movement against bullying and contributed a video on October 21, 2010, saying, "We've got to dispel this myth that bullying is just a normal rite of passage; that it's just some inevitable part of growing up. It's not. We have an obligation to ensure that our schools are safe for all of our kids. And for every young person out there you need to know that if you're in trouble, there are caring adults who can help." In March 2011, Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama hosted an anti-bullying conference. Hundreds of celebrities and businesses have created “It Gets Better” videos, including creative contributions like this from companies like Pixar (edited from ItGetsBetter.org and Wikipedia.org)