Members of the gay-straight alliance group Spectrum at UNLV are on a mission. They want to raise awareness for their one-of-a-kind organization, which is also known as the gay-lesbian-bisexual-transgender-questioning-queer-and-straight alliance group, or GLBTQQSA for short. Try saying that five times.
By: Anela Saday for The Rebel Yell
UNLV has had a diversity awareness group on campus for more than 15 years. This was the predecessor of what would later become Spectrum, UNLV's only current gay-straight alliance group. The name was adopted six years ago. Spectrum encompasses all the different groups of the GLBTQQSA, said Lillian Nadeau, vice president of Spectrum.
"We welcome everyone who wants to be a part of something great," she said.
Spectrum is for anyone who is against discrimination. You do not have to be gay to join.
Spectrum's constitution explains their purpose: "Since it is our belief that all forms of oppression are related, and because gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people come from all walks of life, Spectrum at UNLV will cooperate with other organizations which combat racism, sexism, ableism and other forms of oppression."
Find more after the jump...
Showing posts with label Clubs. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Clubs. Show all posts
Tuesday, October 21
Tuesday, October 14
BLAGOSAH's Back: Howard University student group revives for 8th anniversary at HRC Hype '08 launch
Check out this article in the Metroweekly on the amazing event we had in conjunction with the GLBT student leaders at Howard University:
There was a full agenda in one particular room of Howard University, Monday night, Oct. 6. Outside, the quad offered a peaceful, moonlit, academic oasis. Inside a theater of the Blackburn Center, however, peace made way for progress, as the Human Rights Campaign launched ''Hype '08,'' and the Bisexual, Lesbian and Gay Organization of Students at Howard (BLAGOSAH) stirred back to life after a sort of hiatus, marking the group's 8th birthday that very evening.
Hype '08 is HRC's new, nationwide program partnering with about a dozen historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) to discuss issues such as hate crimes, HIV/AIDS and discrimination in the context of HBCU student issues.
For this launch, four speakers tackled these sorts of topics with about 60 people in attendance. The speakers were Jasper Hendricks, who directs field operations and political programs for the D.C.-based National Black Justice Coalition; Chris Scalise, president of the D.C. chapter of the Log Cabin Republicans; Courtney Snowden, recent president of D.C. Black Pride; Jeff Marootian, vice president for political affairs of the Gertrude Stein Democratic Club here in D.C.; Chris Scalise, president of the D.C. chapter of the Log Cabin Republicans; and Courtney Snowden, president of D.C. Black Pride from August 2007 to August 2008.
While much of the evening was spent discussing the presidential election, the room -- both panelists and the audience -- was largely behind Democratic candidate Sen. Barack Obama, though Scalise was able to spend some time discussing his club's support the GOP nominee, Sen. John McCain. Opinion from the audience also brought Green Party candidate Cynthia McKinney into the mix.
The dialogue was most intense when discussing hate crimes, with Joey Gaskins of HRC and the evening's moderator, sharing that some students may be carrying mace and box cutters to protect themselves in the Shaw neighborhood that abuts the campus, scene of a recent attack that left one gay man, Tony R. Hunter, dead.
''Carrying a gun is not the way to go,'' insisted Hendricks. ''Carrying a knife is not the way to go. You're not kids. You're young men and women.''
From her seat in the audience, Roberta McLeod, BLAGOSAH's faculty advisor, reminded students, ''You're still black in America,'' and that carrying weapons may make them more suspect than people of other races.
Clarence Fluker, of the Mayor's Office of GLBT Affairs, also in attendance, offered that representatives of the Metropolitan Police Department's Gay and Lesbian Liaison Unit would be available for come to campus and speak to BLAGOSAH members if requested. He added that the office would likely be releasing a report soon to underscore that, statistically, bias crimes against GLBT people in the District are declining, compared to this time last year.
Along with Fluker, other notable attendees included Donna Payne, HRC's associate director of diversity; Phil Attey of Obama Pride Metro-DC; and Falls Church City Councilmember Lawrence Webb, the first openly gay, African American elected to office in Virginia.
Sterling Washington, an original founder of BLAGOSAH closed out the evening, along with the group's current president, Amari Ice. Washington challenged the revived BLAGOSAH to win to the student group of the year award, as the group did when he was leading, for which he received a standing ovation.
Find the original article after the jump...
There was a full agenda in one particular room of Howard University, Monday night, Oct. 6. Outside, the quad offered a peaceful, moonlit, academic oasis. Inside a theater of the Blackburn Center, however, peace made way for progress, as the Human Rights Campaign launched ''Hype '08,'' and the Bisexual, Lesbian and Gay Organization of Students at Howard (BLAGOSAH) stirred back to life after a sort of hiatus, marking the group's 8th birthday that very evening.
Hype '08 is HRC's new, nationwide program partnering with about a dozen historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) to discuss issues such as hate crimes, HIV/AIDS and discrimination in the context of HBCU student issues.
For this launch, four speakers tackled these sorts of topics with about 60 people in attendance. The speakers were Jasper Hendricks, who directs field operations and political programs for the D.C.-based National Black Justice Coalition; Chris Scalise, president of the D.C. chapter of the Log Cabin Republicans; Courtney Snowden, recent president of D.C. Black Pride; Jeff Marootian, vice president for political affairs of the Gertrude Stein Democratic Club here in D.C.; Chris Scalise, president of the D.C. chapter of the Log Cabin Republicans; and Courtney Snowden, president of D.C. Black Pride from August 2007 to August 2008.
While much of the evening was spent discussing the presidential election, the room -- both panelists and the audience -- was largely behind Democratic candidate Sen. Barack Obama, though Scalise was able to spend some time discussing his club's support the GOP nominee, Sen. John McCain. Opinion from the audience also brought Green Party candidate Cynthia McKinney into the mix.
The dialogue was most intense when discussing hate crimes, with Joey Gaskins of HRC and the evening's moderator, sharing that some students may be carrying mace and box cutters to protect themselves in the Shaw neighborhood that abuts the campus, scene of a recent attack that left one gay man, Tony R. Hunter, dead.
''Carrying a gun is not the way to go,'' insisted Hendricks. ''Carrying a knife is not the way to go. You're not kids. You're young men and women.''
From her seat in the audience, Roberta McLeod, BLAGOSAH's faculty advisor, reminded students, ''You're still black in America,'' and that carrying weapons may make them more suspect than people of other races.
Clarence Fluker, of the Mayor's Office of GLBT Affairs, also in attendance, offered that representatives of the Metropolitan Police Department's Gay and Lesbian Liaison Unit would be available for come to campus and speak to BLAGOSAH members if requested. He added that the office would likely be releasing a report soon to underscore that, statistically, bias crimes against GLBT people in the District are declining, compared to this time last year.
Along with Fluker, other notable attendees included Donna Payne, HRC's associate director of diversity; Phil Attey of Obama Pride Metro-DC; and Falls Church City Councilmember Lawrence Webb, the first openly gay, African American elected to office in Virginia.
Sterling Washington, an original founder of BLAGOSAH closed out the evening, along with the group's current president, Amari Ice. Washington challenged the revived BLAGOSAH to win to the student group of the year award, as the group did when he was leading, for which he received a standing ovation.
Find the original article after the jump...
Tuesday, June 24
High School Principal is Taking His Ball and Going Home
In a Recent update...
The Lexington-Richland School District 5 - located in South Carolina - announced that they will not ban all school clubs unrelated to sports. The district considered banning student clubs in an effort to thwart Irmo High School students from creating a Gay-Straight Alliance on their campus. The school board drew a few provisions by which school clubs in district 5 must abide. 1) parents/guardians have the power to remove their children from any school club and 2) students are prohibited from talking about sexually explicit material in deference to the district's abstinence policy.
The decision was a clear upset for Irmo High School principal Eddie Walker who threatened to leave the school if the gays got their way. Walker says that an official GSA would conflict with his beliefs and religious convictions. I think Walker should stay at his post, attend a few GSA meetings, maybe subscribe to HRC's "Out in Scripture" publication and learn something new. I only speak from an assumption that people who have made a profession in academia actually care about expanding their viewpoints. I guess quitting is easier for some.
The decision was a clear upset for Irmo High School principal Eddie Walker who threatened to leave the school if the gays got their way. Walker says that an official GSA would conflict with his beliefs and religious convictions. I think Walker should stay at his post, attend a few GSA meetings, maybe subscribe to HRC's "Out in Scripture" publication and learn something new. I only speak from an assumption that people who have made a profession in academia actually care about expanding their viewpoints. I guess quitting is easier for some.
Tuesday, June 10
Vote Delayed on Gay-friendly Student Club
The Associated Press
IRMO, S.C. - A South Carolina school district has delayed until later in the month a vote on whether to ban all student clubs that don't relate to academics or sports as a way to close a gay student organization.
Vice Chairman Robert Gantt said Monday the Lexington-Richland School District 5 board was delaying its vote on whether to ban the clubs to get more public input.
Irmo High School principal Eddie Walker said last month he would step down at the end of the next school year because the Gay-Straight Alliance conflicts with his beliefs and religious convictions.
Officials had said the district couldn't stop the alliance from forming because federal law prohibits discriminating against a club based on its purpose.
The Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network says there are about 4,000 gay-straight alliances at schools nationwide, including 16 in South Carolina.
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