In an effort to promote diversity and assist in the visibility of the LGBTQ+ community at WCU, the Diversity Committee of the College of Education and Allied Professions (CEAP) will be hosting Night of PRIDE Thursday, March 24.
Night of PRIDE will also be hosted in partnership with Intercultural Affairs and Degree Plus. The event will be from 7 – 10 p.m. in the UC Illusions room.
Night of PRIDE is a safe place for members of the LGBTQ+ community as well as allies of that community. Gwyn Howard, a graduate assistant at WCU who is the primary organizer for this event, said in an email the event was organized to “provide [LGBTQ+ affiliated members] a safe space to celebrate their identity, gain some resources and educational materials, get some free pride items to honor their identity and to have some socializing and fun with our karaoke stage.”
The event will also feature Bayleigh Katch, a WCU student who also does drag in Sylva. Katch will be hosting the karaoke stage.
CEAP is hosting this event because it “aligns with the mission of the committee to educate and celebrate diversity on WCU’s campus,” said Howard. Howard also said that a goal of Night of PRIDE is to “foster interactions between people with different identities to encourage acceptance and allyship for marginalized groups.”
The LGBTQ+ community exists on campus and deserves recognition, support and celebration, explained Howard. They also stated that the resources at the fair can help provide the community and allies with tools, but the karaoke and giveaways are there for fun and visibility. These are so individuals can “have fun together as their authentic selves,” Howard explained.
According to the description on engage.wcu.edu, the primary goal of Night of PRIDE is to serve as a resource fair for members of the LGBTQ+ community. Having resources for students who may identify as LGBTQ+ can help students navigate their identities, connect with fellow community members, and feel safe.
Safety is a big issue among students. From the RA training and gender identity controversy that recently popped up on campus to certain organizations making students feel unsafe, students need to feel confident in who they are. Nobody should feel targeted or isolated for a part of their identity they can’t control or change.
Howard also emphasized the need for safe spaces for the community.
“There is a lot of danger and risks from society for members of this community. Until society can be [systemically] changed and LGBTQIA+ people can exist freely in society without hatred, oppression and loss of rights, safe spaces are one of the various ways we can support community members. Many times our people are not safe in their local communities, their families, their schools to be their authentic selves. So by providing a safe space they have the opportunity to be themselves.”
Other diversity resources, including ICA, available for students can be found on diversity.wcu.edu. Other resources for students include CAPS, tutoring services, financial aid, and more. For LGBTQ+ resources, individuals can turn to the Sexuality And Gender Alliance (SAGA) at WCU as well as The Trevor Project, the world’s largest suicide prevention and crisis intervention program for LGTBQ+ people, and other national organizations.
