Students are unable to take up the various trainings at the university’s LGBTQA Resource Center due to the absence of a coordinator. The Resource Center is left scrounging for help for itself and students here on campus wanting to take up trainings.
Former coordinator Malik Muhammad resigned from the position in spring of 2018 to pick up a position at the University of Pennsylvania. Now, the LGBTQA center has been relying heavily upon its student workers and volunteers to keep this center open for its students.
“We actually haven’t had trainings here for about one to two years,” says Lennie Pierce, the president of the BU Equality Alliance and student worker for the LGBTQA Resource Center.
Bloomsburg’s LGBTQA Resource Center has offered trainings such as Ally 101, LGBTQA 101, and Trans 101 to its students and faculty in the past and hopes to be able to offer them again.
Many of these trainings are taken up not only by students, but also by professors.
“We offer LGBTQA Safe Zone and Ally training, as well as Trans 101 and some various rotating trainings. Anyone can attend one of these trainings, or request them for their student groups or classes. The goal is to help people learn about the LGBTQA community and how to be supportive and an upstander,” said Equality Alliance Advisor and Assistant Dean of Students Monica Johnson.
A certified individual may possess a rainbow paw print emblem in front of their office or room to let students know that their space is judgement free and to allow them to comfortably exist.
However, these goals exist through “Inclusive Trainings” made for CA’s here on campus that cover how to “go about situations and talk [inclusively] to all residents.”
According to Sydney Trutt: “I do [believe safe zones are important] because they aim to include everyone no matter race, gender, sexual orientation, etc.”