Enjoying free food on the lawn of Regent Administrative Center, physics graduate student Nate Morison and religious studies and psychology junior Keith Ohler listen to speakers at the LBGTQ Resource Center's Welcome Back barbeque Wednesday, Sept. 1. (CU Independent/Lauren Walter)
The staff of the GLBT Resource Center is looking forward to starting fall semester with new recruits for the GLBT program. Wednesday night, The Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender Resource Center hosted their annual Welcome Back BBQ on Regent Lawn for all CU students.
The crowd was filled with more than just the faces of the GLBT community. Among the attendees was Bob Boswell, recently appointed interim vice chancellor for diversity, equity and community engagement.
While it was his first GLBT barbecue, Boswell said he enjoyed it and encourages all CU students to attend next year’s event.
“I think it’s great what the GLBT Resource Center is doing,” Boswell said. “I think it’s important that everybody comes out to see what this event is about.”
The barbecue was more than just a welcome back for students; it was a chance for the GLBT Resource Center and various other campus organizations to inform the CU public about their groups and upcoming events.
Renee Roberts, a 19-year-old sophomore and ethnic studies and women’s studies major, spoke about the Queer People of Color organization. The group is centered on queer students of color, but everyone is welcome, Roberts said.
“We’re a support group that’s student-run,” Roberts said. “We’re trying to expand our organization to be more educationally programmed, as well.”
The GLBT Resource Center staff was more than pleased with the crowd turnout they said. Kevin Correa, assistant director of the GLBT Resource Center, said the barbecue is a way to attract people to the GLBT community.
“This is our big kickoff,” Correa said. “We get a lot of people connected here. Plus, it’s our way of welcoming new people to campus.”
One of the major upcoming events the GLBT Resource Center made a point to promote was the Safe Zone training.
Steph Wilenchek, director of the GLBT Resource Center, was very enthusiastic about the Safe Zone project. Safe Zone is a program to get students, faculty and staff involved with the GLBT to make CU a more comfortable and welcoming place for the GLBT community, Wilenchek said.
“Safe Zone has been around for about four years,” Wilenchek said. “It’s a four-hour training session that is about building safer spaces for GLBT folks on campus.”
The GLBT barbecue proved to be an informative event that allowed all students to interact with each other staff said.
“This is open to everyone,” Wilenchek said.
For further information about the GLBT Resource Center, click here.
Contact CU Independent Staff Writer Lauren Archuletta at Lauren.archuletta@colorado.edu
2 comments
LOVE
I like groups that help students of walks of life.