In honor of National Coming Out Day there will be a week of educational events and activities that will explore LGBTQIA+ identity and social issues.
Sponsored by the Center for Cultural & Inclusive Excellence (CCIE), LGBTQIA+ Task force and the Q Center, the LGBTQIA+ week of events will run October 10 through October 14.
The theme this year is Pride and Beyond: How Queer and Trans Liberation Can Lift Us All. The week will also give the Highline community a chance to learn and remember the history of the gay rights movements.
October is LGBTQIA+ History Month and National Coming Out Day is Tuesday, October 11. Highline seeks to serve its LGBTQIA+ community by using this time to educate the campus about issues that affect them, as well as provide historical context.
Charlee Sebring, a resource leader, wants it to be known that this week is not only for people that are part of the LGBTQIA+ community but, for the people that want to learn more about sexual identities and LGBTQIA+ activism, ‘’Everyone is welcome!’’
The Q Center wants the Highline community to go beyond pride, ‘’[s]tudents and faculty members should take what they learn and apply it even after LGBTQIA+ week,” said a representative at the center.
‘’I love that Highline is supportive of and provides weeks like next week for the queer population, LGBTQIA+ events and programming are so important for the LGBTQIA+ population on campus,’’ said Highline Faculty and LGBTQIA+ member, Rachel Stuart.
Stuart went on to say that, “Highline College has the most diverse population of students, staff, and faculty I have ever had the privilege of being a part of. The spectrum of groups aimed toward minority populations is admirable.”
Highline is a college that prides itself on its diversity and these events are important as they are ‘’[a] way for students to engage outside of the classroom,’’ says interim director of the CCIE, Edwina Fui. ‘’Every year I learn something new and it’s beautiful.”
‘’It’s important for people that are supportive, or schools that are supportive, to show that support and Highline has done a great job at this,’’ said a Highline student.
Highline has worked hard to make this school a comfortable learning environment for everyone. Students deserve a place where they feel safe and welcomed.
First year student, Bri Maxted states that they feel welcomed by the supportive and kind teachers as well as Highline’s overall diversity.
‘’The diversity is important to me; I feel like here I don’t stand out because I am gay or non-binary. Everybody has something different to bring to the table,’’ said Maxted. They made it clear that they are excited to be a part of this campus, and that this LGBTQIA+ week gives them an opportunity to get involved.
Highline will always pursue bringing the community together. ’’I have been involved with LGBTQIA+ week for 4 years now and it is always good to see more and more people come,’’ says Fui.
This will be the first year since the pandemic that this event week will be held in person. The CCIE, the Q Center, and LGBTQIA+ Task Force want to make it memorable.
Highline has been hard at work putting weeks like this together for years now, this year they are bringing something new. So, be sure to look out for a scavenger hunt in which Highline students can win up to 5 books written by queer, trans, and BIPOC authors.
The week’s activities will include:
Monday, October 10 – There will be a speech by Jaelynn Scott (Lavender Rights Project) held in building 8 from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
Tuesday, October 11 – A tie-dye activity is being held in building 8 room 204 from 2:30 p.m. to 3:45 p.m.
Wednesday, October 12 – Workshops with guest speaker Bam Mendiola in building 7 from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Thursday, October 13 – The general resource fair from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Also, on Thursday there is Queeraoke from 1 p.m. to 3p.m.
Friday, October 14 – A lecture by Dr. Tylir McKenzie held in building 8 from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
A more detailed itinerary of the activities and more information can be found at https://lgbtqia.highline.edu/events/