Western’s first LGBTQ+ Director, L.K. Langley (left to right) makes announcements alongside staff from Western’s Queer Resource Center at the Social Gathering for LGBTQ+ students, faculty and staff on Tuesday, Apr. 9, 2019. Nichole Vargas, QRC community engagement coordinator, and Valeria Pedraza, QRC educational programming coordinator explain a get to know you activity to attendees of the event. Ella Banken//AS Review
By Jack Taylor
Hanging out with a professor is not the typical way most college students spent their Tuesday nights.
While most students escape their teachers once class ends, on April 9 in the VU, LGBTQ+ students and teachers came together for a social gathering promoting unity and community.
Put together by newly minted LGBTQ+ Western Director, L.K. Langley, along with the AS Queer Resource Center, students and faculty came together and reflected on shared experiences.
Despite initially being planned during winter quarter, the mixer was pushed back until the spring due to the snow. However, Langley was surprised and thrilled by the turnout.
“There is real value in creating spaces for LGBTQ+ people simply to be together and connect and to build community,” Langley said.
Langley sought out to create a time where people from multi-generations could come together and bond after hearing from students about wanting to connect with older members of the LGBTQ+ community on Western.
Langley also believes students can be inspired by learning from and talking to older members.
“This may sound strange to some folk, but it can be valuable for students to see that healthy, diverse, complex LGBTQ+ lives are possible,” Langley said
Aside from helping students, Langley also helps faculty as well. Helping faculty make their curriculum more inclusive, Langley enjoys working with teachers.
“I really appreciate that faculty and staff are using me as a resource,” Langley said.
Lined with QRC booths in addition to tables with LGBTQ+ flag stickers, students were encouraged to interact with staff and faculty in order to create bonds and connections and further Western’s own community.
Dani Almacen, a first year majoring in biology, spoke on the power of having an open and accepting community on Western’s campus.
“It’s really important, especially if you come from a high school where it is not really supportive,” Almacen said.
Joining the club ‘Out in Science,’ Almacen admires the work the club is doing towards promoting queer science, yet she still believes more work should be done in her department toward including LGBTQ+ voices in the staff and acknowledging marginalized students.
“Not only is it a part of my identity, but because there are so many people that aren’t really heard, and just being accepted and open about it is very liberating,” Almacen said.
Enjoying the chance to not just meet other students in the LGBTQ+ community, Almacen also enjoyed seeing professors from other departments and learning about their work.
Western staff member Patrick Freeland who works in Student Outreach Services and Western graduate student Cassandra Cook also thought the event was helpful in showcasing how important it is to have events specifically for LGBTQ+ members.
“For me as a student support personnel, it’s mostly important for me that the student’s needs are being not only addressed and met, but that students have that opportunity to see what it’s like to take an idea and turn it into a reality,” Freeland said.
Freeland also said it’s significant to have these events so students can see cultural connections between one another.
Cook spoke on the struggle and desire to find safe spaces.
“Thinking of how much I lack in community in general, and how much work it can be, I would appreciate more LGBTQ+ spaces to build community,” Cook said.
Langley encourages students who feel a disconnect or who want to find a community to branch out to clubs or to come talk to them about new ideas when it comes to putting on events.
“There are a number of great LGBTQ+ clubs on campus, and a number of clubs that aren’t LGBTQ+ focus but that are very inclusive, and encouraging oneself to go to a club is a great way to meet people,” Langley said.
But Langley did advise that not every LGBTQ+ person will connect and bond with one another.
“It’s also good to remember that just because you meet another LGBTQ+ person, doesn’t mean you are gonna connect with them and that’s fine,” Langley said. “Having shared identity and experience can be meaningful, but that doesn’t mean that there is always connection there.”
In the future, Langley hopes to host more events and is excited about Western’s upcoming pride event happening on June 5. Additionally, Langley continues to want to hear from students on their needs and desires.
“There’s value in building a welcoming and inclusive space across the different areas of our lives that we are operating in,” Langley said.