Knowledge Community Spotlight - Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender

Greetings IV-W friends!  For those of you able to attend the National Conference, welcome back from Indianapolis!

About Us:

Our Mission:  The Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender (GLBT) Knowledge Community provides avenues for both social and professional involvement. Our goal is to encourage personal and professional growth, increased awareness and acceptance of GLBT professionals and students, and to promote understanding of GLBT needs.

Our Purpose:  The Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Knowledge Community is NASPA’s place for GLBT professionals, students, and those interested in GLBT issues to connect. We provide education and support for the diverse queer, trans*, bisexual, lesbian and gay community through scholarship, advocacy and engagement.

Our Vision:  Each campus is safe, affirming and inclusive for all students, staff, and faculty.

Our Values:   Advocacy – Community – Inclusion – Openness

National KC Projects

• Family Project Mentoring Program

o   Interested in developing new connections, building a relationship with someone who is part of the LGBT community or advancing your personal and professional goals with the help of a seasoned Student Affairs practitioner?  "The Family Project" Mentoring Program will serve the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans*, Queer, and Ally (LGBTQA) community by building productive professional relationships in higher education, student affairs, and community involvement.  Mentees and Mentors are paired using a Learning Partnership Model, where coaching/learning roles transition between professionals to create an autonomous partnership.  Participants represent a wide variety of professional experiences and personal backgrounds. The Family Project comfortably integrates sexual orientation and gender identity into all facets of higher education, community activities, and roles. Learning partnerships will explore personal interests, professional opportunities, and establish a sense of community.  To apply:  https://az1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_7QVPkfDEtSNLIUd

• Queer People of Color

o   Connexions Advisory Board: The goal of this QPOC Connexions Advisory Board is to solicit participation from other identity based Knowledge Communities with the focus of furthering visibility, dissemination of knowledge, and implementing engagement of QPOC related topics beyond the annual conference. Acknowledgement of the intersections of identity remains an important and a priority for us as core members.

o   QPOC ListServ: We aim to utilize this avenue to connect as a community and provide support from afar. If you are interested in being part of this listserv, please sign up here.

o   QPOC Facebook Group: A Facebook group also exists for QPOC student affairs professionals and if you are not part of this already, find us here.

•  Blog Series

o   Members of the GLBT KC are encouraged to contribute to the knowledge of the KC by submitting posts for our blog. Those interested in submitting posts can find out more information about guidelines as well as input their submissions through our online form.

Equality and Inclusion Efforts

• Region IV-W 

At our summer board meeting in Beaver Creek last May, the regional board overwhelmingly voted for two inclusive issues at the IV-W regional level:

o   Pronouns - As part of registration process for regional conferences, attendees will be able to choose their pronouns, which will be printed on nametags.

o   Gender Inclusive Facilities - For all future regional conferences, the conference planning committee will ensure that gender-inclusive restrooms are available at the meeting location, not just in private hotel rooms.

• Nationally

In response to the recent spate of legislative actions that discriminate against lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender individuals under the guise of religious liberty, at their most recent meeting, the NASPA National Board of Directors passed a policy stating:  “Reflecting the values of our profession, our association and its cross-section of thousands of professionals nationwide, NASPA will not host meetings or events in cities that lack a non-discrimination ordinance.”  You can read more about NASPA’s stand against bigotry and inequality here.

Contact Information

There are two great ways to connect with the GLBT KC:

• Our Facebook page has a lot of great articles, conference opportunities, and discussion posts.  We’d love to see more engagement on this site!
• If any of you have any concerns related to the LGBTQ community, please don’t hesitate to reach out to the GLBT KC representative, Steve Willich, via email or by phone at 303-556-6488.

Other Resources

• On the GLBT KC website, you can find a plethora of national organizations that are working toward equality for the LGBTQ community.