In light of all the progress the LGBT movement made last year, Weber State University will kick off 2015 with the grand opening of the LGBT Resource Center.
Located in the Student Services Center on WSU’s Ogden Campus, the WSU LGBT Resource Center’s grand opening will take place on Jan. 27 at 10:30 a.m. Anyone is welcome to participate.
While promoting diversity and unity is still important, Weber State University is now embracing their new vision statement which is “celebrating the fullness of who you are, where you are,” according to the LGBT press release.
The new center will focus on advocating for LGBT students on campus while providing the resources they need, according to the LGBT Resource Center coordinator Jayson Stokes.
While providing training to teach participants about the unique set of challenges the LGBT community faces, the center will carry out their vision statement by bringing to light topics like sexual orientation and gender expression.
To help better understand the LGBT community, nationally renowned activist and Executive Director of The National Center for Lesbian Rights in San Francisco Kate Kendell will be a guest speaker at the grand opening with a talk at 12 p.m. in the Wildcat Theater.
Her discussion will focus on social advocacy and student engagement with the LGBT community, according to the WSU LGBT website.
The event will be topped off with comments from WSU President Chuck Wight and an official ribbon cutting, where anyone can come to share their opinions about the new center.
LGBT support doesn’t stop at the grand opening. The center will host book clubs, film screenings and other events and will also collaborate with other university departments, according to the official statement.
One upcoming event is WSU’s LGBT Resource Center and the Gay-Straight Alliance‘s film screening and discussion called “Prayers for Bobby” on Jan 27 at 3 p.m. in Student Services Center Room 154.
On Jan 28 and 29, the new LGBT Resource Center will host various workshops and training sessions to explore topics like gender and social identity. Free and open to the public, the “Transgender 101” workshop is on Jan. 28 at 2:30 p.m. and the “Safe Zoning” workshop is on Jan. 29 at 1:30 p.m.