Office of Diversity and Multicultural Affairs hosts LGBT resource fair

The event encouraged students to become allies with members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender community.

Photo courtesy of World Bank/ Creative Commons

Alexander Rodriguez, News Editor

Dozens of students celebrating LGBT pride took part in a resource fair Tuesday to help kick off FAU’s Ally Week.

 

Hosted by the Office of Diversity and Multicultural Affairs, the fair connected FAU offices, student organizations, and off-campus groups to LGBT community members and allies. Students packed the Grand Palm Room for the event called “Owly Day Pride Resource Fair.”

 

Lambda United, which serves the on-campus LGBT community, had a table at the resource fair to promote diversity and encourage attendees to remain true to their gender/sexual identity.

 

“We talk about issues going on in the LGBT community,” said President of Lambda United Alex Bruens. “We also like to come together and have fun.”

 

Bruens noted that he was happy to see Lambda’s sign-up sheet covered in students’ names wanting to join.

 

An FAU student who recently transferred said they were impressed by the pride resource fair.

Junior philosophy major Daniel Packer who was volunteering for ODMA stands next
to the poster that informs student what is Ally Week. Alexander Rodriguez | News Editor

“It’s so easy to feel alone,” junior mechanical engineer Louis Fortier said. “It’s nice to know these organizations are around and we can link up with others [in the LGBT community].”

 

LGBT student ally Daniel Packer volunteered with the diversity/multicultural office to help run the event.

 

“I want students to be more active and take more of an allyship role,” the junior philosophy major said.

 

South Florida Gay News, FAU Counseling and Psychological Services, the Women Gender Equity Resource, and FAU Victim Services were in attendance as well.

 

Ally Week will continue with a Tedx Talk on gender at 6 p.m. Wednesday in the Boca Student Union. On Thursday, “Lavender Graduation,” honoring LGBT students’ achievements, will take place at 6 p.m. in Heritage Hall on the Davie campus.

 

Alexander Rodriguez is the news editor of the University Press. For information regarding this or other stories, email [email protected] or tweet @AARodriguezz93