MBLGTACC 2013

What can I say?! The 2013 Midwest Bisexual Lesbian Gay Transgender Ally College Conference (MBLGTACC) was an experience like no other. This was my first year attending MBLGTACC and quite frankly I did not know what to expect, but it all became clear to me once I stepped off the Michigan bus into Lansing, Michigan State territory, and saw the abundance of people comprising various identities of the Spectrum. I was in Lansing for social justice and because of the shared belief that all persons are created equal, even those identities that society have deemed deviant.

Before the conference had even begun, I witnessed first-hand the benefits of being surrounded by a visible LGBTQA community. I remembered thinking to myself “how many times will I be surrounded by this many people identifying openly with the LGBTQA community?” This reality brought mixed feelings, one of which is the reminder that this world is not equal. No other time in my life had I been in a situation where so many LGBTQA persons were visible. This lack of visibility is problematic for future members of the LGBTQA community who deserve to be born into an educated and accepting world. In my opinion, visibility is the main tool needed in ending the marginalization and oppression of LGBT persons, a tool in which many are afraid to use. Whether the fear stems from ridicule or quite possibly loss of one’s life, this ingrained fear is one that stifles our efforts in creating an all-inclusive world.

MBLGATCC made me feel as if I were a part of something great. It solidified my passion for fighting for the rights of all those who are stigmatized for an identity that for themselves only comes natural. I left this short 3-day weekend energized taking with me stories of perseverance and growth, in addition to new friends who are themselves fighting for what is right! I will fight for the rights of the LGBTQA community, a community I am PROUD to be a part of, until the need to fight is no more. No matter the pain or the consequence, I am a soldier on the front lines willing to risk it all for a better life for all. The world has no choice but to accept us ALL because we are HUMAN despite our opponents’ efforts to deny our humanity!!! 

by Anthony

Join the Spectrum Center in a conversation with Anand Kalra on Wednesday, January 30th from 12:30pm-2:00pm in the Spectrum Center Lounge. There will be pizza provided! You can RSVP here.

Anand Kalra (A.B. ‘07, M.S.I. ‘10) brings a lifelong passion for holistic healing and growth to his position at the Transgender Law Center. As Program Manager for Project HEALTH, Anand coordinates all aspects of the clinical training assistance program, clinical rotations, and TransLine, Project HEALTH’s online consultation service for medical professionals. In addition, he’s an active member of the policy advocacy team, working with health councils and providing trainings all over California and beyond.

Anand’s early experiences at the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force and the National Center for Transgender Equality inspired him to pursue a Master’s degree in Information Science. As a student librarian, Anand combined his social justice background with a rigorous study of community information use and information literacy in an effort to discover new ways to improve quality of life for LGBTQ people. This work culminated in a conference paper entitled “Audre Lorde was a Librarian: Using Information Literacy to Heal Internalized Oppression.”

Anand has spread the gospel through dozens of workshops, panels, and training sessions. His work around internalized oppression has earned him invitations to speak at conferences nationwide, including the South Asian Awareness Network, the Transgender Leadership Summit, Creating Change, and Doing Queer Studies Now.

Anand lives in Oakland with his cats, Sparrow and Finch.

Hi, Would love for you to join me on 1/30, Wednesday, 7-8:30 pm for “Confessions of an Elder-in-Training”—stories, songs, and reflections on the aging process. Here’s the scoop: Lesbian musician and workshop leader Jeanne Mackey shares stories, songs, and reflections on the aging process, offering a rare blend of emotional intensity, wry humor, and social commentary. “Growing older brings some big challenges,” says Mackey. “There are inevitable losses, including the crumbling of illusions about how life works, and who we thought we’d become. Yet I’m finding that aging also brings opportunities—to live more authentically and to let go of limiting beliefs. It helps to know that others are facing similar issues. And it’s essential to keep one’s sense of humor in the midst of the uncertainty!” An instructional designer at the University of Michigan and former psychotherapist, Jeanne Mackey has led workshops on conscious aging and ecopsychology. In 2010, Mackey created Drop the Knife: A Memoir-in-Song on the occasion of turning 60. She and her band have performed the piece locally and in Ohio and Washington, DC.

www.aadl.org/events/list?id=16826

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/events/140625809429205/

Hi there Anon,

We had a rocky start last semester with getting original content on our tumblr, but are working hard to revive it this semester. Our volunteers are going to be starting later this month, and the tumblr should be going full force by late February, so stay tuned!

SC

This year, the Spectrum Center is launching its first ever Class Gift! The Spectrum Center Class of 2013 Class Gift will have student input and influence through the Class Gift Committee. Members of the committee will help publicize the Class Gift and decide how donations will be spent. The committee is open to all students graduating in 2013 and will not require a large time commitment from members. If you’re interested in the Class Gift Committee, please fill out the form below. If it is not displaying in your browser, you can find it here.

The Class of 2013 Class Gift is an opportunity for graduates to give back to the Spectrum Center and leave a legacy for future students. There will be a small presentation at Lavender Graduation in which the Committee will present the gift to Spectrum. As this is the first ever Spectrum Center Class Gift, it is a special opportunity for members of the Class of 2013 to open the door for future classes.

Do you identify as a lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans*, queer, questioning (or similarly self-identified) person of color? If so…

rXs (The Intersection of Race and Sexuality) invites you to engage in a dialogue about your lived experiences!

rXs is a semester-long, intragroup dialogue program for LGBTQ (and similarly self-identified) people of color who are part of the University of Michigan and/or greater Ann Arbor/Ypsilanti community.

This group is for those that are discreet OR “out”, questioning OR certain, fresh OR experienced regarding their racial and/or sexual identity.

We are looking for a new group of dynamic participants! You do not need to have experience in dialogue, just an openness to share and a willingness to learn.

DATES and TIMES are TBA, as they are based on participant interest. Location is always undisclosed, as we value people’s privacy and safety in rXs.

If you are interested in our program, please fill out this form
no later than Friday, February 1. Please note there is no obligation to join rXs by submitting a form.

Have questions? Please email rxscoreteam@umich.edu or visit theqpoccoalition.org/rxs-intragroup-dialogue/

Please note that completed application needs to be dropped off at the Housing Information Office in SAB by the due date (January 23rd at noon). 

 If you have any questions at all please do not hesitate contact Josh Peipock at peipock@umich.edu.

The Spectrum Center’s Fall Volunteer Appreciation made it into The Advocate’s “A Day in Gay America” 2012 installment! 

The Advocate:

An amazing assortment of images came in from our readers as part of “A Day in Gay America.” From silly and creative, to meaningful and heartfelt, this is what you were doing on November 9, 2012.

If you are interested in volunteering for The Spectrum Center, please fill out our Winter 2013 Volunteer Sign-up!

If you are interested in working with others to increase their awareness, knowledge, skills and action as allies through tools like workshops, trainings, video and social media, then take a look at our Educational Outreach Teams!

• Facilitation Team
  • This student-lead team may develop additional workshops focused on topics of gender and sexuality based on the team’s determined goals. The APPLICATION can be found here.
• My Voice
  • Through personal story-telling, speakers share their experiences and growth, thereby promoting knowledge, compassion, and understanding about LGBTQ identities, issues and concerns.
• Video Team
  • Volunteers interested in the video team will have the opportunity to write, direct, act, edit and recruit for new videos produced by the Spectrum Center.

If you are interested in working with others through mentorship, program planning, advising and social activities, then take a look at our Collaborative Learning Teams!

• Office Support Team
  • Volunteers will have the opportunity to work with  a small, close-knit staff that’s goals are to enrich the campus experience and develop students as individuals and members of communities with sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression as the framework.

If you are interested in developing collaborative relationships with various communities across campus and throughout Southeast Michigan, then check out the Community Engagement Team!

• Publicity & Outreach
  • The Publicity & Outreach Team’s job is to make the Spectrum Center as visible as possible in our community, to make sure that our services, events, etc. are utilized and attended by a broad scope of people, and to raise awareness and knowledge on campus and the greater community.

To sign up for any of the above teams, or to confirm that you will be returning as a volunteer this semester, please fill out this form: bit.ly/126nUed