Monday, September 30, 2013

Rainbow Report


Rainbow Report
University of Maryland, College Park

"Nothing is impossible, the word itself says, 'I’m possible!'"
–Audrey Hepburn

Don't forget to "like" and “follow” us!

LGBT Equity Programs:     
 Queer Lunch
o   Wednesdays from 11:30 am to 1 pm, 2218 Marie Mount Hall. Bring your lunch; we’ll bring the conversation and fun!
 Safe Space
o   Thursdays at 7 pm, 2308 Marie Mount Hall. Safe Space is a peer-facilitated supportive environment for any student navigating identity, coming out, or transitioning. Even if you consider yourself already “out,” this is a space to decompress, share what’s on your mind, and find support. This Safe Space is for you! 
 Rainbow Terrapin Network
o   Sign up now for Rainbow Terrapin Network trainings along with our new Trans* Advocacy Trainings! http://www.rainbowterps.umd.edu. 
 Queers Across Borders
o   The University of Maryland will host a group of international youth leaders from Africa, Asia, and the Caribbean, who are working on human rights and sexual and gender diversity and inclusion on Tuesday, Oct. 1st, 2013 at 7pm in 6137 McKeldin Library (Special Events Room).
o   Join us for powerful stories of international guests and their experiences with LGBTQ movements abroad, and cross-cultural dialogue about the true meaning of “solidarity” and a discussion of how our learning can be applied locally!
o   Presented by: The LGBT Equity Center in collaboration with Advocates for Youth. Contact: lgbt@umd.edu or 301-405-8720.
o   Co-sponsored by: Nyumburu Cultural Center; CARE to Stop Violence; School of Languages, Literatures, and Cultures; Multicultural Involvement and Community Advocacy; Department of Spanish and Portuguese; The One Project; Consortium of Race, Gender, and Ethnicity; Leadership and Community Service Learning; Education Abroad; International Student and Scholar Services; and MSPP Policy Pride Council

Co-Sponsored Programs:
Congressional Internship Opportunities for UMD
   Students
o   Are you interested in an internship with Congress? Please come on Friday, October 18th 2013 from 12:00 – 2:00 PM in the University Career Center – Resource Room to hear about the benefits of congressional internships and gain valuable tips for how to find and apply for these opportunities. Scott M. R. Baker, an UMD Alum and former Congressional Staff member, will share valuable information on the steps needed to successfully obtain one of these coveted internship opportunities. You can RVSP for this event by going to this site: http://www.careers.umd.edu/events_description.cfm?event_id=4223. For additional information, contact Pamela Allen at pallen@umd.edu

 Student Group Meetings:     
    Pride Alliance
o   Women2Women: A discussion group for LGBTQQIA- identified women. Tuesdays from 6:00-7:00 PM in the LGBT Equity Center.

o   Bro2Bro: A group for LGBTQQIA- identified men. Wednesdays from 6:00-7:00 PM in the LGBT Equity Center.

o   Bisexuals at Maryland (BAM): A discussion group for those who inhabit the wide expanse that lay between gay and straight. Wednesdays from 7:00-8:00 PM in the LGBT Equity Center.

o   TCOM: A group for LGBTQQIA people of all colors. Thursdays from 6:00-7:00 PM in the LGBT Equity Center.

o   TransU: A discussion and safe space for those who identify as transgender, genderqueer, or otherwise feel restricted by conventional definitions of "man" and "woman". Thursdays from 7:00-8:00 PM in the LGBT Equity Center.


Additional Announcements:
     DC Metro LGBTQ Symposium
o  The 8th Annual DC Metro LGBTQ Symposium presents Intricate Identities: Exploring the Intersections of Race, Culture and Ability in the LGBTQ Community, which will be held Saturday, November 16th, 2013 at American University in Washington, DC. The Symposium aims to create a communal space for education and reflection on leadership, activism, and research on lesbian, gay, bisexual, and trans* issues and topics for undergraduates, graduate students, faculty, and staff.
o   Students, faculty and staff interested in presenting at the Symposium are encouraged to complete the online proposal submission form located at http://www.american.edu/ocl/cdi/GLBT-Symposium.cfm. Workshops and presentations in the past have included discussions/workshops about national, local and campus activism and identity issues, as well as research (a paper written or project completed for class) on the LGBT community. While we encourage presenters to tie their proposal to the theme of “Exploring the Intersections of Race, Culture and Ability in the LGBT Community,” we also appreciate creativity and liberal interpretations of the theme.
o   The Symposium is a collaboration among American, Howard, Gallaudet, George Mason, Georgetown, and George Washington Universities, and the University of Maryland College Park.
o   The deadline to submit a program proposal is 5pm, October 13th, 2013.
Selected presenters will be contacted by October 20th. For more information on the Symposium please contact Matt Bruno at mbruno@american.edu. Registration for the Symposium is FREE and open to everyone, and it can be accessed at http://www.american.edu/ocl/cdi/GLBT-Symposium.cfm.




  Study Abroad Opportunity
o   Want to Study Abroad to Italy to learn more about Domestic and Sexual Violence?
o   HLTH 389V is a three credit, interdisciplinary 10-day study abroad course where students will travel to Rome and Sicily from March 15, 2014 to March 23, 2014 to learn about the issues surrounding domestic and sexual violence. Students will visit women’s organizations, speak with local police and legal professionals in addition to talking with high school and college students about these issues. The program also includes visits to the Vatican, a day excursion to Mt. Etna Volcano and a day excursion to Florence.
o   Don’t miss out on this opportunity. Apply by October 1st.
o   Visit http://ter.ps/spbreaksarpp for more information. You can also contact CARE to Stop Violence at care@health.umd.edu for more information.

 Feminist Graduate Student Symposium
o   The University of Maryland’s Women’s Studies Graduate Student Association and the Department of Women’s Studies are pleased to announce the First Annual Feminist Graduate Student Symposium to be held Wednesday, October 16th 2013, in the Margaret Brent Room, 2112 Stamp Student Union.  
o   Interventions: Women’s Studies on the Edge
Feminist scholarship at the University of Maryland engages a wide range of questions, topics, methods and disciplines meant to address the lived experiences and representations of women, especially with regard to issues such as gender, race, sexuality, nationality, disability, etc. This symposium highlights various feminist projects in development at the University Maryland and the surrounding area, profiling the cutting edge of feminist scholarship. The symposium will consist of panels structured around three themes that elucidate the complexities in the diverse lives of women and communities.
o   Translations:
Papers that build bridges across national borders, consider dividing lines between fields and disciplines, and/or examine the distinctions between the academy and activists outside the university.
o   Taking Back Innovation:
Papers that push theoretical, methodological, and pedagogical boundaries to produce and share exciting feminist knowledge.
o   Bridging Gaps in Women’s Studies: Papers that address topics or questions not given enough attention by feminist scholarship and/or in feminist classrooms.

Registration is free, and lunch will be served.  This event is funded in part by Graduate Student Activities Fee and is therefore open to the entire Graduate Student Community and the public. Other funding comes from the Pepsi Grant, and our co-sponsors are the Women's Studies Department and UMD Feminists.

Please register at

 Laramie Project at Ford’s Theater
o   The Laramie Project depicts a community’s response to a hate crime against Mathew Shepard, a young, gay man in the small town of Laramie, Wyoming. He died October 12, 1998. Help us honor his legacy 15 years later.
o   Date & time: Saturday, October 5, 2013 from 2:00 PM to 4:30 PM

Cost: $18

Location: Ford's Theatre
o   Reservations are required. UM graduate students may purchase one extra ticket for their guest. This event is not wheelchair accessible. 
Tickets will be available in this space beginning Tuesday, September 10, 2013 at 5:00 PM.
o   IMPORTANT NOTES: 
Only UMD graduate students are permitted to purchase tickets. 
UM graduate students may purchase one extra ticket for their guest.
Online ticket reservations and sales are NOT available on Sundays.
Tickets are NON-REFUNDABLE and NON-TRANSFERABLE.
o   Please contact Graduate Student Life at gradstudentlife@umd.edu with questions.
 Be a part of the 2014 Orientation Staff
o   Picture yourself…on the 2014 Orientation Staff! Do you want to have an impact on thousands of incoming students and their families?! Do you want to represent the University of Maryland? Do you want to have a picture perfect summer? Then apply to be an Orientation Advisor or Program Registrar!
o   Throughout the 2014 summer you will work directly with the Orientation Staff, administrators, department heads, deans and faculty members to develop your leadership and team building skills.
o   Being a staff member includes free summer housing, free ERC summer membership, a free summer parking pass, a $2,700 summer stipend, and a $250 Terrapin Express account, and tons of FREE Terp swag!

For more information about the job and how to apply, you can visit orientation.umd.edu. Applications are due in person in 1102 Cole Field House by October 4th, 2013 at 4:30 pm.

If you have any questions, comments, or concerns, feel free to contact us at 301-405-8720, by e-mail at lgbt@umd.edu, or come to our office. We are located in 2218 Marie Mount Hall.

Monday, September 23, 2013

Rainbow Report


Rainbow Report
University of Maryland, College Park

“I thought how unpleasant it is to be locked out; and I thought how it is worse, perhaps, to be locked in.”
-Virginia Woolf

Don't forget to "like" and “follow” us!

LGBT Equity Programs:     
 Queer Lunch
o   Wednesdays 11:30am to 1pm, 2218 Marie Mount Hall. Bring your lunch; we’ll bring the conversation and fun!
 Safe Space
o   Thursdays 7pm, 2308 Marie Mount Hall. Safe Space is a peer-facilitated supportive environment for any student navigating identity, coming out, or transitioning. Even if you consider yourself already “out,” this is a space to decompress, share what’s on your mind, and find support. This Safe Space is for you! 
 Rainbow Terrapin Network
o   Sign up now for Rainbow Terrapin Network trainings along with our new Trans* Advocacy Trainings! http://www.rainbowterps.umd.edu. 
 Queers Across Borders
o   The University of Maryland will host a group of international youth leaders from Africa, Asia, and the Caribbean, who are working on human rights and sexual and gender diversity and inclusion on Tuesday, Oct. 1st, 2013 at 7pm in 6137 McKeldin Library (Special Events Room).
o   Join us for powerful stories of international guests and their experiences with LGBTQ movements abroad, and cross-cultural dialogue about the true meaning of “solidarity” and a discussion of how our learning can be applied locally!
o   Presented by: The LGBT Equity Center in collaboration with Advocates for Youth. Contact: lgbt@umd.edu or 301-405-8720.
o   Co-sponsored by: Nyumburu Cultural Center; CARE to Stop Violence; School of Languages, Literatures, and Cultures; Multicultural Involvement and Community Advocacy; Department of Spanish and Portuguese; The One Project; Consortium of Race, Gender, and Ethnicity; Leadership and Community Service Learning; Education Abroad; International Student and Scholar Services; and MSPP Policy Pride Council

Co-Sponsored Programs:
Congressional Internship Opportunities for UMD
   Students
o   Are you interested in an internship with Congress? Please come on Friday, October 18th 2013 from 12:00 – 2:00 PM in the University Career Center – Resource Room to hear about the benefits of congressional internships and gain valuable tips for how to find and apply for these opportunities. Scott M. R. Baker, an UMD Alum and former Congressional Staff member, will share valuable information on the steps needed to successfully obtain one of these coveted internship opportunities. You can RVSP for this event by going to this site: http://www.careers.umd.edu/events_description.cfm?event_id=4223. For additional information, contact Pamela Allen at pallen@umd.edu

The A in LGBTQA
o   What does it mean to be an ally? How do you support the LGBTQA community, and is it more than just “supporting gay rights”? Come to the Equity Center on Wednesday, September 25 from 5:30-7:00 PM to learn how to be an advocate and activist, locally and nationally, for the LGBTQA community. LGBTQA students who want allies to be better supporters are welcome to attend!
 Student Group Meetings:     
    Pride Alliance
o   Women2Women: A discussion group for LGBTQQIA- identified women. Tuesdays from 6:00-7:00 PM in the LGBT Equity Center.

o   Bro2Bro: A group for LGBTQQIA- identified men. Wednesdays from 6:00-7:00 PM in the LGBT Equity Center.
(Bro2Bro will be meeting in 2308 Marie Mount Hall this week)

o   Bisexuals at Maryland (BAM): A discussion group for those who inhabit the wide expanse that lay between gay and straight. Wednesdays from 7:00-8:00 PM in the LGBT Equity Center.
(BAM will be meeting in 2308 Marie Mount Hall this week)

o   TCOM: A group for LGBTQQIA people of all colors. Thursdays from 6:00-7:00 PM in the LGBT Equity Center.

o   TransU: A discussion and safe space for those who identify as transgender, genderqueer, or otherwise feel restricted by conventional definitions of "man" and "woman". Thursdays from 7:00-8:00 PM in the LGBT Equity Center.

Additional Announcements:
    Be a part of the 2014 Orientation Staff
o   Picture yourself…on the 2014 Orientation Staff! Do you want to have an impact on thousands of incoming students and their families?! Do you want to represent the University of Maryland? Do you want to have a picture perfect summer? Then apply to be an Orientation Advisor or Program Registrar!
o   Throughout the 2014 summer you will work directly with the Orientation Staff, administrators, department heads, deans and faculty members to develop your leadership and team building skills.
o   Being a staff member includes free summer housing, free ERC summer membership, a free summer parking pass, a $2,700 summer stipend, and a $250 Terrapin Express account, and tons of FREE Terp swag!
o   For more information about the job and how to apply, you can visit orientation.umd.edu. Applications are due in person in 1102 Cole Field House by October 4th, 2013 at 4:30 pm.
 Words of Engagement Intergroup Dialogue Program
o   The Office of Diversity and Inclusion offers the Words of Engagement Intergroup Dialogue Program for interested undergraduate students who are interested in engaging with other students on difficult, but rewarding, topics. Classes are taught by trained and experienced facilitators. Participants can expect a rich and rewarding experience as well as an opportunity to develop skills in cultural competence.  All dialogues are 7-week, 1-credit courses that are held in the first and second halves of each semester and WEIDP courses satisfy the new General Education Cultural Competence. Dialogues with remaining seats are as follows:
o   EDHI338N (0101) Sexual Identity (LGBT/Heterosexual)
  Thursday 4:30pm-6:30pm
  9/12-10/24 (first half of the semester)
o   EDHI338N (0201) Sexual Identity (LGBT/Heterosexual)
  Thursday 4:30pm-6:30pm
  10/29-12/10 (second half of the semester)

 OUT IN THE CHURCH: Affirming LGBTA Spiritual Community
o   Out in the Church is a unique spiritual community on campus that provides an affirming conversational and spiritually supportive space for LGBT students and their friends to engage their Christian spirituality while also being hospitable for persons of diverse faith traditions. This community is a great place for students interested in integrating their spirituality and sexuality can do so in a way that helps them produce a generative and mutually reinforcing expansion of their spirituality and sexuality. It occurs on Mondays, 5:30 – 7:00 PM at the Lounge of the Memorial Chapel. Contact: Rev. Gaddis ogaddis@umd.edu.
           Spirituality through the Context of Sexuality
o   Gay? Lesbian? Straight? Other? None of these means your spiritual self stops existing or has to go lacking. If anything, your spiritual connection can be challenged and empowered. Explore/study the origins and approaches faced by individuals searching for and building their spiritual self-realization, in the context of being gay/lesbian. Lead by Rabbi Martin Siegel, the class will address:
o   Biblical bases for alternative sexualities or lack there-of;
o   Locate guides establishing the importance of self-confidence on a path of spiritual strength
o   Question the underlying human capability to be connected to oneself despite the many roles we each have.
o   The class will also invite student’s questions.
o   Open to all adults of all ages interested in a safe, friendly, learned environment. Held in three Sunday afternoon sessions this Fall, the class will be small with 5-10 people. Free-of-charge with donations welcomed, dates/locations will be determined based on students’ schedules. The class is open to people of any religion/theology and is guided towards LGBTQQIA individuals (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, questioning, intersex, and allies).
o  Interested? Please e-mail or call organizer, Justin Fair, at jorlandofair@gmail.com or call (410) 645-0474. He will happily get back to you. 

If you have any questions, comments, or concerns, feel free to contact us at 301-405-8720, by e-mail at lgbt@umd.edu, or come to our office. We are located in 2218 Marie Mount Hall.