After the university’s Undergraduate Student Government secured funding, identity-based traditions for students are back on campus.
As many students grieve the closure of the LGBTQ+ Center, the Women’s Center and the Student Multicultural Center due to Senate Bill 1, USG President Ivory Kendrick said student government is working to fill those gaps and support students where it can.
He said USG’s main goal after SB1 went into effect has been to find a compromise between faculty and students.
“Higher administration, they’re forced to listen to the law,” Kendrick said. “So really trying to come to a common ground and seeing how we can still feel like students are supported, but also making sure they’re complying with the law, … if we don’t have the support of higher admin, we’re kind of at a loss for resources.”
Without the identity centers, students don’t have anything else, Kendrick said. USG was then able to pass the budget bill, which increased USG’s allocations budget to financially support student organizations.
Some of this money will go to organizations such as Pride!Kent and Black United Students to bring back the traditions of the Lavender Graduation and Karamu.
Jess Brenneman, vice president of Pride!Kent and Trans*Fusion, revived both of these organizations when they lost their e-boards.
Pride! Kent is the oldest queer student organization in the nation, originally called the Kent Gay Liberation Front. Trans*Fusion is relatively more recent, originally founded after a few students felt Pride!Kent wasn’t meeting the needs of the transgender community.
Now, Brenneman has essentially combined the groups, allowing individuals to align with one over another, but meeting in the same space and holding the same events. They provide a digital space, but also a physical space where people can come once a week to talk to others who understand them in a safe environment.
“Now more than ever – because of SB1 and because of the closure of the center and because of this rampant increase in such bold-faced bigotry and hatred that we’re seeing on campus – it’s important to have this space,” Brenneman said.
There has been a growing fear among marginalized groups because of SB1 in Ohio, but also nationally due to the Trump administration.
Brenneman said the result empowers those prone to “fear-based hatred,” or fear stemming from ignorance leading to anger and hatred. This makes people feel more comfortable to be hateful towards certain groups through micro-aggressions or full on hate crimes.
“Even in this very blue spot, this very blue campus, it’s a scary time,” Brenneman said. “We’re really trying to band together and be there for one another.”
When Brenneman found out the Lavender Graduation would no longer be put on with the loss of the LGBTQ+ center, but had to be a student initiative, they took over the job.
“I went looking for a rainbow stole and then a bunch of responsibility fell into my lap,” Brenneman said. “But I’m not mad about it. I’m very happy to have been doing this. It’s been so fun and so rewarding.”
Brenneman said they are trying to keep the celebration as similar as they can. The main difference will be staff and faculty involvement. With concerns of how involved they are allowed to be, students will take over to lead and speak at the celebration.
This year, the Lavender Graduation, now known as the Lavender Celebration, will take place on April 30, from 6-9 p.m. in the Student Center Ballroom. The celebration welcomes all students, staff and faculty members, not just those that are graduating.
“For all the stress that’s out there, for all of the fear that we’re all experiencing right now and all of the sadness that we’re seeing on the news, there are still these spaces of joy and of comfort and friendship and love,” Brenneman said.
Savana Capp is a beat reporter. Contact her at [email protected].
