The California State University, Northridge, Pride Center
The California State University, Northridge, Pride Center or CSUN Pride Center is an LGBTQIA+ organization on campus that supports all students of any orientation. They have their values listed on their website “Advocacy, Communication, Empowerment, Fun, Inclusivity, Intersectionality, Learning, Social Justice''. This organization has positively influenced the lives of many students on campus. The CSUN Pride Center provides resources and opportunities for students to utilize and discover for their overall benefit. Many students on campus do not take advantage of the resources CSUN provides, and so the Pride Center takes initiative to ensure that more students know about the resources that can help them.
As of March 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic has caused the campus of California State University Northridge (CSUN) to close. Due to the fact that the CSUN Pride Center is located at the University Student Union (USU), on the CSUN Campus, the CSUN Pride Center is closed as well. The CSUN Pride Center has moved online during the COVID-19 pandemic and has created a multitude of virtual resources and Zoom sessions for CSUN students. This online format allows for students to connect with one another while not being present on campus.
1. History
2. Resources
3. Finances
4. Statistics
5. Hardships
History
The Pride Center was created after two years of petitioning and planning by students and members of the LGBTA club. The space was granted by Executive Director of the University Student Union (USU) Debra Hammond. (x) The Pride Center officially opened its doors on September 27th, 2012. They held a Grand Opening Celebration in the University Student Union that day, featuring a ribbon cutting ceremony in the morning. The remainder of the celebration took place at the Plaza del Sol and included a wide variety of activities such as a LGBTQ Resource Fair, a NOH8 Campaign photo shoot, and the collaborative creation of a quilt. (x)
The founding team was composed of Sarina Loeb as the coordinator of the Pride Center and LGBTQ Initiatives (who later became Pride Center Manager), Kimberly White as the LGBTQ clerical assistant, and a variety of students such as Ruben Rodriguez serving as LGBTQ peer mentors. (x)
The CSUN Pride Center faced a threat in 2018. During a series of threats in the form of graffiti and letters to the campus nearing the finals week for the Fall 2018 semester (x), the CSUN Department of Police Services was alerted on December 12, 2018 to investigate an Instagram story “referencing the Pride Center as a potential target” (x). Security was ramped up around campus due to this threat of violence against the center (x).
Resources
The pride center offers a safe space for students from all walks of life to come to spend time with one another. They hold weekly meetings to ensure they cater to all types of students on campus. The CSUN Pride Center also has a website that offers a list of resources that links to outside organizations unaffiliated with CSUN to help students gain outside resources as well. (x) These are some of the many resources the CSUN Pride Center provides for CSUN students.
The following is the list of resources they have on the website: On-Campus Resources, CSUN Student Organizations, Local LGBTQIA+ Centers, Religious/Spiritual Resources, Asexual Resources, Bisexual Resources, Intersex Resources, Lesbian Resources, Queer and Trans People of Color (QTPOC) Resources, Deaf Queer Resources, HIV/AIDS Resources, Advocacy Resources, Gay Resources, Health and Wellness, Resources, Employment Resources, Education/College Resources, Disability Resources, Leather and Kink, Scholarship Resource, Transgender Resources & Programs.
Additionally, the CSUN Pride Center offers a page specifically for students who identify as Transgendered or Non-Binary. (x)
Trans/Non-binary events/meetings at CSUN: Trans* Empowerment Week, T-Time, The Queer Collective, Ghamma Rho Lambda, Title IX Notice of Non-discrimination, Gender Inclusive Restrooms, Requesting Changes to University Information, CSUN Food Pantry, University Counseling Services
Trans/Non-binary Gender Resources: Athletics, Binding Resources, Community, Employment and Legal Resources, Health and Wellness, Social Justice and Activism, Tucking Resources, Voice Therapy, Transgender Ally Resources, Request a Trans* 101 Information Session
The Pride Center offers a wide range of workshops on varying identities and topics, such as:
1. Pride Center Overview: A workshop detailing the mission, vision and programs within the Pride Center.
2. LGBTQIA+ from A to Z: An interactive workshop that covers LGBTQIA+ terminology, coming out, gender identity, how to be an ally and Pride Center resources. After attending a LGBTQIA+ from A to Z presentation, those interested in becoming allies will receive a sticker or button to show their support.
3. Trans 101/Gender Variance Introduction: A workshop that covers the fundamentals of gender identity terminology, transphobia, the distinction between sexual and gender identity and transgender allyship.
4. LGBTQIA+ Inclusivity: A workshop designed for Greek organizations and clubs to promote LGBTQIA+ inclusivity and diversity. This workshop will promote understanding, awareness and inclusivity within student-led organizations.
5. Other: Our presentations can be modified to accommodate your needs. Please have an accurate and detailed description of your presentation and allow sufficient time for your request to be processed by our presenters.
All the information above can be found on the CSUN Pride Center website (x)
Grants and Scholarships
The Pride Center provides a lot of information for scholarships and grants that CSUN students are able to apply for:
The Wong–Sayaman Equality Award: At the annual CSUN Rainbow Graduation in collaboration with Queer Studies, the Wong–Sayaman Equality Award is given to a CSUN student. Ronora Sayaman is a CSUN alumnus that began the Wong-Sayaman Equality Award with the pupose of providing support to students from any academic major who are committed to a leadership role in Queer, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender communities. (x)
The Michael Ruvo and Stephen M. Lachs Scholarship: Michael Ruvo and Judge Stephen M. Lachs, who was the first openly gay judge in the United States, began The Michael Ruvo and Stephen M. Lachs Scholarship to show their deep commitment for the rights of the LGBTQ+ community and to provide support for students “...who have demonstrated leadership and support for the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer+ (LGBTQ+) communities.” The scholarship is awarded to CSUN students of any academic discipline. (x)
The Tanni Block Memorial LGBTQIA+ Scholarship: Tanni Block was the events coordinator for the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer Alliance during her time at CSUN. Her hard work and commitment played a vital role in California University of Northidge’s decision to have a permanent establishment to recognize LGBTQIA+ communities (Pride Center) on campus. The Tanni Block Memorial LGBTQIA+ Scholarship serves to honor the memory of Tanni Block. (x)
There is also a scholarship resource page (x)
Events
Generation Pride: This event often takes place in July. The Pride Center invites all incoming LGBTQ students to celebrate the beginning of their CSUN journey at Generation Pride. This event will allow students to learn the tools on how to navigate college from their LGBTQ peers and allies. These students will also find out more about the resources the Pride Center offers and how to get involved, meet the community and more, before the first day of class sessions. (x)
Coffee Nights: “LGBTQ Coffee Nights” are scheduled to take place every Thursday evening each semester. The Pride Center invites students, staff, faculty and allies to partake and enjoy free coffee, snacks and personalized crafts. Some of the personalized crafts include the creation of tote bags, magnets, rock painting, lanyards, holiday decorations and much more during this social event. Furthermore, the LGBTQ community and allies at CSUN are encouraged to bring their own reusable coffee cups (x)(sustainability), their friends and to make new acquaintances well. (x)
Rainbow Graduation: Coordinated annually by the center’s manager, the CSUN Pride Center “invites all CSUN graduating seniors who are LGBTQIA+ students, Queer Studies minors, allies and other members of the LGBTQIA+ community to attend the annual Rainbow Graduation Celebration.” (x) Friends and Family join together in this “inclusive, colorful and memorable ceremony and reception” to honor the accomplishments of graduating Matadors. The ceremony features “inspirational speakers, unique recognitions” (x) as well as the naming of scholarship award winners. (x)
Trans* Empowerment Week:
The Trans* Empowerment Week event originally started as Trans* Awareness Week in 2015, then was later renamed Trans* Empowerment Week in 2018. The Trans* Empowerment Week usually takes place in November every year. This event is dedicated to “bringing attention to the Trans* community through educating the public and advocating support around the challenges Trans* individuals face on campus and across the nation” with a focus on “raising the visibility of transgender, gender-queer and gender non-conforming individuals”. (x) The fun events within this week include movie screenings, lectures, workshops, variety shows and what’s great about all these events is that it is completely free. (x)
Sex Week:
Sex Week was introduced in 2017 and it became an annual event that happens every March. This week long event “presents a series of compelling workshops and programs to encourage open and honest conversations about sexual health, body positivity, sexual wellness, and queer sexuality. Sex Week has been held in collaboration with Queer Collective and Tarzana Treatment Centers (x), the Los Angeles Department of Public Health, the Klotz Student Health Center, and the Gamma Rho Lambda National Sorority Epsilon Chapter (x). This informative event “welcomes the CSUN LGBTQ community and their allies to talk about sex in a safe and inclusive environment.” (x)
Resources during COVID-19
The CSUN Pride Center holds a variety of meetings and events every week during the school year. During the COVID-19 Pandemic, the CSUN campus is closed and the Pride Center, which is located on campus at the USU Center, is closed as well. As of April 03, 2020, upon opening the Pride Center website, https://www.csun.edu/pride, shows this message, “Pride Center Virtual Programming: The CSUN Pride Center of the University Student Union offers the LGBTQIA+ community and all CSUN students the opportunity to connect to the virtual resources and services that are available to you now.”
The CSUN Pride Center is currently holding a Virtual Pride Center Monday – Friday 11 a.m. – 1 p.m Via Zoom (Meeting ID -----) “Every weekday you’re invited to visit with the Virtual Pride Center on Zoom to talk with friends, get your questions answered and spend some time with us while still practicing social distancing. It’s the best way to keep in touch with the Pride Center of the University Student Union and get the updates about issues that affect you. Whether you want to see a familiar face, have lunch with a group, or ask a question about available resources, we’re here for you at the Virtual Pride Center - so please join the conversation on Zoom.”
This link below provides all the necessary information about the virtual events the Pride Center:
Virtual QTPOC (Queer and Trans People of Color) Conversations: Select Mondays, 5 -7 p.m., RSVP needed for Zoom Meeting ID. Connect with the QTPOC community for engaging connections and personal empowerment during Virtual QTPOC Conversations. This is a virtual space designed specifically for queer and/or trans* people of color at CSUN. You’re invited to join us via Zoom each week as we talk about complex identities and empower our community through engaging and topical discussions.
Virtual T-Time: Wednesdays, 7 – 8:30 p.m., RSVP needed for Zoom Meeting ID. Experience support, guidance and a close network of peers to help you navigate life as Trans* or outside the gender binary. Join the discussion about living with intersecting identities and build your community with this welcoming group. Whether you’re transgender, gender questioning, genderqueer or believe you fit outside of the gender binary, this is the right place for you.
Queer In Your Career: Virtual — Meeting time and Zoom ID TBA Prepare to embark on your journey into the workforce! Come learn virtually about the numerous ways in which you can enhance your professionalism and feel confident as you begin your career path. We’ll teach you how to improve your interview skills and strengthen your resume. This is the kind of information that is helpful to everyone.
Dare To Be Powerful: Virtual: Meeting time and Zoom ID TBA Created by and for CSUN’s QTPOC community, Dare To Be Powerful will focus on a virtual discussion around the intersection of being a member of the LGBTQIA+ community and also being a person of color. Through compelling conversations, you’ll be able to connect with your community and express your identity.
Finances
Funding the Center
The CSUN Pride Center was paid for by the University Student Union and the Campus Quality Fee. The Pride Center is privately funded and any individual is able to make a one time, quarterly or monthly contribution to the Pride Center through their Give to the Pride Center page. The Pride Center advocates for the safety and respect of all LGBTQ+ students by providing support, resources and offering a safe space for the LGBTQ+ presence on campus where individuals have the ability to connect with one another and or talk to peer counselors that are provided. Through generous donations, the Pride Center has been able to expand their programs and invite prominent speakers as well as artists for the many events they hold and organize.
Funding Grants and Scholarships
These donations create opportunities for students to attend LGBTQ+ local conferences and camps. The Pride Center also uses their funds to offer scholarships, such as The Tanni Block Memorial LGBTQIA+ Scholarship, and provide emergency funds for LGBTQ+ students experiencing financial hardships. (x) (x)
Statistics
As part of their Peer Mentor Program, all of the center’s student employees receive “over 20 hours of training on various LGBTQ topics, including coming out, internalized homophobia, transgender awareness and more” (x).
In the first semester, following the opening of the CSUN Pride Center, they received over 200 students who participated in their National Coming Out Day events on campus (x). That same Fall semester in 2012, the average amount of students using the space to connect, amounted to about 30 at a time (x). In 2013-2014, during their Trans* Awareness Week, “more than 500 students, faculty, and staff attended 11 events” with “88% of student participants rated programs as “helpful” or “very helpful” at the Pride Center. Furthermore, they had 51 persons on average visiting daily during the Fall 2013 semester, while 65 visited daily on average during the Spring 2014 semester. (x) In total for the academic School Year of 2013-2014, the Pride Center had an average 57 student visits per day, raised to 61 average student visits per day in the 2014–2015 Academic School Year. (x) Within 2014-2015, they had “26 LGBTQ Awareness Trainings facilitated, reaching 689 participants” and “85 programs and events that served 2,683 participants.” (x) In the 2015-2016 Academic School Year, the Pride Center received 14,135 visitors and “the number of participants attending programs increased by 1,319 (+39.1%) from the previous year.” (x) This same school year, the LGBTQ From A to Z information sessions helped train 1,024 (+31%) students, faculty and staff on LGBTQ identities and advocacy. (x)
In 2016, the USU and Pride Center “hosted the Southwest Regional LGBTQ+ Resource Center’s Professionals Meeting with 21 professionals from 11 campuses in attendance, gathered to discuss important new strategies for supporting LGBTQ+ students.” (x) Their annual Generation Pride event in 2016 had 122 people in attendance to network and “welcome new, returning and transfer students as well as faculty and staff of the LGBTQ+ community.” (x) The Spring 2017 and Spring 2018 Rainbow Graduation Ceremonies had 45 LGBTQ+ students and allies in attendance (x). Within the 2018-2019 Academic School Year, the Pride Center “presented 46 workshops about LGBTQIA+ identities and advocacy throughout the year to 1,083 CSUN students, faculty and staff. In addition, the Pride Center team connected with 8 out of 9 (88%) college deans on campus and provided LGBTQIA+ inclusivity training to faculty from four colleges.” The Pride Center also received 7,597 visits. (x) The Spring 2019 Rainbow Graduation Ceremony had 200 people in attendance to honor “27 new graduates from the LGBTQIA+ community on campus.” (x)
Community Recognition:
In 2018, “The Pride Center received a Certificate of Recognition from the 46th California State Assembly District for its leadership and LGBTQ advocacy during the #Out4MentalHealth Queer and Trans People of Color (QTPOC) town hall meeting at Bienestar Human Services in Los Angeles.” (x) In 2019, “The NASPA Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education recognized the Pride Center at its 2019 annual conference in Los Angeles for its LGBTQIA+ community Sex Week program. Student employee Felix Villarreal was also honored by Los Angeles City Council Member Mitchell Englander for supporting and advocating for the LGBTQIA+ community through his work at the Pride Center.” (x)
What is officially on wikipedia
Pride Center
The California State University, Northridge, Pride Center or CSUN Pride Center is an LGBTQIA+ organization located in the University Student Union, that supports students of all orientations. The center lists their values on their website: “Advocacy, Communication, Empowerment, Fun, Inclusivity, Intersectionality, Learning, Social Justice''. The Pride Center has positively influenced the lives of many students on campus. The Pride Center provides resources and opportunities for all students to utilize. As of March 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic has caused the campus of California State University Northridge (CSUN) to close. Due to the fact that the Pride Center is located at the University Student Union (USU); on the CSUN Campus, the Pride Center is closed as well. The Pride Center has moved online during the COVID-19 pandemic and has created a multitude of virtual resources and Zoom sessions for CSUN students. This online format allows for students to connect with one another while not being present on campus. The Pride Center advocates for the safety and respect of all LGBTQIA+ students by providing support, resources, and offering a safe space for the LGBTQ+ presence on campus. At the Pride Center, individuals have the ability to connect with one another and/or talk to the peer counselors that are provided by the center. [1]
History
The Pride Center was created after two years of petitioning and planning by students and members of the LGBTQ club. The space for the Pride Center was granted by the Executive Director of the University Student Union (USU), Debra Hammond.[2] The Pride Center officially opened its doors on September 27th, 2012. A Grand Opening Celebration was held in the University Student Union that day. A ribbon cutting ceremony was featured in the morning. The remainder of the celebration took place at the Plaza del Sol and included a wide variety of activities such as a LGBTQ Resource Fair, a NOH8 Campaign photo shoot, and the collaborative creation of a quilt. [3]
The founding team was composed of Sarina Loeb, as the coordinator of the Pride Center and LGBTQ Initiatives (who later became Pride Center Manager), Kimberly White as the LGBTQ clerical assistant, and a variety of students such as Ruben Rodriguez serving as LGBTQ peer mentors. [4]
The CSUN Pride Center faced a threat in 2018. During a series of threats in the form of graffiti and letters to the campus nearing the finals week for the Fall 2018 semester [5], the CSUN Department of Police Services was alerted on December 12, 2018 to investigate an Instagram story “referencing the Pride Center as a potential target” [6]. Security was increased around campus due to this threat of violence against the center [7].
Resources
There are many resources that the CSUN Pride Center provides for CSUN students. The pride center offers a safe space for students from all walks of life to come to spend time with one another. The Pride Center holds weekly meetings to ensure they cater to all types of students on campus. The Pride Center has a website that offers a list of resources that are linked to outside organizations unaffiliated with CSUN to help students gain outside resources as well as ones on campus. [8]
The following is the list of resources listed on the Pride Center website:
On-Campus Resources
CSUN Student Organizations
Local LGBTQIA+ Centers
Religious/Spiritual Resources
Asexual Resources
Bisexual Resources
Intersex Resources
Lesbian Resources
Queer and Trans People of Color (QTPOC) Resources
Deaf Queer Resources
HIV/AIDS Resources
Advocacy Resources
Gay Resources
Health and Wellness
Resources
Employment Resources
Education/College Resources
Disability Resources
Leather and Kink
Scholarship Resource
Transgender Resources & Programs. [9]
Additionally, the Pride Center offers a page specifically for students who identify as Transgendered or Non-Binary. [10]
Trans/Non-binary events/meetings at CSUN:
Trans* Empowerment Week
T-Time, The Queer Collective
Ghamma Rho Lambda
Title IX Notice of Non-discrimination
Gender Inclusive Restrooms
Requesting Changes to University Information
CSUN Food Pantry
University Counseling Services
Trans/Non-binary Gender Resources:
Athletics
Binding Resources
Community
Employment and Legal Resources
Health and Wellness
Social Justice and Activism
Tucking Resources
Voice Therapy
Transgender Ally Resources
Request a Trans* 101 Information Session [11]
The Pride Center offers a wide range of workshops on varying identities and topics, such as:
Pride Center Overview:
A workshop detailing the mission, vision and programs within the Pride Center.
LGBTQIA+ from A to Z: An interactive workshop that covers LGBTQIA+ terminology, coming out, gender identity, how to be an ally and Pride Center resources.
After attending a LGBTQIA+ from A to Z presentation, those interested in becoming allies will receive a sticker or button to show their support.
Trans 101/Gender Variance Introduction: A workshop that covers the fundamentals of gender identity terminology, transphobia, the distinction between sexual and gender identity and transgender allyship.
LGBTQIA+ Inclusivity: A workshop designed for Greek organizations and clubs to promote LGBTQIA+ inclusivity and diversity. This workshop will promote understanding, awareness and inclusivity within student-led organizations.
Other: Our presentations can be modified to accommodate your needs. Please have an accurate and detailed description of your presentation and allow sufficient time for your request to be processed by our presenters.
All the information above can be found on the CSUN Pride Center website [12]
Grants and Scholarships
The Pride Center provides a lot of information for scholarships and grants that CSUN students are able to apply for:
The Wong–Sayaman Equality Award: At the annual CSUN Rainbow Graduation in collaboration with Queer Studies, the Wong–Sayaman Equality Award is given to a CSUN student. Ronora Sayaman is a CSUN alumnus that began the Wong-Sayaman Equality Award with the pupose of providing support to students from any academic major who are committed to a leadership role in Queer, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender communities. [13]
The Michael Ruvo and Stephen M. Lachs Scholarship: Michael Ruvo and Judge Stephen M. Lachs, who was the first openly gay judge in the United States, began The Michael Ruvo and Stephen M. Lachs Scholarship to show their deep commitment for the rights of the LGBTQ+ community and to provide support for students “...who have demonstrated leadership and support for the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer+ (LGBTQ+) communities.” The scholarship is awarded to CSUN students of any academic discipline. [14]
The Tanni Block Memorial LGBTQIA+ Scholarship: Tanni Block was the events coordinator for the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer Alliance during her time at CSUN. Her hard work and commitment played a vital role in California University of Northidge’s decision to have a permanent establishment to recognize LGBTQIA+ communities (Pride Center) on campus. The Tanni Block Memorial LGBTQIA+ Scholarship serves to honor the memory of Tanni Block. [15]
There is a scholarship resource page for further information. [16]
Events
Generation Pride: This event often takes place in July. The Pride Center invites all incoming LGBTQ students to celebrate the beginning of their CSUN journey at Generation Pride. This event will allow students to learn the tools on how to navigate college from their LGBTQ peers and allies. These students will also find out more about the resources the Pride Center offers and how to get involved, meet the community and more, before the first day of class sessions. [17]
Coffee Nights: “LGBTQ Coffee Nights” are scheduled to take place every Thursday evening each semester. The Pride Center invites students, staff, faculty and allies to partake and enjoy free coffee, snacks and personalized crafts. Some of the personalized crafts include the creation of tote bags, magnets, rock painting, lanyards, holiday decorations and much more during this social event. Furthermore, the LGBTQ community and allies at CSUN are encouraged to bring their own reusable coffee cups [18](sustainability), their friends and to make new acquaintances well. [19]
Rainbow Graduation: Coordinated annually by the center’s manager, the CSUN Pride Center “invites all CSUN graduating seniors who are LGBTQIA+ students, Queer Studies minors, allies and other members of the LGBTQIA+ community to attend the annual Rainbow Graduation Celebration.” [20] Friends and Family join together in this “inclusive, colorful and memorable ceremony and reception” to honor the accomplishments of graduating Matadors. The ceremony features “inspirational speakers, unique recognition's” [21] as well as the naming of scholarship award winners. [22]
Trans* Empowerment Week:
The Trans* Empowerment Week event originally started as Trans* Awareness Week in 2015, then was later renamed Trans* Empowerment Week in 2018. The Trans* Empowerment Week usually takes place in November every year. This event is dedicated to “bringing attention to the Trans* community through educating the public and advocating support around the challenges Trans* individuals face on campus and across the nation” with a focus on “raising the visibility of transgender, gender-queer and gender non-conforming individuals”. [23] The fun events within this week include movie screenings, lectures, workshops, variety shows and what’s great about all these events is that it is completely free. [24]
Sex Week:
Sex Week was introduced in 2017 and it became an annual event that happens every March. This week long event “presents a series of compelling workshops and programs to encourage open and honest conversations about sexual health, body positivity, sexual wellness, and queer sexuality. Sex Week has been held in collaboration with Queer Collective and Tarzana Treatment Centers [25], the Los Angeles Department of Public Health, the Klotz Student Health Center, and the Gamma Rho Lambda National Sorority Epsilon Chapter [26]. This informative event “welcomes the CSUN LGBTQ community and their allies to talk about sex in a safe and inclusive environment.” [27]
Resources during COVID-19
The Pride Center holds a variety of meetings and events every week during the Spring and Fall semesters. During the COVID-19 Pandemic, (which caused the closure of CSUN in March of 2020), the Pride Center, which is located on campus at the USU, is closed as well.
As of April 03, 2020, upon opening the Pride Center website, https://www.csun.edu/pride, this message pops up, “Pride Center Virtual Programming: The CSUN Pride Center of the University Student Union offers the LGBTQIA+ community and all CSUN students the opportunity to connect to the virtual resources and services that are available to you now.”
The Pride Center is currently (as of April 2020) holding a Virtual Pride Center Monday – Friday 11 a.m. – 1 p.m Via Zoom, and a specific room i.d. is given on the Pride Center website. The Zoom link is tagged with this message, “Every weekday you’re invited to visit with the Virtual Pride Center on Zoom to talk with friends, get your questions answered and spend some time with us while still practicing social distancing. It’s the best way to keep in touch with the Pride Center of the University Student Union and get the updates about issues that affect you. Whether you want to see a familiar face, have lunch with a group, or ask a question about available resources, we’re here for you at the Virtual Pride Center - so please join the conversation on Zoom.” [28]
This link provides all the necessary information about the virtual events the Pride Center:
https://www.csun.edu/pride/news/covid-19-information-csun-students-pride-center-virtual-programming
The following are all of the virtual meetings offered by the Pride Center:
Virtual QTPOC (Queer and Trans People of Color) Conversations:
Select Mondays, 5 -7 p.m., RSVP needed for Zoom Meeting ID.
Connect with the QTPOC community for engaging connections and personal empowerment during Virtual QTPOC Conversations. This is a virtual space designed specifically for queer and/or trans* people of color at CSUN. You’re invited to join us via Zoom each week as we talk about complex identities and empower our community through engaging and topical discussions.
Virtual T-Time:
Wednesdays, 7 – 8:30 p.m., RSVP needed for Zoom Meeting ID.
Experience support, guidance and a close network of peers to help you navigate life as Trans* or outside the gender binary. Join the discussion about living with intersecting identities and build your community with this welcoming group. Whether you’re transgender, gender questioning, gender-queer or believe you fit outside of the gender binary, this is the right place for you.
Queer In Your Career:
Virtual — Meeting time and Zoom ID TBA
Prepare to embark on your journey into the workforce! Come learn virtually about the numerous ways in which you can enhance your professionalism and feel confident as you begin your career path. We’ll teach you how to improve your interview skills and strengthen your resume. This is the kind of information that is helpful to everyone.
Dare To Be Powerful:
Virtual: Meeting time and Zoom ID TBA
Created by and for CSUN’s QTPOC community, Dare To Be Powerful will focus on a virtual discussion around the intersection of being a member of the LGBTQIA+ community and also being a person of color. Through compelling conversations, you’ll be able to connect with your community and express your identity [29]
Funding for the Pride Center
The Pride Center has been paid for by the University Student Union and the Campus Quality Fee. The Pride Center is privately funded and any individual is able to make a: one time, quarterly, or monthly contribution, to the Pride Center through the "Give to the Pride Center web-page." [30] Via donations, the Pride Center has been able to expand their programs and invite prominent speakers, as well as artists for the many events they hold and organize.
Funding Grants and Scholarships
These donations create opportunities for students to attend LGBTQ+ local conferences and camps. The Pride Center also uses their funds to offer scholarships, such as: The Tanni Block Memorial LGBTQIA+ Scholarship, and provide emergency funds for LGBTQ+ students experiencing financial hardships. [31] [32]
Statistics
In the first semester following the opening of the CSUN Pride Center, the center received over 200 students who participated in their National Coming Out Day events on campus [33]. That same Fall semester in 2012, the average amount of students using the space to connect, amounted to about 30 at a time [34]. As part of their Peer Mentor Program, all of the center’s student employees receive “over 20 hours of training on various LGBTQ topics, including coming out, internalized homophobia, transgender awareness and more” [35]. The Spring 2017 Rainbow Graduation Ceremony had 24 LGBTQ+ students in attendance [36].