What’s Poppin’@Pride?: Pop-Up Series
What’s Poppin’@Pride is about community building and sharing a meal together. This informal program serves as a time to connect in The Pride Center by enjoying popcorn, other snacks, and playing games in the lounge with our i3b community, staff, and/or other LGBTQIA+ community leaders. This pop-up series can also offer an opportunity to discuss trending global, national, or local-LGBTQIA+-based topics in an informal, casual atmosphere. All are welcome to attend.
QueerCare: LGBTQIA+ Well-Being Series
Queercare is well-being series centering LGBTQIA+ community members building relationships, accessing resources, and engaging in other activities to gain information on practicing radical self-care. This program provides LGBTQIA+ community members the resources to help obtain quality care concerning their social, mental, emotional, spiritual, and physical health.
The Annual Lavender Graduation Celebration
Every May since 2014, this annual evening celebration highlights the wonderful achievements of UMBC’s LGBTQ+ graduating seniors, graduate students, and their allies. This large ceremony serves as a time for all LGBTQ+ and ally community members to be recognized and to reflect together. LGBTQ+ students overcome incredible odds to succeed and make a difference at UMBC. This ceremony is in recognition of the achievements of LGBTQ+ students and to all the allied staff, faculty, alumni, and programs that work to support them. This ceremony includes an award component with various categories to award them for their efforts and achievements of the previous year. LGBTQ+ seniors and grad student graduates are celebrated and recognized with lavender cords.
The Closet Collective: LGBTQIA+ Questioning Discussion Group
Are you questioning your LGBTQIA+ identity? Are you out to yourself but unsure on what the next steps could look like during your closeted experience? Then the Closet Collective may be a space for you! “Coming out” can be one of the most challenging processes of the LGBTQIA+ experience. The Closet Collective is a self-care and community-building group that centers UMBC community members who are questioning their sexual orientation, romantic orientation, gender, and/or gender expression. Meetings will occur regularly and will be determined based on the needs and size of the group. Due to the nature of this discussion group and to limit harm related to outing, locations will not be advertised. A form will be available to complete to avoid any information leaving beyond the group.
What’s The (T)ea?: Social Justice Dialogue Series
What’s The (T)ea? is a series geared toward exploring various social justice-related and/or identity-developmental topics and issues affecting various marginalized populations. The title of this series comes from the phrase “What’s the T?”, a phrase originating from the 1970s-1980s Black Gay Ball culture, meaning “What’s going on?” or “What’s up?.” As such, the titles of these sessions are typically structured in the form of a question. The sessions focus on creating space for participants to grapple with the question at hand, specifically concerning how their identities may play a role in the subject in question. Each session includes a brief lecture with background information followed by pair-share, table, and large group discussions while enjoying tea and snacks. The series aims to explore the background historical influences that impact the discussion topic and explore how interaction styles can show up in dialogue with others to shift how community members can incorporate vulnerable social justice dialogue practices in their personal lives.