Wednesday, April 4, 2012

A HBCU finally gets a their First LGBT Resource Center


This is bittersweet news. Bowie State University is the first HBCU to have a LGBT resource center on campus.
The grand opening was held in the center’s permanent home. The goal of the center is to provide information, counseling and a safe space for LGBT students. 

The grand opening was packed with 80 people attending.  Dr. Adrian Krishnasamy, Director of the Resource Center and Assistant Professor, Department of Communications, is the Faculty Administrator for the Bowie State Gay-Straight Alliance (GSA).  The event was attended by over six key Administrators.  

The school has been working on opening the center since 2007.  They experienced resistance in moving forward with key officials backing it. The issue was challenged also because the university lacked sufficient funding to support it.  "Opening a center like this at Bowie State is significant because HBCU’s usually don't want to address LGBT issues," says Dr. Adrian Krishnasamy.
Yes, they don't and that's why this news is bittersweet. Out of a 100+ HBCUs, this is the first and only one?

Unacceptable. I mean, I'm happy for Bowie and their students, but this is a shame. Maybe their efforts will motivate other schools to move forward.

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Viktor is a small town southern boy living in Los Angeles. You can find him on Twitter, writing about pop culture, politics, and comics. He’s the creator of the graphic novel StrangeLore and currently getting back into screenwriting.