LGBTA Resource Center at NC A&T

Provides support and resources for the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer & Ally community at N.C. A&T is currently under the umbrella of the Office of Intercultural Engagement (OIE) and is designed to advocate and create an affirming climate for students, faculty, and staff across sexual orientation and gender identity spectrums.

The functions of LGBTA Resource Center are to provide a broad and comprehensive range of support, information, education, training, and advocacy services for our LGBTQA students, faculty, and staff.

LGBTA Resource Center Executive Summary

The center offers peer mentorships, a variety of on-campus events, and provides LGBTQIA+ students with a safe space to study, socialize, and program. The LGBTA Resource Center views itself as a social and political hub for the queer community on campus. The LGBTA Resource Center also provides students with access to programs, provides positive resources, and referrals for LGBTQIA+ students and others interested in sexual orientation related matters, how to become an ally or understanding broad gender identities. The center offers peer mentorships, a variety of on-campus events, and provides LGBTQIA+ students with a safe space to study, socialize and program. The LGBTA Resource Center is dedicated to fostering a neutral environment that supports all individuals across the spectrum of gender identities and sexual orientations.

Mission & Vision Statements 

Mission:

The LGBTA Resource Center fosters inclusion and support of N.C. A&T students, faculty, staff, and alumni of all gender identities, sexual orientations, and opened critical expressions. The center provides intentional education and outreach, campus-wide programming, intergroup engagement, empowerment, mentoring, and advocacy to promote increased visibility within the university community. The LGBTA Resource Center serves as a supportive and inclusive hub for the queer community, fostering engagement and empowerment.

The Vision:

N.C. A&T LGBTA Resource Center envisions a safe university community for self-discovery, advocacy, and inclusivity where people of all genders, sexual orientations, and expressions are valued, respected, and engaged. The LGBTA Resource Center champions the free speech rights of all N.C. A&T community members, encouraging open dialogue and respectful exchanges of ideas.

Creating a Safe and Welcoming Environment on campus for the LGBTQA Community and their Allies

Members of the community can freely and openly acknowledge their gender identity, expression and orientation, recognize their same-sex partners, and voice their needs, concerns, and issues the same as other campus community groups. The OIE offers a dedicated and safe place where all diverse/special interest groups can comfortably meet for facilitated discussions, and where individuals can drop in to hang out, network and expect to feel welcomed. Our advocacy efforts are designed to support the LGBTQ+ community while recognizing and respecting the rights and perspectives of all campus groups.

The OIE works to provide the needed voice for LGBTQA concerns on campus and play a role in the leadership development for LGBTQA students and provide advisory support to help set relevant University policy. Serving as a liaison, staff provide students and other members of the community with referrals to other processes and services on campus as needed for support in addressing local and national concerns.

PRISM (formally P.R.O.U.D.) – LGBTQA Support Group

The PRISM Organization was launched in the spring of 2013 as a collaborative effort of N.C. A&T Counseling Center, New Student Programs, the Office of Intercultural Engagement, and interested student leaders.

The purpose of PRISM is to support the diverse identities of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, questioning, intersex, pansexual, Two-Spirit, asexual, allies (LGBTQQIP2SAA), same-gender-loving people, and allies as individuals and as groups, especially students, faculty, and staff of North Carolina A&T State University, with the cultivation of safe, non-judgmental space, educational outreach, advocacy, and visibility of LGBTQQIP2SAA issues and information. PRISM's goal is to provide a safe and understanding atmosphere for all students on campus.

PRISM supports the diverse identities of lesbian, bisexual, gay, transgender, queer, ally/asexual (LGBTQA), and same gender loving people as individuals and as groups, especially students, faculty, and staff of North Carolina A&T State University (N.C. A&T), with the cultivation of safe, non-judgmental space, educational outreach, advocacy, and visibility of LGBTQA issues and information. The organization helps to provide a safe and understanding atmosphere for all students on campus.

For information to join PRISM, contact the Office of Intercultural Engagement (OIE) at 336-334-7800, or email: ncatprism@gmail.com.

The Advisors are:

Gerald Spates, Office of Intercultural Engagement & LGBTA Resource Center, Director

Todd Simmons, University Relations, Associate Vice Chancellor

Educational Training Services and Advocacy Support

The OIE supports outreach to the LGBTQA community campus-wide and advising support to the campus student-led organization. Programming initiatives address homophobia, transphobia, and heterosexism and their complex intersectionalities with race, ethnicity, religion, class, and culture.

Workshops and symposia on issues of special relevance to the LGBTQA community are designed to educate and enlighten members of both the LGBTQA and broad university communities to improve the campus climate.

Programming and educational services are targeted specifically to undergraduates, graduate students, faculty, and staff designed to help inform, educate and raise awareness of both local, national and global matters about LGBTQA issues. The OIE staff collaborates to coordinate events, and activities and provide advocacy to heighten awareness and create a visible presence of LGBTQA individuals across many cultures, races, and social classes.

Resources of special interest to the LGBTQA community are made available in the form of books, videos, and key LGBTQA publications, and are housed in the OIE Resource Library.

Other Diversity Resources and Cultural Opportunities:

• SAFE Zone Development Training - (Twice each semester) Note: Training sessions are held separately for students and employees, and training sessions can be provided upon request if able to accommodate.
• Trans Zone Training - (Once a semester)
• PRIDE Week Celebration - (Fall)
• National Coming Out Day - (Fall)
• Transgender Awareness - (Fall)
• PRISM Week Celebration - (Spring)
• Diversity Programming and Training - (Yearly)
• Classroom Lectures and Discussions - (Faculty Invitation)
• LGBTQA Topical Programs and Discussions - (Yearly)
• Community Partners Program Collaborations - (Yearly)
• LGBTQA Conferences, Symposiums, and Leadership Summit Opportunities (Annually)

SINGLE STALL RESTROOM (Gender Neutral) campus locations.

LGBTQA+ Terms Dictionary is available upon request (email oie@ncat.edu) or in-person at the Office of Intercultural Engagement and the LGBTA Resource Center.

CONTACT INFORMATION: