By Sophia Giatzis

Pride Alliance collaborated with the Office of Multicultural Affairs, Rainbow Alliance (Lincoln Center) and two alumni chapters, Rainbow Rams and Mosaic to celebrate LGBTQ+ History Month this October.
The club kicked off this month’s celebrations with its successful Flags on the Lawn event in front of McGinley on Oct. 1. The event encouraged students to take a rainbow flag or create their own flag representing various LGBTQ identities and place them on the lawn.

“The event was very successful, and there’s hope to make it a signature event moving forward to kick off LGBTQ+ History Month,” said Dean Matos, vice president for student affairs for diversity and inclusion.

Pride’s programmer, Clare McCabe, FCRH ’20, said that the goal of the month is to raise awareness about the long historic movement for LGBTQ+ rights and equality.

“We’re also trying to educate students on campus about some struggles that LGBT students may still face,” said McCabe.

This past week, the five organizations celebrated National Coming Out Week from Oct. 8 to Oct. 12. On Thursday, Coming Out Day, students shared their National Coming Out Anthem in McGinley Lobby at Rose Hill and in Lowenstein Plaza at Lincoln Center.

Rodrigues Coffee House also celebrated National Coming Out Week on Tuesday, hosting a Coming Out Speakout for students to share their experience of coming out.

Pride Alliance also hosted the Annual Coming Out Dance on Friday and LGBT History Month Walking Tour on Saturday.

Maggie Burzynski, FCRH ’21, said the Coming Out Dance provided her an opportunity to spend time with the LGBTQ+ community and other club members outside the weekly meetings, and that the LGBTQ Walking Tour provided a lot of history about the community in New York.

“As a member of the community it is really meaningful for me to learn about my history, so that I can appreciate the struggle it took to get from then to where we are now,” said Burzynski. “I recommend the tour (Christopher Street Tours) to anyone, whether they [are] in the LGBTQ community or not.”

For the rest of LGBTQ History Month, the five organizations have even more events lined up. On Spirit Day 2018, Oct. 19, students will be supporting LGBTQ youth by wearing purple at both campuses. On the same day at 7 p.m., Rainbow Alliance will host its Student Drag Show in Pope Auditorium at Lincoln Center.

Campus Ministry is also participating in the month of LGBTQ celebration, holding the PRISM Retreat Oct. 19-21.

A screening of Moonlight at Lincoln Center on Oct. 25 at 7 p.m. in LL 524 will conclude the month of festivities.

After a successful week, the five organizations are excited to collaborate beyond October to bring more programs to Rose Hill and Lincoln Center, according to Matos.

“I am very excited to see efforts supporting the LGBTQ community aligning for LGBTQ History Month and I hope additional collaborative efforts will continue into the rest of the academic year and for years to come here at Fordham,” said Matos.