Auraria Campus Offers a Warm and Welcoming Sanctuary for GLBT Students

Tivoli room 213, located in the Auraria Campus Student Union, is home to the campus’s Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender Student Services (GLBTSS) office. This office provides services and social networking for all GLBT students and their straight allies that attend any of Auraria’s three schools. All services offered are free of charge, and welcome to be utilized by anyone. The office, decorated with rainbows, had seven people inside: three employees and four students doing homework and socializing in the lounge.

Amondo Green, 37, sat alone at the desk right inside of the front entrance. Green began his employment at GLBTSS in December 2010, right before spring semester 2011 began. When asked about the events that GLBTSS organizes, he described the “Queer Symposium,” an annual gathering of students and specialists that meet up to discuss important issues within the GLBT community. As of right now the date is to be announced. “But, you have to go to the Valentine’s Day drag show on the 14^th at four in the Tivoli Turnhalle!” Green exclaimed, “And I don’t care if you have to ditch class to do it! You'd make a great drag king!” Green made it clear that having fun was a big part of the GLBT community on campus. He described the office as a “safe zone,” a place that anybody of any sexual orientation could hang out, network, and socialize without the social pressures of being judged by peers. “My favorite part about my job is the environment, the comfort, and the diversity of the people who use our services. We even have a library and movies in the office so students can just come hang out,” said Green. He also described many community outreach projects and volunteer opportunities that will occur throughout the semester.

Around the corner inside of the GLBTSS office is a lounge filled with comfortable red couches and shelves upon shelves of movies and books, both GLBT related and not. Ashton Richardson, 19, a Metro freshman, sat on one of the couches with her MacBook in her lap. She first began hanging out in the GLBTSS office about halfway through fall semester 2010. She said that her favorite part of the community was all of the friends that she has made so far. She says that she spends a couple of hours every day that she’s on campus in the office, “socializing and occasionally doing homework.” When asked what other GLBT events she participates in, she described the Auraria Genders and Sexualities Alliance (AGSA). The AGSA meets in the Senate Room in the Tivoli every Tuesday from two to three in the afternoon. Humorously enough, she asked with a smile, “Did you hear about the drag show on the 14^th? I’ll be leaving class early to be there!”