While others were prepping their masks and donning their costumes, a group of students traveled up to a rainbow-festooned room in Ohio State University’s Ohio Union to share their experiences in LGBT organizing and learn from students from other colleges.
Equality Ohio held a student organizer boot camp Saturday to connect those involved in LGBT college programming and advocacy throughout the state. The activities included workshops, planning sessions and networking during the day, as well as performances and an award show at night.
“We have 40 students registered from all over Ohio,” said Delfin Bautista, director of Ohio University’s LGBT Center. “It’s exciting for us to gather … (it’s) a way of building community across the state.”
Sarah Chadwell, a senior studying European global studies, said the programs centered on practical skills that could be used in advocacy. She added that it was also a good experience to share experiences and struggles.
“We talked about motivation and what motivates us to work,” she said. “(We talked about) how our stories that we tell affect other people … how the narrative of the story is what touches people.”
Anna Mendlein, a sophomore studying social work, became involved in LGBT organizing just recently. She said the work is a different path that can be related to social work.
“I had never been particularly extroverted, but I knew organization and activism are very important in any movement,” she said. “I knew if I wanted to make any sort of change I would have to learn and do those kinds of things.”
However, through her experience, Mendlein saw different roles in logistics and organizing that allowed different personality types to make a difference.
“There’s a place for extroverts in any organizing, but there’s a need for introverts or people that don’t necessarily want to be on stage or in front,” she said.
Mendlein said she also bonded with others who went to the conference.
“Spending an entire day with a group of people, you get to know a lot about them,” she said. “I think that’ll be valuable in the OU community.”
Both Mendlein and Chadwell said one of the biggest aspects of the boot camps was finding out about LGBT work at different colleges. Chadwell said the network is important for statewide campaigns and accomplishing common goals.
“In many cases many of the colleges don’t have as many LGBT programs as we do,” she said. “(A gathering like this) is really important to have when schools don’t have these resources. (It) helps other colleges connect with them and help them move forward, and make Ohio a stronger state for the LGBT community.”
eb104010@ohiou.edu
@EmilyMBamforth
