Although it’s still two months away, planning for the Midwest Bisexual, Lesbian, Gay, Transgender and Ally College Conference is already under way.
The event will be held March 15-17 at the Kellogg Center, and will feature workshops, caucus groups and presentations about issues such as battling homophobia. Guest speakers for the conference include LBGT activists Leslie Feinberg, E. Lynn Harris, the Rev. Penny Nixon, Joo Hyun Kang and James Earl Hardy.
Josh Siegel, a member of the Alliance of Lesbian-Bi-Gay-Transgendered Straight and Ally Students and co-chairman of the conference leadership committee, said he hopes people who attend will gain insight into LBGT concerns.
“We are hoping to provide education and growth opportunities for LBGT students through the Midwest and showcase MSU and the LBGT community,” the international relations senior said. “We want to provide workshops between other large Midwest schools to see what works and what doesn’t work and show what it means to be an LBGT activist.”
MSU was chosen to sponsor the event after a proposal was submitted to the alliance during the 2001 conference at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
The cost of the conference, about $60,000, will require fund-raising and donations from private vendors, campus groups and corporations. Group members expect about 1,500 people to attend. Some housing for people from out-of-town will be provided by MSU students.
But Erik Howell, an Illinois student and co-chairman of the volunteer committee at the 2001 conference, said the benefits of the event are worth the cost. Howell said the conference was informative and helped some students feel more comfortable discussing LBGT issues.
“Not only did we touch people who had never even experienced or known someone who was gay before, but I am sure we helped people who were questioning or didn’t know there were students getting together like us,” he said. “They found there was a place for them. I know a few people who came out because of the conference.”
David Warden, a member of the alliance and acting chairman and public relations coordinator for Denouncing Ignorance Through Vigilant Activism, said the purpose of the conference is to promote unity and awareness about LBGT people.
“The goal is to bring together LBGT, straight, ally and queer students from across the Midwest that have a focus on college issues like residence hall climate and LBGTA programs,” the journalism senior said.
Tamar Jourian, also a member of the alliance, said she thinks the university has been supportive in helping host the conference.
“The MSU community has been very positive so far,” the general management senior said.
For information about the conference, call Jeremy Grzymkowski at (517)353-2068.
