Kennesaw State’s LGBTQ Resource Center is hosting a current events discussion twice a month called “What’s the Tea?” where students can discuss current events and share their personal experiences and opinions.
This bi-weekly discussion aims to discuss what role LGBTQ and supporting KSU students play in challenging, changing or accepting what is going on in the world.
When asked who is invited, Jessica Duvall, assistant director of the Cultural and Community Centers for Gender and Sexuality, told the Sentinel, “Anyone and everyone until we hit fire code.”
The program was created to stop the spread of misinformation and to inspire critical thinking in public discourse.
Discussion topics are chosen close to the meeting day and are not limited to just LGBTQ subjects. According to Duvall, the topics are diverse because of the diversity showcased in the LGBTQ community.
Duvall spoke on the importance of the role queer spaces and community discussions play in the social development of students.
“I’ve seen how students have grown and developed — from coming in and being really shy and unsure of themselves, to seeing them at graduation as strong, confident and well-rounded students who are able to think critically, speak their minds and understand the value that they have,” Duvall said.
The LGBTQ Resource Center is a space where students learn about gender and sexuality and explore how these topics relate to themselves and others. The center is located in suite 253 in the student center on the Kennesaw campus.
“Whoever comes in here feels connected to KSU and feels supported and welcomed,” Duvall said.
Duvall described the responsibilities of the center as being in three spheres. In one sphere, there exists the center’s initiatives and services, which she described as the long-term programs like the Safe Space Student Leadership Initiative and Stonewall Student Housing.
The second sphere contains community groups, which are clubs where members of the LGBTQ community can exchange experiences with peers who share their specific identity.
The final sphere holds the center programs like Queer Film Friday, where students discuss topics such as the importance of queer representation in media. Other programs include Reading Rainbows, which discusses queer literature and GAYmer Time Tuesday, which discusses LGBTQ characters in video games.
To learn more about the center and its programs and events, visit the center in-person, online at its website or online at its Owl Life page.
