Kennesaw Pride Alliance to form non-profit following DEI cuts

Key Points Kennesaw Pride Alliance opened the Pride Center after Kennesaw State University closed its LGBTQ Stock Center due to threats to DEI Along with the Pride Center the organization is advocating for the reinstatement of Stonewall Housing a housing effort for LGBTQ students KPA is in the present filing for nonprofit status to form Georgia Pride Alliance a parent organization that will formalize the apprentice organization s structure Following the closure of Kennesaw State University s LGBTQ Source Center the apprentice organization Kennesaw Pride Alliance is forming a nonprofit to maintain its assistance of LGBTQ students and expand its reach to other universities in Georgia For over a decade the LGBTQ Reservoir Center offered an inclusive space to socialize engage in weekly and monthly services and shop for free from the Clothing Closet a more relaxed and accessible space for transgender non-binary and gender non-conforming students to find clothes that suit them In spring however the university internally broadcasted the center would be rebranded as part of a new Department of Attendee Engagement and Encouragement and no longer specifically serve LGBTQ students The dismantling followed a letter issued in February detailing the Trump Department of Instruction s new civil rights guidance targeting DEI practices along with the introduction of ordinance like SB a bill that would ve banned diversity equity and inclusion DEI initiatives from K- schools and colleges had it not died after crossover day In the wake of these attacks colleges across Georgia have rolled back LGBTQ -inclusive materials Georgia Tech dissolved their LGBTQ Source Center Women s Reservoir Center and Black Way of life Innovation and Hardware squad and coalesced them into the Arts Belonging and Locality Department Emory University reported in September it would be discontinuing DEI programs and offices Leadership of the Kennesaw Pride Alliance brought the organization out of dormancy to provide LGBTQ guidance to students after the dismantling of KSU s LGBTQ Source Center Photo via Instagram Amy West Communications Director of the Kennesaw Pride Alliance disclosed that students were frustrated and hurt by the closure so the KPA stepped up to create its own space for LGBTQ students to gather Several other universities in Georgia are still operating similar programs or rebranded them whereas KSU just utterly gutted theirs West stated Georgia Voice So that ended up with myself and several other members of the neighborhood to end up bringing KPA out of dormancy Partnering with local First United Lutheran Church KPA opened its own Pride Center Aug a space located in the church for students to engage with population advocacy groups movie nights event nights a queer library a region closet and mental wellness counseling all built entirely by students without help from the university I know right now a lot of our students are facing sustained pressure at home and on campus be it from certain right-wing groups or from increasingly emboldened conservatives who are trying to silence them and keep them in the closet West announced That s why having access to these supports to enable them to exist as themselves in citizens is so key Considering the fact that sponsorship was almost entirely gutted last spring a lot of them have been left feeling hopeless like they need to hide themselves to not be harassed or targeted Along the creation of the new Pride Center and area engagement members of KPA are also advocating for students in particular those living in the now-disbanded Stonewall Housing The housing operation which provided safe housing to LGBTQ students who came from hostile homes feared harassment in the dorms or were homeless or on the verge of homelessness was discontinued along with the supply center One pupil on the KSU subreddit wrote that the KSU housing website had been wiped of any mention of the undertaking and that Stonewall residents had not been communicated the plan had been disbanded West says KPA has and will continue to advocate for the reinstatement of the undertaking In the meantime the KSU senior and her colleagues in the organization are working to maintain the organization to help provide and advocate for LGBTQ students even after the current leadership graduates The pupil organization is in the present filing for c status to create Georgia Pride Alliance a parent organization for the group that would formalize the structure of KPA and potentially expand their reach to students at other schools West says she hopes for the nonprofit to be formed by spring or summer Until then students with KPA are seeking participants to help run events at the Pride Center donations of books and clothes to their library and closet and connections with other organizations to get students access to other information KPA doesn t have the limit to provide To learn more and get involved follow Kennesaw Pride Alliance on Instagram kpridealliance Related stories Trump admin blocks million in LGBTQ DEI grants which may violate federal law Georgia college students tackle World Cup instrument in Atlanta Tech Week s Innovation Cup The post Kennesaw Pride Alliance to form non-profit following DEI cuts appeared first on Rough Draft Atlanta