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December 9, 2021
News
NEWS District hears out students’ concerns LGBTQIA+ BRIEFS from page 1
Important dates: Finals Week is Dec. 10-16. The last day of the fall term is Dec. 16. Winter and Spring 2022 registration is now open Registration for winter began Nov. 8. Students can log in to MyPortal to check registration and deadline dates. The winter semester will begin Jan. 3 and it will end Feb. 10. Registration for spring 2022 began Dec. 6. The term will last from Feb. 14 to June 10. Have you filled out your FAFSA yet? Enrollment for the 20222023 academic school year is open. Take advantage of getting free money to pay for classes. Aid is limited, so be sure to submit applications by March 22. Deadlines vary by state, visit the FAFSA website at studentaid.gov/apply-for-aid/ fafsa/fafsa-deadlines to verify deadline dates. The Festival of Lights returns to Riverside The Mission Inn Hotel & Spa annual Festival of Lights will return to downtown Riverside on Nov. 29 and will run all throughout the holiday season. Participate in the RCC toy drive ASRCC will be sponsoring a toy drive for children registered with the Salvation Army. Donations are being accepted at The Salvation Army before Dec. 13, located at 3695 First St. in Riverside. Email any questions to deborah.hall@rcc.edu or lisa. schwartz@rcc.edu.
Corrections A cutline in a previous issue mislabeled Shanon Jordan from the women’s basketball team as Marquis Ashley from the football team. All of these dates are subject to change due to possible regulations to come involving the containment of the coronavirus. To stay up to date on upcoming campus events, v i s i t t h e Vi e w p o i n t s calendar listed at viewpointsonline.org. If you have events happening on campus that you want featured on the calendar, send information about the event to viewpoints. news@gmail.com.
classes because they were misgendered,” Brown said. “Even though they came out in that space as a trans woman or trans-femme-identified, they were often, in that course, referred as ‘he’ and not respected for their gender.” Similarly, Jennifer Shaw, Sexuality and Gender Acceptance Club (SAGA) representative and vice president, further explained students’ difficulties when experiencing harsher treatment from their faculty, staff or peers. Some nonbinary, transgender or gender nonconforming students who faced discrimination have difficulties reporting their experiences to the college. “It’s mostly pertaining to microaggressions, and that is harder to report,” Shaw said. “Their body language and how they act (toward) you — you can’t really report on that.” Despite challenges, one program strives to offer support toward this demographic of students through the understanding and support of allies. The Ally training program is offered at all three college campuses to educate staff, faculty and students on the issues of marginalized sexualities and identities. Andrea Dillon, LASSE and Ally program coordinator, emphasized the benefits of attending the training seminars. “As we gain more knowledge, the more we can pass it on to provide more resources than just talking to people,” Dillon said. “You can tell someone to have an inclusive environment all you want, but if you’re not providing resources on how to do so, you’re still doing (students) a disservice.” Some leadership from prominent backgrounds also recognized the importance of the training. “It’s one thing to be an advocate, but if you don’t have an understanding of the history and background, then it’s harder,” RCC President Gregory Anderson said. “Ultimately, if we can have more employees, classified professionals, faculty members and administrators who are seen as allies, it creates more of an inclusive environment here.” Ally training, however, is optional for staff, faculty and students, and students have mixed feelings on whether it should be mandatory for instructors. “I’m not sure about having (Ally training) be mandatory,” Jess Castillo, social media director of SAGA, said. “I think (instructors) should choose for themselves if they want to take part of this training program and learn (about) their students better.” For some, the lack of participants creates an environment of indifference.
DANIEL HERNANDEZ | VIEWPOINTS
LGBTQ+ Association for Student Success and Equity (LASSE) members join hands in a circle. “There are certain types of professions where a level of understanding is necessary — a college staff or faculty member is one of them,” said a student who wished to remain anonymous. “This can be applied to any marginalized group. Colleges say they want to help (their) students, but you can’t help someone you don’t understand.” Making Ally training mandatory is a major district decision, according to Anderson. “Any decision like that has to be negotiated with the bargaining units that represent the employees — so, it’s a working condition that needs to be negotiated.” However, some recommend those who complete the training return in the future since the subject of LGBTQIA2+ issues are constantly evolving. “I encourage everyone to attend our knowledge training when they can,” Weyant-Forbes said. “But just attending it once — I don’t think it’s enough because needs and issues are evolving.” Having a reliable location — similar to an engagement center — is essential to ensure a welcoming environment for LGBTQIA2+ students. “I think having a permanent space would be really affirming, not only for LASSE but for students to actually have a space where they can go to know they’re going to be loved, cared for and supported,” Silva said. Another goal for LGBTQIA2+ students is greater access to mental health services. In 2016, The Jed Foundation, a nonprofit organization that advocates for mental health, conducted a national study among these overlooked college students. The California Community College (CCC) Chancellor’s office further researched the disparities that LGBTQIA2+ students face compared to their heterosexual counterparts.
The CCC discovered that LGBTQIA2+ students experience high rates of anxiety, depression, substance abuse, housing insecurity and attempted suicide. “I think we still have a lot of work to do in terms of having greater access to mental health care to physical health care,” Weyant-Forbes said. “We’re getting there — we’re doing some of the work on campus, but we still have a lot more left to do.” Representation is another key to achieving an ideal inclusive environment through the LASSE, Ally training and mentorship programs. “We’re slowly not a full representation, but we’re getting there, and a lot of it has to do with what we’re doing with queer, trans and ally of faculty, staff and students,” Robert Hyers, SAGA adviser, said. Inclusivity amongst faculty members is crucial, but it may not be enough in solving issues for students that continue to be unrepresented. “One of the amazing things about this group is that we do have a mix of folks that are here and have been involved and say, ‘we want to support you in any way we can,’” Brown said. “So I think we’re getting there, but hearing about the stories about those students (experiencing discrimination) — I can say those stories happen every semester is a sign we’re not there yet.” The right for inclusivity and representation for LGBTQIA2+ students is needed at RCCD to ensure that their voices are heard and recognized. “We’re still fending for ourselves a little bit — we’re still in our infancy, even though our community has been around forever, but I think we’re working toward it,” Dillon said. “As of right now, we’ve still got a lot of room to grow up. I don’t feel like
everything has been discussed; I don’t feel that all of our voices have been heard.” Vo i c e s a r e n o t f u l l y represented at RCC, but allies are dedicated to hearing the disparities that marginalized communities face. “I think it’s very clear to anybody who’s met me and met members of my administration team, and we’re committed to hearing that voice,” Anderson said. “And we’re committing to creating a welcoming, inclusive environment for all of our students.” Some students feel represented, but the same reality may not exist for others. “I’ve felt like our voices are being represented in some ways,” Castillo said. “I believe we now live in a time where people cannot deny us for existing — especially on school grounds — and it’s good that they’re listening to us somewhat. I cannot say for others, though, but that’s my personal take.” “I have felt nothing but welcomed by staff. I have pride pins that are visible and have not felt unsafe on campus,” said a student who wished to remain anonymous. “Of course, there’s always the possibility of other students not being that welcoming. It’s only in those situations where the college will show whether or not they’re actual allies.” LASSE and members of other student services strive to continue advocating for unrepresented students at RCC. “I believe that the administration and staff leadership is moving forward slowly, but they see us,” Sharice Fox, LASSE mentor program coordinator, said. “They see us because we’re loud, bold and colorful. So I do believe that we’re going to be supported, but with anything that’s worth having, there’s always a battle.”
