LGBTQ+ Western at Bellingham Pride. LGBTQ+ Western was established in August 2018. We strive to advance the holistic thriving of diverse LGBTQ+ students, faculty, and staff by collaboratively engaging the Western community with transformational knowledge, resources, advocacy, and celebration.
In 2022 LGBTQ+ Western joined the newly created Access, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (ADEI) unit, joining Disability Access Center and The Office for Multicultural Student Services as a unit under the Enrollment and Student Services Division. This move allowed us to expand our outreach and provide more collaborative and intersectional events, programming, and services. Our previous LGBTQ+ Director Litav Langley (they/them) became the Assistant Vice President for ADEI. In Fall 2022, JoeHahn (mononym, he/they) was hired as the new LGBTQ+ Director.
LGBTQ+ Western merged with the Queer Resource Center and Gender Liberation Center. These two centers were previously run by students as part of the Student Advocacy and Identity Resource Centers. This merge allowed us to centralize LGBTQ+ services on campus, create support systems through direct supervision and advising of student leaders, and create more longevity for programs such as the Queering Research Series. With this merge we still honor student-run traditions, such as the 31st annual drag show and Trans Day of Remembrance.
This academic year, we expanded our work to include:
- We expanded our student staff to now include 7 students in three different co-coordinator roles: Education and Advocacy, Community Development, and Black LGBTQ+ Thriving Collective
- Trans Week, a week long celebration of trans identity
- Over 200 events including the annual drag show, intergenerational panel, Black LGBTQ+ experience panel, Trans Tea, and more
- Collaboration with outside organizations including Whatcom Youth Pride, Northwest Youth Services, Sean Humphrey House, Lifelong, and the newly formed Bellingham Queer Collective
- Gaypril, a month long of programming with over 50 events and club meetings
- Hosted our first ever LGBTQ+ Alumni Reunion
- New Queer Guild Council clubs were created such as Out in Business and Western Scream Queens
Your contribution makes a difference! Donations to LGBTQ+ Western:
- Support programming that advances the visibility, understanding, and celebration of LGBTQ+ people and cultures at Western.
- Provide emergency financial assistance to assist LGBTQ+ students in staying enrolled and successful at Western in the event of unanticipated significant economic hardship.
- Support Western students, faculty, and staff participation in LGBTQ+ conferences beyond Western that advance leadership development and/or engage queer and trans intellectual and artistic inquiry.
We appreciate your donation. Thank you for giving back to the LGBTQ+ community at Western Washington University!
-JoeHahn, LGBTQ+ Director
LGBTQ+ Director JoeHahn
