Help us reach our $5,000 Give Day 2024 Goal!

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.

2023-2024 has be a stunning year for LGBTQ+ Western, some highlights:

• We hired our Program Manager Ayanna Phillips! She has been a fantastic new additional professional staff member and we love working with her
• Our student staff team has expanded to include Media & Outreach Coordinators and LGBTQ+ Interns
• We hosted over 80 programs including Queerientation, Queering Research, Trans Day of Remembrance, AIDS Day, our annual drag show, and a new program called Generations of Pride: an intergenerational dinner in collaboration with our Psychology department, Bellingham Queer Collective, and the Bellingham/Whatcom PFLAG Chapter
• Visited classrooms for panels, lectures, and other events
• Continued our successful Gaypril celebration with even more events and celebrations
• Centralized our Affinity Centered Programs, the focus of our 2024 Give Day Campaign

Affinity Centered Programs

Affinity Centered Programs are ongoing support, community, and resource-sharing spaces hosted by LGBTQ+ Western with professional and student staff facilitation. We have had our programs running in various capacities for a few years now with Trans Tea and the Black LGBTQ+ Thriving Collective. We updated our services this year to have a similar structure for each group, and added two new programs onto the regular rotation. We also have piloted two other events that we hope to host more of next year.

Our current Affinity Centered Programs are:

1. Black LGBTQ+ Thriving Collective a program that exists to advance the holistic wellness and academic success of Black LGBTQ+ Western students.
2. Gay, Bi, & Queer Men's Gatherings are designed to support our Gay, Bi, and Queer Men on Campus. Empowering this community, establishing support systems, and networking is among many of the things we want to encourage! These spaces are inclusive for trans men and non-binary masculine people!
3. Queer & Trans People of Color (QTPOC) is a collaboration with the Counseling and Wellness Center where we discuss resources, current events, pop culture, etc that center Queer and Trans People of Color.
4. Trans Tea is a space for trans-spectrum and non-binary students and allies to come together to discuss current events, learn about services and resources, and enjoy tea and snacks. Our longest running Affinity Based Program! 

We also trialed Love Constellations, a space for poly and ethically non-monogamous students of all genders and sexualities and Juicy Fruit, a space for LGBTQ+ fat and plus-sized students.

With the growth of these programs, we need additional funding to keep them running and to introduce new programs such as our planned Over the Rainbow affinity-centered program, which is built for LGBTQ+ non-traditionally aged students, parents, graduate students, and students returning after a break in the academics. We are exploring other programs as well.

Our goal is $5,000. Funds raised will be split between the four current affinity spaces, and additional funds to support new spaces being created. Funds help us expand our program offerings such as field trips, community meals, guest speakers, and more! We want all of our affinity spaces to be free for students, so your donation will help!

Testimonials: Hear what our students have to say about our Affinity Centered Programs.

LGBTQ+ Western has been a source of a majority of my friendships here on campus. Going to see familiar faces and just talking to people that I know who hold similar identities to me is very comforting. I felt isolated and had a hard time making friends, but participating in LGBTQ+ Western events took that away. Even if there is not an event being held, there is always someplace in the Viking Union like the LGBTQ+ Lounge that I can go and be with people physically or spiritually.

Trans Tea has been a really positive space, and I wish I attended it more! It has a really chill, low-stakes vibe, which makes it feel a lot easier to leave my comfort zone and meet new people.

 I like attending Gay, Bi, & Queer Men's Gatherings, they are really fun and a nice place to find find friends and meet more queer men.

Your contribution makes a difference! Additional donations to LGBTQ+ Western past our goal:

• Support additional 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.
• Fund LGBTQ+ centered scholarships and awards
• 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 and the LGBTQ+ Western team

JoeHahn, LGBTQ+ Director