This spring the LGBT Resource Center updated Grand Valley's LGBT-Friendly Campus Climate Index profile. The goal of this national assessment tool is to help create respectful and welcoming environments for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender students, faculty and staff as well as their allies. Fourteen different campus offices participated in this evaluation.

Last week LGBT Resource Center Director Milt Ford and I were in Denver for the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force’s Creating Change conference. This event was attended by over 2,300 activists from around the country who pursue equality and justice work on behalf of the gay community. This was my second Creating Change conference and no less life changing than last year’s event. The opening plenary for this conference always features the Executive Director (ED) of the Task Force delivering “The State of the Movement” address. This year new Task Force ED Rea Carey shared her perspectives.

Understanding the state of the movement is particularly important at this time in history. The November elections were politically significant for the gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender communities. The election of Barack Obama marked many firsts for our nation including the fact that his acceptance speech was the first of its kind to acknowledge the gay community. As leaders in the movement, we celebrate the election of an LGBT-friendly President who believes that the United States Constitution applies to ALL Americans.

There were other substantial victories that bright November day. Representing Colorado’s 2nd Congressional District, Jared Polis became the first openly gay candidate to run for the U.S. House of Representatives where he handily won victory! A new day also dawned in Michigan. Our citizens voted in record numbers and loudly rejected the divisive and discriminatory politics that have polarized this state. In an exhilarating rout, Barack Obama won Michigan with 57% of the popular vote changing the political landscape of our state! Additionally, a significant upset occurred when Judge Diane Marie Hathaway unseated Clifford Taylor on the Michigan Supreme Court! The impact of Judge Hathaway’s victory is immeasurable, considering Judge Taylor’s longstanding opposition to LGBT equality. Judge Hathaway’s election provides renewed hope for justice and equality in the LGBT community.

However, the losses were profound. Sadly, Hamtramck no longer has a comprehensive anti-discrimination policy. Additionally, equality suffered devastating blows in California, Florida, Arkansas, and Arizona.

In her “State of the Movement” address Rea Carey commented on these losses, “As we look back on this year, our confidence has been shaken and our anger has been roused — but now is the time to turn our anger into action and our action into long-lasting change. We must now refocus on regaining marriage equality in California and winning across the country. But we need to remember that these anti-marriage ballot measures are fundamentally about the larger right-wing assault on the ever-expanding diversity in the United States, our freedom to live openly and to create and define our sexuality, ourselves and our families. . . As the magnet on my grandmother's fridge says, ‘Fall down seven times, get up eight!’”

And so we brush ourselves off and renew our commitments. As we remember President-elect Obama’s acceptance speech and his acknowledgement of our community, we remain hopeful that this new President will bring the values of inclusion and equality to our broken nation and help us in the continuing journey on the road to equality.

Shortly after Ari came out and we were experiencing the consequences of misinformation and fear, I decided I wanted to work within the LGBT equality movement to help educate the greater community, dispell myths, and create safe spaces. The first place I looked was Grand Valley State University.

Since 1971, the University of Michigan has had an office dedicated to serving the needs of LGBT students and their allies. I was hopeful that when I checked out GVSU, I would find this same kind of resource. When I discovered Grand Valley did not have such an office, I felt overwhelmed with the work that needed to be done. Why, 35 years later, did our local institute of high education not keep pace with the largest university in the state? Little did I know all that had been going on at GVSU for the past ten years!

It wasn't until I was on the ground with Triangle Foundation in West Michigan that I had the opportunity to meet members of the GVSU staff and faculty to learn of the great work that the LGBT and allied community had been and was continuing to accomplish at Grand Valley.

This fall, Triangle Foundation recognized the work and vision of Grand Valley State University by honoring them with a Catalyst award for their equality and justice work on behalf of the LGBT community. I had the honor of presenting this award to GVSU at the Triangle Foundation State Dinner. I have included the text of my presentation below to share how the university has worked to create such immense cultural change. I am so honored to now be a part of this visionary community!

"Eight years ago, Grand Valley State University had the doors slammed in their faces regarding domestic partner benefits. Large private donors with high name recognition threatened to withdraw financial gifts unless the university closed the chapter/closed the book on this issue. It was a devastating blow to the many advocates for equality at GVSU, including Milt Ford and Kim Ranger, who had labored tirelessly for years around this issue.

This left the community in a powerless situation. In order to find their voice once again, the community came to the administration with something that would get their attention … money. Under the direction of Gary Van Harn, the faculty and staff developed the LGBT Scholarship Fund. This fund, which quickly became the fastest growing scholarship on campus, was the first time the term LGBT was published in university materials. Today that endowment has grown to over $82,000 and serves LGBT youth who, as a result of coming out, are asked to leave their homes and find themselves in need of housing and financial support to continue their studies. The LGBT community is now working with partners such as West Shore Aware to continue to build this emergency fund which provides for students in this transitional period. As a result of working with students who receive these necessary funds, the university has become increasingly sensitized to the special needs of their LGBT students including making special accommodations for transitioning transgender youth.

Grand Valley’s commitment to the LGBT community can be seen in their development of a new position – Vice President of Equity and Inclusion – as well as their Allies & Advocates program which trains approximately 75 faculty and staff per year on how to reach out to their LGBT students and advocate on their behalf. In an additional step forward, Grand Valley extended their anti-discrimination policy this year to include “gender identity and expression.”

The GVSU LGBT Faculty and Staff Association, under the direction of Neal Rogness, reopened the conversation about domestic partner benefits. Working with University President Tom Hass; Tom Butcher, University Legal Counsel; Scott Richardson, Director of Human Resources as well VP Equity and Inclusion Jean Arnold, this year Grand Valley State University opened that slammed door and began offering “household benefits” to the faculty and staff.

And finally, this week I attended the grand opening of the new LGBT Resource Center on the Grand Valley campus. This large office occupies a beautiful space and represents a dream that took many years of work and planning to come to fruition. Since this office opened its doors weeks ago, it has served over 300 students!

For the tireless work of three generations of LGBT activists on the Grand Valley campus, for the many strides forward for equality that have been created as a result of that work, and for the many lives that will be not only saved but also enriched and empowered, it is my great honor to present Grand Valley State University with the 2008 Triangle Foundation Catalyst Award!"

ALLENDALE TOWNSHIP -- After a gay student was spat on two years ago, Grand Valley State University administrators vowed to make gay, lesbian and transgender students feel welcome on campus.

This fall, the university opened its Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Resource Center where students, and those who want to support them, can spend time in an environment where they feel comfortable and safe.

Come January, the center also will have a full-time administrator to help coordinate its programs, which have touched about 2,000 people this year. "For many years, LGBT students have not felt that they were treated equally," said GVSU professor Milt Ford, the center's director.

He recently hired Colette Beighley to become its full-time presence. Read more.

Read entire Grand Rapids Press article

Read Muskegon Chronicle article