Mission, vision, and core work

Courageous love

We lead with vulnerability, rooted in the knowledge that telling the truth is an act of love, and that loving queer and trans communities is transformational.  At the heart of our work is courageous action and unwavering love for our communities. 

“The heart of justice is truth telling, seeing ourselves and the world the way it is rather than the way we want it to be.” — bell hooks

Justice

We center the voices and experiences of people with marginalized identities in an effort to build a more just and equitable campus community. We engage an intersectional framework, operating in solidarity with marginalized communities to dismantle structures of oppression in our work.

 “Not everything that is faced can be changed, but nothing can be changed until it is faced.” — James Baldwin

Belonging

We work to build an equitable and inclusive campus that centers students, values their experiences and identities, and ensures every individual feels connected, known, and supported. 

“My right to be me is tied with a thousand threads to your right to be you" — Les Feinberg

Joy

We understand that laughter, fun, and joy are forms of healing and resistance. We model and celebrate joy in the face of adversity. 

“There is no way to repress pleasure and expect liberation, satisfaction, or joy.” — adrienne maree brown

Community

We believe that community, solidarity, and relationships are critical to liberation. We build community through the sharing of our experiences and knowledge, in support of our collective dreaming and visioning for a better future. 

“Movements are born of critical connections rather than critical mass.” — Grace Lee Boggs

Leadership

We understand the responsibility we have been entrusted with  to steward our nation’s first gender and sexuality center and to continue to innovate and elevate LGBTQIA2S+ work in higher education on our campus and within the field.

“I’ll fight for you because I am you.” — Harvey Milk

Spectrum Anti-Racism Collaborative (SpARC)

A collective of professional staff and student staff within the Spectrum Center that ensures accountability and forward motion of dismantling whiteness and enacting anti-racism in our practices, policies and procedures. The structure and projects of the Lab are determined yearly by participants. Any questions and connections about the lab can be directed to [email protected] and we will get back to you to follow-up.

Goals:

1. investigating how LGBTQ+ Centers across the country are prioritizing and engaging in anti-racist work
2. examining gaps and opportunities for the Spectrum Center in how we can better center and support QTBIPOC students/staff/faculty
3. creating and integrating a framework for the role of anti-racism and dismantling whiteness in our Center
4. identifying opportunities for sustained integration throughout our organization

Learning lab

A team of professional and student staff members supporting the development of personal and professional opportunities for all staff including: all staff meeting design, creation of student staff onboarding materials, and social event planning for Spectrum Center staff.

Goals:

1. Provide professional development and learning opportunities for Spectrum Center staff
2. Develop onboarding materials for new and incoming Spectrum Center staff members

Digital resources lab

A team dedicated to the creation of content that supports access to to crucial information for navigating campus and community resources and tools for building an inclusive campus community.

Goals:

1. Provide robust resources for QTBIPOC students
2. Create a sustainable structure of reviewing resource submissions to the Spectrum Center website