Life is beautiful. So are you.
College of Staten Island is the kindest of places to be.
Let's all come together under our rainbow umbrella.

Love Yourself and CSI Will Embrace It!

Regarding the photo on the left: CSI invited students from Harvey Milk High School to educate the student body on gender acceptance and equality.

Regarding the photo on the right: CSI welcomes Women's Gender and Sexuality studies classes which of course involves a deep conversation on gender.

Regarding the photo in the middle: An event that isn't necessarily solely tied to gender, however it promotes the idea that everyone, no matter who you are, should be able to accept your body and love yourself for who you are.   

With a vast range of activities and classes, The College of Staten Island allows you to embrace who you are.

CSI Strives to Embrace a Socially Aware Campus!

Regarding the photos on the left and right: The College Of Staten Island has placed signs on the restrooms indicating that it is SAFE for people who identify with the labeled gender to use their facilities. Of course these restrooms are also designed for handicapped people as well. 

Regarding the photo in the middle: CSI is holding a Disability Awareness Month in order to provide welcoming arms to people who struggle with a disability. 

With these multitude of actions, CSI understands that its student body is widely diverse and they're trying their best to understand and accommodate its students. 

Everyone Falls Under Our Umbrella

Have no fear... CSI is a friend to all. Whether or not you're part of the LGBTQ communities, immigrants and refugees are always welcomed to feel comfortable on our campus with us. Together we are a strong and loving force.

"Immigrants and Refugees are Always Welcome Here"

                                                                                 
                                                                 

The poster on the bulletin board shows classes being offered for women's self defense. The news paper article speaks about men's fashion. While both these things don't show necessarily show queerness, it does show a movement. Women aren't always affiliated with being strong and having strength. Men and fashion aren't usually put in the same category. This is do to stereotyping, but this flyer and article show how CSI isn't afraid to experiment.

Poster that shows discrimination is Never Ok and will not be tolerated on CSI campus. If you look closely you can see the poster was vandalized.

This diversity sign post on a door represents the diversity seen on campus. CSI welcomes all differences including gender and sexual orientation.

"This is a safe space, you guys." 

The biggest way that I have been able to see that this campus supports their LGBTQ community was simply through this sign and sticker. 

Our campus has a LGBTQ Resource center in building 1C- 225.

Showing the social acceptance of the LGBTQ community in a school will instantly make an individual feel at home. Always having to fear what people think or will say keeps the anxiety and pain of not being able to be yourself, even in a place you spend 20-30 hours a week in. 

Reassuring that it is safe for individuals of this community here is heart warming and something that other College campus's need to start doing.

...Safe Zones...

This flyer gives LGBT awareness that their is a support group they can attend weekly and feel SAFE.

The LGBT Resource Center has flyers and posters across campus. They give their information and what they offer at the center.

At the college of Staten Island building 4S. 
We have restrooms to accommodate all.

Dear Body...different is beautiful! I love you!

Many students who aren't given the opportunity to "come out" because they fear rejection are given an opportunity here at the college to reach out and share their stories with other individuals who might be going through the same situation. Although workshops like these do not target LGBTQ students, just a place where they could provide safety for students with any social and emotional issues, gives us an understanding of how important these problems are for our faculty and staff at this school.

Hey, It Should Be Known For All

                                          "Don't Grab My Papaya!"
A poster with a powerful image portraying a particular subject matter, spreading awareness and respect for women's sexuality. 

Let's talk about sex...

But be safe, everyone...

AIDs/ HIV have been a huge epidemic in the LGBTQ community. Causing one of the BIGGEST protests this country has seen, HIV/ AIDs was once considered a "Gay" disease.

Battling not only against the political power of this country but the Roman Catholic Church as well, thanks to all those individuals who stood up and fought for our rights not as "Gays" but as people of this country, we now have many forms of awareness in our communities and schools.

To think that just a couple years ago treatment for this sickness was not provided and when it finally was, no one could afford it.

Now many schools, including ours, finds the importance of not only being willing to help diagnose, and treat, but even just to well aware us all the importance of simply educating yourself about it.

In our Cafeteria Building (1C) there is a bulletin board right outside the LGBTQ office educating our students about self identity and defining just a few of the MANY titles an individual may identify themselves as. 

SEXUAL ORIENTATION: THE INCLINATION OR CAPACITY TO DEVELOP INTIMATE EMOTIONAL AND SEXUAL RELATIONSHIPS WITH PEOPLE OF THE SAME GENDER (LESBIAN OR GAY), THE OTHER GENDER (HETEROSEXUAL), OR EITHER GENDER (BISEXUAL).

GENDER: THE BEHAVIORAL, CULTURAL, OR PSYCHOLOGICAL TRAITS TYPICALLY ASSOCIATED WITH ONE SEX.

BISEXUAL: A PERSON WHO IS EMOTIONALLY, PHYSICALLY, AND/OR SEXUALLY ATTRACTED TO BOTH MEN AND WOMEN.

TRANSGENDER (ALSO TRANS): A PERSON WHO IDENTIFIES WITH A GENDER OTHER THAN THE ONE ASSIGNED AT BIRTH. 

ALSO, THOSE WHO TRANSGRESS SOCIETAL GENDER NORMS: OFTEN USED AS AN UMBRELLA TERM TO MEAN THOSE WHO DEFY RIGID, BIPOLAR GENDER CONSTRUCTIONS, AND WHO EXPRESS OR PRESENT A BREAKING AND/ OR BLURRING OF CULTURAL/ STEREOTYPICAL GENDER ROLES. 

"TRANNY" IS NOT AN ACCEPTABLE TERM TO USE!

PAN-SEXUAL: NOT LIMITED OR INHABITED IN SEXUAL CHOICE WITH REGARD TO GENDER OR SEX.

LESBIAN: A TERM USED TO DESCRIBE A WOMAN THAT IS SEXUALLY ATTRACTED TO OTHER WOMEN.

ALLY: ANYONE, REGARDLESS OF SEXUAL ORIENTATION, WHOSE ATTITUDE AND BEHAVIOR IS ANTI- HETERO SEXIST AND WHO WORKS TOWARD COMBATING HOMOPHOBIA AND HETERO-SEXISM, BOTH ON A PERSONAL AND INSTITUTIONAL LEVEL.

QUEER: A PEJORATIVE TERM FOR GAY PEOPLE, ALTHOUGH MANY LGBT PEOPLE HAVE RECLAIMED THIS TERM AS ONE THAT DESCRIBES INCLUSIVE, NON-HETEROSEXUAL PEOPLE.

GAY: A TERM USED TO DESCRIBE A PERSONAL SEXUALLY ATTRACTED TO PEOPLE OF ONE'S SAME SEX. TYPICALLY ASSOCIATED WITH MALES, BUT CAN BE USED FOR WOMEN.

Hello, Awareness. I'm Support.

Make a wish and let its seeds spread everywhere like that of a dandelion in full blossom!

 

This is the business card for Jeremiah Jurkiewicz whom is the coordinator of the LGBTQ Resource Center at the College of Staten Island, this business card has his phone number along with his fax number and his email. His office is located in 1C-225 (Campus Center second floor). The LGBTQ Resource Center was re opened in the spring of 2012. Jeremiah holds a support group that has 5-10 people that come and they meet once a week. 

The College of Staten Island has been holding The Lavender Graduation for 5 years this year will be its 6th. The Lavender Graduation is open to all LGBTQ+ students who are graduating as well as LGBTQ faculty, staff, and alumni who have not been honored before. This year it will be held at 4pm May 24, 2017 in 1A-406. This is an event you have to RSVP to in order to attend. 

The History of the Lavender Graduation: 

(ALL INFO TAKEN ABOUT HISTORY WAS FROM BULLETIN @CSI) 

In 1995, the first Lavender Graduation ceremony was coordinated at the University of Michigan by then LGBT Campus Resource Center Director Ronni Sanlo. Dr. Sanlo realized that LGBT students needed to be recognized for “not only their achievements but for surviving their college years” (Sanlo, 2000). The graduation began as an effort for students to feel connected to their institution and celebrate their identity, which are similar reasons for ethnic groups hosting their own graduation ceremonies. 

This is a quote from Dr. Sanlo 

"My vision is that Lavender Graduation will be an annual celebration at every college and university in the country and that the lives of our LGBT students will be fully honored. Since LGBT students are of every race, ability, nationality, gender, ethnicity, and socioeconomic levels, Lavender Graduation provides a unique opportunity to present a truly multicultural event while acknowledging students who spent most of their college years succumbing to invisibility on their campuses.” 

--Ronnie Sanlo, PhD

College of Staten Island has programs such as Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies.

This Event was held March 29, 2017. Students were able to converse with Lisa Moore foundered and editor of Redbone press.

March 29, 2017 Lisa C. Moore Founder and editor of Redbone press.

This event was held in lecture hall 1P doors were opened to all.