LBCC Student Life will host a virtual SafeZone LGBTQIA+ 101 workshop on April 27th at 1pm to discuss issues and barriers faced by the LGBTQ community.
The workshop’s guest speaker will be Joel Gemino, a youth and family services manager from The LGBTQ Center of Long Beach. Gemino has worked at the center for 7 years and manages social programs and group services for the LGBTQ community.
During the workshop, Gerimo will address issues faced by members of the LGBTQ community, including those occurring in the city of Long Beach.
“We’re seeing here in Long Beach that there is a good amount of homeless youth that are LGBTQ…We also are seeing a lack of jobs..there is higher absenteeism..there are lower grade point averages. We also have very plainly, people who are actively violent against (LGBTQ) folks as well,” said Gemino.
Gemino said that these issues have been heightened amidst the COVID-19 pandemic.
He also plans to address the difference between sex and gender, and LGBTQ identity development during the workshop.
“Our systems and institutions are all catering to certain types of identities, mainly cisgender folks and straight folks… I’m hoping that with this education…the campus will start to chip away at some of those long held beliefs that might be really damaging or create barriers for LGBTQ students and staff,” said Gemino.
LBCC Healthy Viking coordinator Sergio Grimaldi hopes that this workshop will promote greater inclusivity within the school community.
“We definitely want to provide this foundation for students and staff… We want students to know that there’s allies on campus,” said Grimaldi.
“Especially for LBCC, we want a campus that really reflects the values of the people that are in our city. When you look at Long Beach being one of the most diverse places in the country, we have such opportunities, but we also have such obligations to continue to educate ourselves,” said Gemino.
Gemino and Grimaldi encourage all LBCC students, staff, and faculty to attend the workshop.
Gemino said that the workshop will provide useful information for members of the LGBTQ community and allies, as well as those with no previous knowledge of issues faced by the LGBTQ community.
“We’ve made space for this 101 workshop for folks to come in who may feel like they haven’t been exposed to or don’t understand LGBTQ identity. Some people just don’t know where to start, and this is a great starting place,” said Gemino.
To pre-register for the workshop, click here.