Faculty, staff and students at LBCC were invited to an intersectional conference informing different resources addressing mental health, LGBTQ+ and housing insecurities that are available to students and to the community as a whole.
The meeting took place on LAC at LBCC in M-114 from 6pm to 8pm.
This intersectional meeting called “For Students, By Students” was a collaboration between the World Languages faculty and the students at LBCC.
“This event is designed to give students the tools to design their own conference,” said Professor Davila. “To prepare them academically and professionally.”
Different resources, including the LGBTQ Center Long Beach, Stay Housed L.A., LiBRE, Yoga with Alison, Yogalution Movement and Wellness, Student Health Services, TimelyCare and the Center for First Generation Student Success were all in attendance for easy access to their resources.
The chair of “For Students, By Students,” Alexandria Patino’s role in this event was to gather different resources for the unhoused LBCC students.
This conference called for students at LBCC to have an open heart and mind while hearing the panelists’ students personal testimonies.
Two students, Kassandra Gutierrez and Alexandria Patino both shared a vulnerable panel discussing their personal obstacles including housing insecurities and first generation issues they have overcome throughout the years up until today.
“I struggled as a first generation student because there was a lot of shame when asking for help,” said Gutierrez, a first generation Latina, full time mother, student and an identifying member of the LGBTQ community.
After the panel, Alison Morea, a student at LBCC conducted a guided meditation.
Resource tables with QR codes and fliers were set up at the end for faculty and students to take, Fliers listed different resources that are easily accessible for students on campus.
For many faculty and students, it can be difficult to ask for help and resources. This event was created in hopes to bring awareness to the resources available.