We’re excited to announce the opening of the new LGBTQ+ Resource Center, designed to support members of the John Jay LGBTQ+ community and allies. On Tuesday, August 30, from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m., the LGBTQ+ Resource Center will be hosting a “Meet and Greet” where folks can learn more about the Center, connect with friends, and get to know the people who make the Center great.
To celebrate the Center’s opening, we spoke to three individuals pivotal to its creation: Danielle Officer, Ed.D., Senior Director of Student Affairs and Conduct Officer; Michelle Garcia, LGBTQ+ Resource Center Assistant Director; and Sam Ascencio ’23, Student Council President and Founder/Director of Q’onnections.
What does this Center mean to you?
MG: I was very honored and super excited to know that the students voted for me to run the Center. I feel like this community needs this. Now that the LGBTQ+ Resource Center is its own entity, I feel like we can concentrate more and do more.
“I was actually a college dropout. I left because I didn’t feel seen or heard, so I was a big advocate for the Center.” —Sam Ascencio ’23
SA: This Center means a lot to me. I was actually a college dropout. I left because I didn’t feel seen or heard, so I was a big advocate for creating the Center, which embodies hope, family, and a future.
DO: I identify as a bisexual woman. I did not have a center when I was going to college, or even a space where I felt like I could explore my identity. Thinking about this new LGBTQ+ Resource Center, I get a little teary-eyed. I don’t want John Jay students to go through what I went through. I want them to have a space where they can explore who they are and connect with individuals who have similar identities. I’m very happy in my life now, but I probably would have come out a lot sooner if I had a space to really explore that aspect of my identity. Creating this Center hits me at the core of who I am as an individual.
How did this Center develop?
DO: When the College did its first climate review in 2019, the process revealed that students were very loudly advocating for an LGBTQ+ space of its own, separate from The Women’s Center. Some of the students, including Sam, wrote up a proposal. The students met with Karol and kept pushing and pushing. When Brian Kerr (Vice President of Enrollment Management and Student Affairs) came to John Jay, he continued the fight.
What type of resources, programming, and events will the Center offer?
MG: Ideally, a library with books dedicated to the community and also important resources from agencies throughout the five boroughs as well New Jersey. I would also love to show films that represent the community and bring in more LGBTQ+ speakers.
DO: Next year, we’re launching a career leadership program that specifically focuses on the needs of the LBGTQ+ community. We’re hoping that these professionals can share their own work experiences, answering questions like: Do you come out? Do you not come out? It’s a different narrative for different individuals.
SA: Queer mentoring is always near and dear to my heart. I definitely want queer mentors to have a space where they’re able to congregate and meet with their mentees. One of the things that I’ve learned is that students in this community don’t actually know about their culture. They don’t know about the gay flag, being Latinx and queer. I want students to come to the Center to really talk about these things and engage with each other.
“Next year, we're launching a career leadership program that specifically focuses on the needs of the LGBTQ+ community.”
—Danielle Officer, Ed.D.
What messages do you want to share with the John Jay community?
MG: To the LGBTQ+ community, we are here and we support you. To allies who are not familiar with the community, we’ve put up posters all around campus saying “ask me about my pronouns” and QR codes that explain how to support the community.
DO: To allies of the LGBTQ+ community, take it upon yourself to come out and learn. Also, I really want to expand our Out List. So, faculty and staff who identify with the community, please contact me (dofficer@jjay.cuny.edu).
SA: To the LGBTQ+ community, don’t get queer imposter syndrome. If you walk into this space and say, “I don’t know if I belong there.” Think again. John Jay is a family through and through, from admins to students, we will love and support you. Who you are matters and your identity matters.
