Its annual drag show in April may be canceled, but the University of Maine’s Rainbow Resource Center is still providing support and resources for all U of M students via social media and videoconferencing. This can be especially helpful for LGBTQ students who find themselves back in unsupportive environments.
What’s more, despite COVID-19 social distancing requirements, Rainbow Resource Center is still holding the university’s spring semester Pride Week festivities this week, through April 11—and it’s all online!
“As always, the RRC team is here to help if students find that they’re struggling to get in touch with the services and people they need,” Staff Associate for Diversity and Inclusion Rob Jackson, who runs the Center, told the university’s student newspaper, Maine Campus, in an April 6 report.
“I will say that I’m immensely proud of the effort I’ve seen from staff members across the university to rapidly make their services and staff available remotely. I have been part of the UMaine family since I was in high school, and I can’t remember a time that I’ve seen us all pull together and work to support each other at this scale,” Jackson said.
Reports Maine Campus:
The RRC describes themselves as a safe place on campus for students designed to be comfortable and inviting to all, regardless of gender or sexual identity.
The RRC is responsible for organizing and hosting events during Coming Out Week in the fall semester, Pride Week in the spring semester and organizing the annual drag show. In addition, the RRC works with community members of all genders and sexualities to provide training and resources on inclusive language, strategies for thoughtful allyship and creating inclusive spaces for LGBTQ community members. …
Jane Pappas is a second-year student in the student development in higher education master’s program and the current graduate assistant for the Rainbow Resource Center.
“Our office has worked hard to make sure that as many of our resources as possible are moving remotely. While some things cannot move to an online format, we are working to digitize our educational trainings (such as the Safe Zone Training), as well as most of our programming,” Pappas said. “We are luckily still going to be hosting our annual Pride Week next week (from April 6th-11th), all online! In general, students can still reach out to us for support and community, and we are doing our best to make sure that everyone has what they need and are able to safely have access to a community that loves them.”
The RRC has made significant changes to the way they function to accommodate students in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic. Currently, the RRC is working to find supportive ways for students who may not be out to their families at home to still safely connect to others.
For more information, the RRC is accessible anytime online at www.umaine.edu/lgbtq, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/umainerrc or on Instagram at @UMaineRRC.
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