Creating Spiritually Enriching
Opportunities for Lesbian, Gay and
Bisexual Students on Campus
Presented by:
Gisela P. Vega
Associate Director
Department of Housing & Residential Life
Florida International University
LGBTQ Spirituality
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ACUHO-I Program Committee
LGBTQ Spirituality
Overview of Program Goals
& Objectives
• Learn the issues that spiritual GLBT students
face on college campuses today
• Understand the historical relevance that has
brought the LGBT spirituality issue to the
forefront at FIU
• Learn how this populations needs are being met
at FIU
• Understand resources available to practitioners
• Share successes & challenges
LGBTQ Spirituality
LGBT Victims of Spiritual Violence
• Spiritual violence is:
– “The misuse of religion to sanction the
condemnation and rejection of any of
God’s children.” (Soulforce 2007)
– Misusing religion and/or God to support
society’s bias against sexual and gender
minorities also inappropriately justifies
psychological, legal and physical violence
against them. (Soulforce 2007)
LGBTQ Spirituality
Spiritual Issues Facing LGBT Students
on Campuses Today
The experience of LGBT persons with traditional
faith communities has been negative
Multiple negative messages throughout campus
delivered to the LGBT students in regards to
spirituality
There is a Crises among LGBTQ students in
Catholic schools today – Bayly 2007
Media coverage given to organized religions
debating the issue of same sex marriage plus
the ordination LGB clergy has brought these
issues to the forefront of College Campuses
LGBTQ Spirituality
LGBT Spirituality Issues at FIU
• Historical Relevance
– Compounded LGBT Issues at a
predominately minority institution
– Lack of welcoming & affirming congregations
for new students arriving to Miami
– Campus Incidents involving extreme right
spiritual group
LGBTQ Spirituality
Initial Concept
• Started as a brainchild between a faculty member and
an FIU administrator
• Goal was to develop a Spiritual Fair inclusive of all
GLBT affirming and welcoming congregations in the
Miami South Florida area
• Seek funding opportunities to bring a national speaker
to FIU and begin a discourse on this topic
• Plan a Spirituality Day as opposed to just a fair
• Develop a Spiritual Website for the South Florida
region
• Share important development within organized religion
specifically the growth of LGBT welcoming and
affirming synagogues, churches and other faith
communities
LGBTQ Spirituality
Strategy Developed
• Gain Institutional Support
• Establish Community Groups & Identify
Stakeholders
• Secure Funding
• Event Planning
• Logistics
• Evaluation
LGBTQ Spirituality
Gaining Institutional Support
• Spirituality Center
• Outreach to Various Groups & Services
– Stonewall Pride Alliance
– Division of Student Affairs
• Housing and Residential Life
• MPAS
• Women Studies
LGBTQ Spirituality
Establish Community Groups & Identify
Stakeholders
• Convened the South Florida
Spiritual Coalition
• National Gay and Lesbian Task
Force (Winter Party)
• Welcome and Affirming
Congregations
LGBTQ Spirituality
Securing Funding
• Grant Dade Community Foundation
• Funding Rational
– Produce events on LGBT spirituality
– Developed a web page focused on LGBT
spirituality
• The overall goal was to share information
with the gay, straight and religious
community about LGBT spirituality
LGBTQ Spirituality
Budget Plan
Line Item Description & Explanation
Consulting Services.
Honorarium , Rev. Irene Monroe
$2300.00
Honorarium , Christian de la Huerta
$2000.00
Total
$4300.00
Other contracted services.
Student research assistant (Research for web page plus evaluation assistance,
$10.00 hr. x 80 hours)
Total
$800.00
Materials/Supplies Paper, pencils, markers, tape, etc. for use during all events
Total
$100.00
Marketing & Advertising
Broadcast media ads (i.e. WLRN) plus print media advertising (i.e. FIU Beacon, SHE Magazine, etc.)
Total
$1000.00
Printing & Copying Event notification flyers, evaluation forms, etc.
Total
$150.00
Travel – Out of County Speaker travel ( 2 x $1000.00 each)
Total
$2000.00
Other costs.
Web page design and management
Total
$1200.00
TOTAL COSTS
$9550.00
LGBTQ Spirituality
Budget Plan
IN KIND CONTRIBUTIONS
Project Staff. In-kind value for FIU faculty and staff is as follows:
Dr. Nathan Katz (1% time, public relations)
Dr. Nan Van Den Bergh (10% time, oversight
of all project activities)
Gisela Vega, MA (5% time, Coordination of FIU events)
Total Staff In kind Contribution
Space rental. In kind value of meeting rooms & security:
Temple Israel
FIU Graham Center
Total Space Rental In Kind Contribution
TOTAL IN KIND CONTRIBUTIONS
CASH CONTRIBUTIONS
SunShine Cathedral
Private donation (1)
Private donation (2)
Total Cash Contributions
LGBTQ Spirituality
$930.00
$750.00
$250.00
$1930.00
$750.00
$800.00
$1550.00
$3480.00
$1,000.00
$1775.00
$1775.00
$4550.00
Event Planning
•
Days Events
Speakers
Lecture
Community Gathering
Resources Fair
Performer
Class Lecture
ACTUAL EVENT
Spirituality LGBT Style
Lecture at the University Park Campus noon to 2:30 p.m. Graham Center 150
Featuring: Rev. Irene Monroe & Amy Carol Webb
Spirituality Fair 3 p.m. to 5 p.m.
in the Graham Center Pitt Area
Spiritual Open Forum 6:30 pm to 8 pm
In the Graham Center Room 243
LGBT Course Classroom Discussion
8pm – 9pm
LGBTQ Spirituality
Logistics
• Contact Speaker and Performers
• Set-up Table Fair, Communications with
Participants and Confirmations
• Reserving Spaces
• Sound & Equipment for Performer
• Solidifying Location of Events
LGBTQ Spirituality
Evaluation
Over 100 people attended the event
throughout the day
Many individuals commented on how
appreciative they were of having this
type of event available
There were 15 organizations that
registered for the tabling event
LGBTQ Spirituality
Advertisement
Sample Publicity
Advertised on
NPR
Newspaper Article
LGBTQ Spirituality
Group Exercise
Developing an action plan to meet LGBT students
spiritual needs
• What current issues exist on your campus?
• Who can you partner with to begin to address
these issues on campus?
• What community groups are available?
• What funding sources are available?
• How do you Finding Welcoming and Affirming
Congregations in your Area?
LGBTQ Spirituality
Successes & Challenges
Successes
A very successful event
Committed group
Support and Commitment from community members
Over 15 organization represented in the fair
Established the Website
Challenges
Following-up on funding issues
Needing to reduce expenses
Long Day
Staffing
Q&A
LGBTQ Spirituality
Resources
•
The Gay Christian Network is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization providing
resources and support to Christians who happen to be gay, lesbian,
bisexual, or trangender. We also work with churches and other Christian
organizations to help educate the Christian community about sexual
orientation issues from a Biblical standpoint.
– http://www.gaychristian.net/aboutgcn.php?fbb_session_id/10951ab5d086d05b0b
b3e0be9d697c70/
•
The LGBTA South Florida Coalition is a group of dedicated individuals and
groups who are interested in meeting the spiritual needs of the LGBT
population in South Florida.
– http://soflospirit.checkoutmypage.com/index.php?p=1_12_Websites
•
Soulforce: The purpose of Soulforce is freedom for lesbian, gay, bisexual,
and transgender people from religious and political oppression through the
practice of relentless nonviolent resistance.
– http://www.soulforce.org/article/7
•
The Center for Lesbian and Gay Studies in Religion and Ministry: The
Center serves three distinct but overlapping constituencies: the world of
academic religious scholarship; faith communities; and lesbian, gay,
bisexual, and transgendered people and organizations. It is located at the
Pacific School of Religion, in Berkeley, California.
– http://www.clgs.org/2/2_0.html
LGBTQ Spirituality