On March 29, Niagara College hosted a fireside chat for students and employees to learn about Trans Day of Visibility. Recognized annually on Mar. 31, the day is dedicated to celebrating trans people and raising awareness of the discrimination faced by transgender people worldwide.
The event sparked the interest of over 40 attendees, who heard from Whit Ross, Educational Developer (Inclusivity), Bruin Pol, President of the NC Rainbow Knights and fellow member Chelsea (Sea) Long, and Samah Sabra, Workplace EDI Manager, who facilitated the discussion.
“At the College, we’ve been collectively thinking about how to increase a sense of inclusion, belonging and celebration for members of the NC community who are trans, nonbinary and gender diverse,” said Sabra. “We’re here today creating a space of visibility to think about how we can start questioning binary ways of being.”
Sabra explained several steps taken by the College over the past year that support trans visibility on campus.
Identified during consultations around the creation of NC’s EDI Blueprint to be launched later this spring, recent changes include: updated gender-neutral washroom signs that read “All Gender Washrooms,” updated rooming policies for NC’s Be World Ready program, an updated name change policy that outlines clear processes for living, preferred and legal name changes, the adoption of the progressive pride flag, and the adoption of the 2SLGBTQIA+ acronym.
Offering more events that celebrate equity deserving groups where members of the NC community can come together to learn from one another, is also a priority. So far this year, in addition to the fireside chat around trans visibility, the College has hosted events for Black History Month, National Human Trafficking Awareness Day and International Women’s Day, with plans in the works to recognize the International Day of Pink (April 12) among others this year.
Pol, who is a student in the Pre-Health Sciences program, has been advocating to create a safer space for students through his role as President of the NC Rainbow Knights Club since September 2022. As an openly gay man, he shared that NC’s commitment to supporting 2SLGBTQIA+ students has not gone unnoticed.
“The college has identified that they do value our community and that they are working towards meaningful change,” said Pol, who feels that tolerance, acceptance and diversity are shared values between NC and the Rainbow Knights.
L-R: President Sean Kennedy, Aurelia and her partner Idris Carbray (Rainbows Knights Communication & Events Coordinator), Bruin Pol, Chelsea (Sea) Long, and NCSAC President Sam Jemison proudly display the Transgender Flag.
He applauded NC for being among the first institutions in Niagara to adopt a rainbow crosswalk and has noticed that many faculty and staff have added pronouns to their email signatures. A key highlight for Pol so far, has been the creation of NC’s first-ever drag show thanks to the support of NCSAC. The show, which was held on March 14 in collaboration with Pride Niagara, was well received and is anticipated to continue as a new tradition.
Though Pol feels that NC is doing a great job at rallying around its 2SLGBTQIA+ community, he shared his ideas for strengthening visibility and acceptance for these groups. Among them is the creation of a 2SLGBTQIA+ task force, more education around community resources and what it means to be an ally in support of a marginalized group, and engaging guest speakers to share their experiences.
Long, a Computer Programming and Analysis student and Rainbow Knights member, offered her perspective. “My experience at the college has been quite nice and the club is a great space where I feel welcome and can connect with other like individuals,” she said.
Long echoed the need for greater education about available supports for transgender people, but shared the positive impact around having access to gender neutral washrooms, which helped her in her journey as an out trans woman.
Since joining NC in 2018 as Educational Developer (Inclusivity), Ross has noticed that faculty have a sincere interest in learning how to better support 2SLGBTQIA+ students. As a queer, non-binary person, Ross understands how important this is for students to feel accepted.
They regularly field questions about the use of inclusive language in the classroom, including proper pronouns and the differences between living, preferred and legal names, and is encouraged to hear about the faculty who take the time to check in with students on their lived experiences.
“You have to take steps to make groups feel welcome and the faculty here at Niagara College are taking great strides to achieve that,” said Ross.
NC President Sean Kennedy, NCSAC President Sam Jemison and NC’s Senior Director, Student Services and Wellness Sarah Pennisi were also in attendance to show their support.
Kennedy spoke about the College’s ongoing commitment to creating a welcoming and inclusive campus environment. “We want to ensure that we all have a sense of belonging at NC,” he said. The College looks forward to progressing along this path as we put our EDI blueprint into action,” he said.
From the NC Rainbow Knights
As advocates for the 2SLGBTQIA+ community, we march for tolerance and change and continue to drive positive progress on campus. We also provide support to help students adjust to college life and become part of our community in the form of a safer space. By working closely with various college departments, we also bring resources directly to our members.
To build a more inclusive and supportive environment, we also host a range of events like queer-themed movie nights, game nights, board game nights, and parties. We’re also proud to collaborate with NCSAC to bring Pride-related events to our members and the broader student population to further promote awareness and acceptance.
NC students can join the Rainbow Knights by visiting NCSAC’s website (click on “Your Clubs,” “Join a Club!” and scroll down to find the Club’s listing). Students, employees and allies can follow the Club on Instagram @ncrainbowknights for the latest updates and events.
Educational resources
ncLibraries has virtual educational resources on a variety of 2SLGBTQIA+ topics for the NC community. A curated book collection on 2SLGBTQIA+ topics was also featured prominently in our campus libraries through March.
A book collection on 2SLGBTQIA+ topics on display at the Welland Campus library.
Featured resources for Trans Day of Visibility at the Daniel J. Patterson Campus in Niagara-on-the-Lake.
