October is LGBTQA+ History Month. We recognize National Coming Out Day (NCOD) on October 11th. NCOD was founded in 1988 to mark the anniversary of the 1987 March on Washington for Lesbian and Gay Rights. This day is a reminder that - in the fight for equality - one of our most basic tools is the power of coming out and sharing our stories. 

For over three decades, thousands of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, asexual (LBGTQA) people and allies have celebrated NCOD through marches, informational sessions, photo-booths, speak-outs, parties and so much more. The overall goal is to show our families, friends, colleagues and the world that LGBTQA+ people are EVERYWHERE, living, loving and thriving.

Coming out - whether it is as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or queer - STILL MATTERS.  One out of every two Americans has someone close to them who identifies as gay or lesbian. For transgender people, that number is only one in ten. Visibility creates advocates and is important in the continued fight for equality and representation. Moreover, sharing your story is an essential part of finding your community and being your true authentic self. (Adapted from the Human Rights Campaign, 2018).

Check out this video to understand the coming out process and what you can do as an ally. To improve your allyship skills, please check out our SafeZone Allyship Workshops. For other general LGBTQA+ related questions, please contact Heidy George, Program Associate for Student Diversity and Inclusion at hmg@umbc.edu or lgbtq@umbc.edu.

Come on out and join UMBC in celebrating these upcoming LGBTQ+ events!

• Update to the latest version of Microsoft Office through UMBC's Office 365 license 
• Utilize headers, formatting tools, and text styles rather than stylizing text
• Modify alt text on images and shapes for screen-readers
• Explain the importance of layout stylization and its impact on accessibility, like creating table headers, or splitting text into multiple columns 
• Review accessibility through the Read Aloud, Check Accessibility, and Ally tools   

• Making Word Docs Accessible -- 1 training OR 1 webinar
• Making PowerPoints Accessible -- 1 training OR 1 webinar
• Making PDFs Accessible -- 1 training OR 1 webinar
• Any Ally Orientation -- 1 training OR 1 webinar

• Update to the latest version of Microsoft Office through UMBC's Office 365 license 
• Utilize headers, formatting tools, and text styles rather than stylizing text
• Modify alt text on images and shapes for screen-readers
• Explain the importance of layout stylization and its impact on accessibility, like creating table headers, or splitting text into multiple columns 
• Review accessibility through the Read Aloud, Check Accessibility, and Ally tools   

• Making Word Docs Accessible -- 1 training OR 1 webinar
• Making PowerPoints Accessible -- 1 training OR 1 webinar
• Making PDFs Accessible -- 1 training OR 1 webinar
• Any Ally Orientation -- 1 training OR 1 webinar

AMOUNT OF THE SCHOLARSHIP

Scholarships of up to $7,500 a year are provided to help cover costs associated with tuition, mandatory fees, books, room and board. A sophomore who receives a Goldwater Scholarship will receive up to $7,500 in each of his/her junior and senior years. A junior who receives a Goldwater Scholarship will receive up to $7,500 in his/her senior year.

To be eligible for nomination for a Goldwater Scholarship, a student must:

1. Be a full-time matriculated sophomore or junior pursuing a degree at an accredited 2- or 4-year institution of higher education during the 2019-2020 academic year,
2. Intend to pursue a research career in a natural science, mathematics or engineering,*
3. Have a college grade point average of at least a 3.00 on a 4.00 scale, and
4. Be a U.S. citizen from the 50 states or the District of Columbia; a U.S. national for those students nominated by institutions in Puerto Rico, Guam, Virgin Islands, American Samoa, and Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands; or a permanent resident. A permanent resident nominated for the scholarship must include a letter stating his/her intent to become a U.S. citizen. A photocopy of the nominee’s Permanent Resident Card, also known as the Alien Registration Card or Green Card, must also be submitted.

Internal deadline for UMBC students to apply: November 4, 2020.

For more info, contact aprilh@umbc.edu