One of QUMBC's current projects is leading an Alternative Spring Break Trip to New York City that will be a part of students' process of developing and implementing projects to change the UMBC campus climate--and we're not talking about weather ;-p
We're in the process of finalizing the details on housing and the partnership group, and we'll start approaching the desired speakers/guests about their availability to help out this week. Everything should be sorted out by noon on Friday, 11/19/10.
If you're interested in being a part of the team or if you have any questions, please feel free to leave a comment or to e-mail me at wjoyner1@umbc.edu
Love, Law & Livelihood
Purpose: The purpose of the trip is to develop civic agency[DP3], service and advocacy in UMBC students surrounding issues facing the gay/lesbian/bisexual/transgender/queer community. This year’s focus is on the intersection of sexual orientation, gender identity, faith/spirituality, and the law.
Activities: During spring break the group will travel to New York to work with institutional stakeholders in the religious, legal and health issues related to life in the LGBTQ community including a leading law firm affiliated with Lambda Legal, the Episcopal Diocese of New York[DP4][WLJIII5] , the Church of St. Francis of Assisi, a partnership LGBT[DP6]-oriented student organization at a local university [DP7][WLJIII8] and the Gay Men’s Health Crisis (GMHC) to[DP9] implement a project developed over the course the academic year. The trip is intended to last 5 days.
Day 1: The group arrives in New York, settles into their lodging and[DP10] meets the partnership[DP11] LGBT-oriented group.
Day 2: The group makes a morning visit to an HIV clinic and makes a donation, then makes an afternoon visit to Lambda Legal Headquarters (or a cooperating law-firm). In the evening, the group meets up with the partnership group to reflect, to debrief and to develop an advocacy plan intended for adaptation at UMBC and to work on the project[DP12]
Day 3: The group meets with the Episcopal Diocese[DP13] of New York (and potentially the Church of St. Francis of Assisi and representatives from a local synagogue/mosque) and other institutional stakeholders [DP14][WLJIII15] in a circular discussion about how their different institutions intersect in the lives of the LGBTQ community and in society. The group later holds another reflection session, before working with the partnership LGBT-oriented group to work on the project
Day 4: The entire day is spent on the project, with a debriefing [WLJIII16] at the LGBT Community Center of New York [DP17](and maybe seeing some of the LGBTQ historical sites[WLJIII18] in the city, like the Stonewall Inn, Christopher Street, Sheridan Square and Harvey Milk High School).[DP19]
Day 5: The group packs up and, after some goodbye and de-stressing activities[WLJIII20] with the partnership LGBT-oriented group[DP21], leaves for Maryland
Pre-trip Activities: The group will meet starting in Nov/Dec for team-building and orientation. In February, the group will start meeting with UMBC faculty[DP22] and staff like Dr. Kelber-Kaye, Dr. Householder, Mollie Monohan-Kreishman, Lisa Gray, Kim Leisey, Nancy Young, David Hoffman and Delanna Gregg; LGBT-oriented student organizations like Queers United, Mobilized & Bringing Change (QUMBC)[DP23] and the Freedom Alliance[DP24]; and community resources like the Gay and Lesbian Community Center of Baltimore (GLCCB), Equality Maryland, the Maryland Black Family Alliance (MBFA), the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) to gain insights into the issues that the group [DP25]will tackle and to help the group develop/research a project to work on. Safe-zone training; project planning, implementation and evaluation training; topic-specific workshops, interviews and lectures will be provided throughout December, February and March to prepare the group[DP26].
|
Guest(s) |
Workshop/Interview Topic |
|
David Hoffman & Delanna Gregg |
Civic Agency, Social Change & Community Organizing |
|
QUMBC & Freedom Alliance |
Student Resources and LGBT Networks |
|
Dr. Kelber-Kaye |
Issues Facing the LGBTQ Community |
|
Dr. Householder |
The Need for & Influence of Allies |
|
Lisa Gray & Mollie Monohan-Kreishman |
Safe Zone Training and Group Facilitation Skills |
|
Kim Leisey & Nancy Young |
Changing Campus Climate and Institutional Change |
|
GLCCB, Equality MD, MBFA & HRC |
Change in the Community |
|
Dustin Hogensen & Ben Davis |
Reflection Training and Departure Preparation |
Post-trip Activities: After New York, the group will have the option to work with the active faculty[DP27], student groups and community organizations [DP28]they met earlier to effect change on the issues explored during the trip and project(s) they developed before and during the trip.[DP29]
Team Leadership:
- Trip Treasurer: Jocelyn Broadway
- Trip Leader: William Joyner
- Project Treasurer: [Open!]
- Project Leader(s): Alex Downie