A collaborative event between the Fleishman Career Center and the Q Center, “Queer Identity in the Workspace,” took place on April 17. Aimed at educating and empowering attendees, the event provided a platform for students to learn about workplace resources and representation, understand their rights in the workspace as queer individuals and gain valuable networking help and professional advice.

The event welcomed all students and not only offered informative discussions, but provided a space to make new friends and connect with peers. Attendees were treated to a Kahoot! game, designed to test their knowledge and reinforce key learnings from the event. Pizza and drinks were served to enhance the networking experience, creating a vibrant and inclusive atmosphere.

Jack Hannagan, an intern for the Q Center and a sophomore double-majoring in mathematics and computer science, shared his views on the importance of events like this.

“I believe that these events are essential to creating more inclusive and supportive workplace environments,” Hannagan wrote in an email. “Not only do they teach LGBTQ+ people how to stand up for what they deserve, but they also foster a strong network. It is great to see queer professionals speaking about their experiences and remind students that it is possible to be out and proud in your career.”

Topics covered during the event included rights in the workspace and strategies to excel in job search endeavors. By addressing these crucial issues, “Queer Identity in the Workspace” aimed to create a more inclusive and supportive environment for queer individuals in professional settings.

Sam Kulick, intern for the Q Center and a junior double-majoring in human development and sociology, aided directly in the brainstorming for the event. Kulick discussed the struggles the event sought to alleviate.

“I think that many LGBTQ+ folks feel that they have to hide their identity in their careers, especially when starting to enter the workforce,” Kulick wrote in an email. “Events like these highlight how to choose a company that will support and benefit all parts of your identity, as well as the rights you have against discrimination. I believe that these events are essential to creating more inclusive and supportive workplace environments. Not only do they teach LGBTQ+ people how to stand up for what they deserve, but they also foster a strong network.”

The event highlights the importance of hosting inclusive events that promote visibility and understanding of queer identities in the workplace. Through education, empowerment and connection, “Queer Identity in the Workspace” is paving the way for a more inclusive and equitable future.

Cecil Hopkins, coordinator of the Multicultural Resource Center, shed light on the broader importance of diversity in the workplace.

“Diversity extends beyond just our identities,” Hopkins wrote in an email. “Those diverse identities also provide diverse and unique perspectives and can help ensure that policies and procedures include communities and viewpoints that otherwise may not have been included […] Diversity in workplaces is also just representative of the diversity in humans, it makes our lives, our work and our experiences richer in every way and we should do everything we can to embrace and celebrate it.”