The Q Center celebrated its first “Echoes of Identity” event of the semester to promote an inclusive environment for all students.

The gathering, held at the beginning of Black History Month in the Q Center Lounge, allowed students to discuss their personal experiences with found family. Conversations centered around the definition of family, the concept of community, and how these ideas impact and affect LGBTQ+ and BIPOC communities. Food from local minority-owned restaurants was offered and various discussion questions addressed the challenges these groups can face when these identities conflict.

”We hope to encourage attendees to reflect on and listen to each others’ experiences as queer and/or BIPOC students who have sought ‘chosen family’ outside of their home life,” Iris DeFino, a sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression educator and a senior majoring in political science, wrote in an email. “Many queer people in particular face rejection or shame from their families and thus try to find supportive, safe, and liberating environments elsewhere. We hope that attendees may also connect and meet new people at this event who could potentially become a part of their own ‘found family’ as well, especially if they are new to Binghamton or starting to explore their gender or sexual identity.”

Jasdeep Braich, a student manager for the Q Center and a junior double-majoring in business administration and biological sciences, said the Q Center and SHADES, an organization for LGBTQ+ students of color, allowed queer individuals to be open, express themselves and find community in ways he and many others had previously been unable to.

The center, founded in 2015 with the purpose of fostering a safe and welcoming environment for LGBTQ+ students, offers mental health resources and diverse clothing options to explore one’s gender expression, while hosting numerous events throughout the year.

The Q Center hosts the “Echoes of Identity” event series to highlight BIPOC and queer perspectives at the University throughout the semester. Throughout its history, the event has had several educational themes, including transgender history and navigating politics as a marginalized person.

Andrew Smith, a sophomore majoring in global public health, said that the Q Center allowed him to find a “chosen family.”

Recent political developments — like President Donald Trump’s signing of an executive order to bar transgender athletes from women’s sports on Wednesday — have increasingly targeted the LGBTQ+ community. Amid national developments, the Q Center aims to foster a sense of community that is invaluable not only to LGBTQ+ students but the entire student body, DeFino said.

“The state of American politics is very hostile and it may feel as though there is little we can do to affect change. However, this community work on campus is one of the best ways we can make a positive impact and support the well-being and journeys of queer students at Binghamton,” DeFino wrote. “I hope that this event and others like it continue to encourage marginalized students on campus to find their safe spaces, while also fighting to advance the rights and visibility of our communities.”