About Us
Welcome to the UCLA LGBTQ Campus Resource Center!
Our Mission, Vision, and Values
Mission
The UCLA Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender and Queer (LGBTQ) Campus Resource Center supports students and employees of all genders and sexual and romantic orientations through community-building events, resources, counseling, outreach, training, consultation and advocacy. We approach our work through holistic, intersectional, and social justice frameworks that honor and empower individuals at their many identities and lived experiences including but not limited to race, ethnicity, immigration status, ability, religion, and class.
Vision
We envision a UCLA community that is equitable and affirming of all identities, where people of all genders and sexual and romantic orientations feel celebrated, respected, and empowered.
Values
Accessibility · Community and Accountability · Education · Equity and Advocacy · Intersectionality · Social and Racial Justice · Wellness
Our Staff
Learn more about about our staff on the staff page!
Rae Lee Siporin LGBTQ Library
The Rae Lee Siporin Library is one of the largest libraries of its kind at a college or university with nearly 4000 books and periodicals written for and about LGBTQ people as well as a selection of DVDs. Students, faculty, and staff may study here, browse the holdings, or plug in their own laptops to work. Books may be read here or checked out. Our check-out system is private and circulation records do not appear on your UCLA account- feel free to ask a CRC staff member for more information.
David Bohnett Cyber Center
The David Bohnett CyberCenter, the first of its kind at a college or university, was established in 2004 within the LGBT Center through a generous grant from the David Bohnett Foundation. It is designed as a safe space for students to use new computers and scan articles and photos. Since 2004, the foundation has funded the UCLA LGBT Campus Resource Center to greatly advocate for the LGBT community on campus.
The lab at the UCLA LGBT Campus Resource Center includes 6 PC Computers with the programs: 2010 Microsoft Word, Publisher, Powerpoint, Access, InfoPath Designer, OneNote, and Visio. There is also a flatbed scanner that includes Adobe Photoshop. Inside the Cyber Center our staff work to present the events and educational bulletin boards. The resources that the Cyber Center provides also gives allies and students a reason to enter the Center, particularly for students who are not out.
Mission
David Bohnett and the David Bohnett Foundation are committed to improving society through social activism. The foundation had made it their mission to provide funding, up-to-date technology as well as technical suport to innovate organizations and institutions that share their vision, such as the UCLA LGBT Resource Center.
After first funding for a CyberCenter at the L.A. Gay and Lesbian Center, the foundation began with a vision that would offer research, educational, and recreational opportunities to the local queer community via access to the Internet. The Bohnett foundation has full intentions to provide a full range of Internet and business software for business and personal computing as well as community education and training through classes on software use and the Internet. After becoming a popular spot at the L.A. Gay and Lesbian Center, the CyberCenter has provided a "blueprint" for successful centers nationwide.
Our History
The UCLA LGBTQ Campus Resource Center was borne of a long history of queer activism at UCLA, from Evelyn Hooker’s research in the 1950s to the formation of the Gay Liberation Front in 1969.
In 1974 the first Gay Awareness Week was hosted with such speakers as Rita Mae Brown, Harry Hay, and Charlotte Bunch. In 1976 UCLA Chancellor Charles E. Young directed departments and programs not to discriminate on the basis of sexual orientation, one of the first such administrative orders by the head of an American university, and in the same year, the first course in lesbian, gay, and bisexual studies was offered at UCLA and taught by Peter Thorslev.
In 1979 UCLA students published the first edition of Ten Percent, which predated Frontiers as a Los Angeles gay newspaper. Also in 1979 a gay film festival was held at UCLA, organized by John Ramirez and Stuart Timmons, and grew to become OutFest.
In 1989 both the UCLA Lesbian and Gay Faculty/Staff Network and the Lambda Alumni Association were founded, and in 1990 the Chancellor's Advisory Committee on Lesbian and Gay Issues was established. In 1991 Curt Shepard developed the proposal to establish an LGB student resource center which opened its doors in 1995 under the direction of doctoral student Charles Outcalt.
In 1997, after the center moved from a small closet in Haines Hall to 440 square feet in Kinsey Hall, Dr. Ronni Sanlo, founder of Lavender Graduation, was recruited from the University of Michigan to grow the UCLA LGBTQ Center. In 1998, the first UCLA Lavender Graduation was celebrated. In September of 2003 the UCLA LGBTQ Campus Resource Center moved into a 1600 square foot space in B36 in the Student Activities Center, formerly the Men’s Gym, where we currently reside.
Thanks to the support of the university, generous donors, and grants, the new UCLA LGBTQ Campus Resource Center now includes the David Bohnett Cyber Center and an extensive library collection. Feel free to come check out our center whether you just want to hang out, check your e-mail, study, or participate in our weekly programs.
Statements from the LGBTQ CRC
View prior statements released by the LGBTQ CRC below.
Response to the Letter Received by the UCLA Asian American Studies Center: February 11, 2022
Response to the Letter Received by the UCLA Asian American Studies Center (February 11, 2022)
Dear Community Members,
It has come to the Center staff’s attention that a letter was received by the UCLA Asian American Studies Center this week espousing anti-Asian, anti-Black, and homophobic language. The letter included not only hateful language, but referred to a potential protest on Monday, February 14, 2022. Except for the single letter mailed to the Center, there is no additional evidence indicating there will be a protest or other related activity on campus. With that said, it is possible there will be UCPD presence on campus near and around Bruin Plaza and Campbell Hall on Monday, which we acknowledge may be triggering for system-impacted community members.
This letter was a disgusting, intolerable, and targeted message, directed towards our Asian and Asian American community members, and the larger BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, Person of Color) community. It is despicable and only intends to do harm and instill fear.
We want you to know that we care for each one of you and we are here to support you. The Center remains committed to our core values of social and racial justice. We unyieldingly condemn white supremacy at its core and recognize we cannot effectively serve our community nor do our work in the fight for social justice unless we are committed to dismantling the cultures of xenophobia, anti-AAPI racism, anti-Blackness, and all systems of oppression.
Our Center will be open on Monday, February 14, 2022, and staffed with our professional team during our regular business hours, 9:00 AM-6:00 PM PT. Our physical space will be available for students, staff, and faculty to be in community and decompress.
Please take good care of yourselves and each other during these uncertain times and know we are here for you in solidarity and community.
Sincerely,
Andy Cofino (he/him), Director
Jaime Estepa (he/him), Program Coordinator
Minerva (“Minnie”) Esquivel Gopar (she/they/ella/elle), Administrative Coordinator
Liz Lopez (she/ella/they/elle), Assistant Director
UCLA LGBTQ Campus Resource Center
Uplifting UCLA’s LGBTQIA+ Community, Committing to Pride Beyond Pride Month: June 29, 2021
Uplifting UCLA’s LGBTQIA+ Community, Committing to Pride Beyond Pride Month (June 29, 2021)
Dear UCLA Community:
Every June people gather to mark Pride Month and to underscore the need to protect and advance the rights and inherent dignity of LGBTQIA+ people. While many celebrate with parties and parades, Pride also marks a painful past — the anniversary of five days of protest in June of 1969 after Marsha P. Johnson, Sylvia Rivera and others stood up to police officers who were arresting folks at New York City’s Stonewall Inn, a place where transgender people, gender nonconforming people, lesbians, bisexuals and gay men, many of whom were people of color, often gathered. In recalling this history, we are reminded of the need to uphold dignity and human rights for all. As Pride Month ends, let us ensure that our support for LGBTQIA+ communities continues every day of the year.
We are proud of the efforts of so many in our community to bring this vision to reality. UCLA has sponsored research in lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer studies for more than 50 years, longer than almost any other university in the United States. Thanks to the organizing, community building and advocacy of more than 20 LGBTQIA+ organizations at UCLA, including the Queer Alliance, BlaQue, Transgender UCLA Pride, and Queer and Trans in STEM, our students continue to be at the forefront in leading our institution to becoming more inclusive and affirming for LGBTQIA+ Bruins.
At the center of many of these efforts is the great work of UCLA’s LGBTQ Campus Resource Center, which recently recognized its 25th year on campus and is working towards its next 25 years by revising its mission and vision and by launching the LGBTQ Student Advocacy Committee and the Queer and Trans Black, Indigenous, People of Color (QTBIPOC) student experiences project. Guided by timely research and student advocacy, the Center provides community-building spaces, educational offerings, and direct support to students, staff and faculty through an intersectional social and racial justice framework. The center also provides allyship trainings for faculty and staff, including an upcoming summer session on how best to support LGBTQIA+ students.
UCLA’s Office of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion will be working to further support and advance such efforts through the UCLA Committee on LGBTQ Affairs and our educational initiatives, trainings and resources in support of UCLA’s LGBTQIA+ community. Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs Monroe Gorden and Vice Chancellor for Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Anna Spain Bradley will be working with the UCLA community to advance the implementation of the UC Presidential Policy on Gender Recognition and Lived Name and recommendations developed by the UCLA Gender Recognition Act Task Force regarding needed changes to our information systems, facilities, and educational opportunities to support transgender and nonbinary community members.
We also celebrate the contributions of all at UCLA who are advancing equity, diversity and inclusion for LGBTQIA+ people — such as those in the UCLA School of Law’s Williams Institute who are fighting anti-Black racism and those in the UCLA LGBTQ Studies program supporting teaching and research on the historical and contemporary experience of LGBTQ people.
This work continues. Join us in reflecting upon the wisdom of some in our community who shared their advice and reflections on what is needed and next.
“Uplifting the LGBTQ+ graduate population requires breaking down some of the isolation within departments, which makes it hard to find community, because they may be the only LGBTQ+ person in their program.”
– Hannah Friedman, Ph.D. student in Materials Chemistry, former student leader of Queer & Trans in STEM (QSTEM) and member of the UCLA LGBTQ Student Advocacy Committee
“Acknowledging other intersecting identities of LGBTQ+ Bruins and providing proper representation in different spaces is critical and helps students feel seen for their uniqueness.”
– Taylor Vassar, undergraduate statistics major and assessment and engagement intern for the UCLA LGBTQ Campus Resource Center
“It is critical to understand, both as faculty and students, our individual and intersections of our identities and how marginalization occurs in order to truly serve our campus communities in accessibility, accountability and acceptance.”
– Joy Iriye, undergraduate public affairs major and co-lead of the UCLA LGBTQ Student Advocacy Committee
“We must take a look inwards and ask ourselves in our roles, ‘How can I actively be an ongoing ally for and with LGBTQ+ Bruins?’ Start there, be a lifelong learner and reach out to the LGBTQ Campus Resource Center! We need each one of you to uplift the UCLA mission of true equity, diversity and inclusion.”
– Liz Lopez, program coordinator for the UCLA LGBTQ Campus Resource Center, she/ella/they/elle.
“The pandemic revealed the ways in which LGBTQ+ Bruins rely on the campus not just for an education, but to meet their basic needs while they are in school. Williams Institute research has shown that LGBTQ college and graduate students, in particular transgender students, were more likely to experience disruptions to their housing, jobs, and health during the COVID-19 pandemic than non-LGBTQ students. They also reported greater challenges in accessing classes remotely. In part, this is because LGBTQ+ students are more likely to live on or near campus and away from their families. They are less likely to have the support of family and friends to fall back on. To build back better, the UCLA campus needs to address the specific needs of LGBTQ+ and other economically vulnerable students who depend on the campus not just during pandemics, but throughout their education.”
– Brad Sears, founding executive director of the Williams Institute
Being a community requires building a community for all. Join us in supporting the LGBTQIA+ community at UCLA and beyond every day of the year.
Sincerely,
Anna Spain Bradley
Vice Chancellor for Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (she, her, hers)
Andy Cofino
Director, UCLA LGBTQ Campus Resource Center (he, him, his)
To read the official statement, visit https://equity.ucla.edu/news-and-events/statement-from-vc-spain-bradley-and-director-andy-cofino-uplifting-uclas-lgbtqia-community/.
Reclaiming our Pride, Reclaiming our Futures — 25 Years of the UCLA LGBTQ CRC: July 22, 2020
Reclaiming our Pride, Reclaiming our Futures: 25 Years of the UCLA LGBTQ CRC (July 22, 2020)
This year, our Center celebrates its first 25 years.
To prepare, our students dug deep into UCLA and our Center’s history to learn about the many alumni, staff and faculty who contributed not only to UCLA’s LGBTQ history, but that of LA, the nation, and the world. We have a lot of which to be proud and we are excited to celebrate the people and places that make our campus and our community excellent.
As we acknowledge this milestone, it is critical we continue to raise important questions about our future, so we can best engage and support the students of today.
We must continue to move in the direction of a liberatory future which supports our vision of a UCLA that is equitable and affirming of all identities, where people of all genders, sexual and romantic orientations and attractions feel celebrated, respected, and empowered. To support this effort, last year our professional and student staff re-articulated our values as the following: Accessibility, Community and Accountability, Education, Equity and Advocacy, Intersectionality, Social and Racial Justice, and Wellness.
These values call us into action. And in order to actualize them, we must be fearless. We must be unrelenting. We must be bold. We must center students’ many identities and lived experiences, including but not limited to their race, ethnicity, immigration status, ability, religion, and class.
We must acknowledge our presence on the traditional, ancestral and unceded territory of the Gabrielino/Tongva peoples and the history of settler colonialism and violence which led to our being here.
We must unapologetically act in solidarity with the Movement for Black Lives.
We must hold steadfast in our support of undocumented and international students and scholars. We must amplify and center the experiences of Black, Indigenous, Queer and Trans People of Color (QTBIPOC) in our work towards greater social and racial justice.
We must ensure accessibility is uplifted in our pursuit of a community which honors all members, including those of us who are disabled and/or neurodivergent.
We must work towards greater equity and access for nonbinary, agender, and transgender community members.
We must foster spaces of joy, healing, and loving community while also interrupting and dismantling the dynamics of white supremacy, anti-Blackness, homo/bi/trans/phobia, and oppression built into the very fabric of our lives.
In order to actualize our vision, we must first believe in this liberatory future, and we must do so together.
We welcome you to join us in this journey, as over the next few months we announce our exciting plans for the upcoming 25th year. Follow us via this listerv, our website, Instagram, and Facebook (@uclalgbtq) as we make announcements about our programs and events.
To start, this summer we’ll host two gathering spaces to engage specific populations: one for LGBTQIA+ alumni and former LGBTQ CRC student staff and interns, and a second for incoming first year & transfer UCLA LGBTQIA+ students to learn about our community, our Center, and be welcomed to UCLA. More details for those spaces are below.
We look forward to reclaiming our pride and moving towards our liberatory future with and for you.
In community,
Andy Cofino (he/they) & Liz Lopez (she/her/ella)
Joint Statement on Supreme Court Decisions: June 14, 2020
Joint Statement on Supreme Court Decisions (June 14, 2020)
Today, as we recognize Juneteenth, the UCLA LGBTQ CRC staff would also like to acknowledge and celebrate 3 important Supreme Court decisions: to uphold federal protections for LGBTQ people via the Civil Rights Act; to reject a challenge to California's sanctuary law; and most recently, the decision not to end the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. We recognize these are uncertain and challenging times as we advocate for an end to anti-Black state violence and oppression while also moving through a global pandemic. And it is also important to acknowledge these historical decisions. For more resources regarding the DACA decision, please find a list below from our partners in the Undocumented Student Program at UCLA. You can also find a statement our Center wrote in support of DACA in May.
Lastly, we also want to acknowledge the Trump administration's recent announcement to rollback federal healthcare protections for transgender Americans. We assure you that UCLA and the UC system is committed to our trans and nonbinary students, staff, and faculty, particularly as it relates to healthcare. We are one of the few colleges in the country that offer a Trans Wellness Team, which includes care consultation and community conversations to ensure trans and nonbinary students are provided inclusive, adequate and thoughtful care. UCLA also offers some of the most comprehensive health insurance coverage plans for gender affirming services and procedures at any college/university in the nation. Despite Trump’s attempts at federal policy change, trans and nonbinary students and patients at UCLA will continue to receive comprehensive and affirming care. If you are a UCLA student and have specific questions regarding transgender and nonbinary healthcare, please contact our Director, Andy, and he will connect you with our colleagues in the Ashe Student Health Center.
Resources available regarding DACA through the UCLA Undocumented Student Program and Campus Partners:
Legal Services: The UC Immigrant Legal Services Center is open and continues to serve students and their families remotely. Students can make appointments via https://habibaucimm.youcanbook.me. Funding continues to available for DACA renewals as well as other immigration applications for currently enrolled UCLA students.
Counseling & Psychological Services (CAPS): Please join us at 12pm on Monday (6/22) and/or Thursday (6/25), by RSVP'ing to the link listed below. RSVP: https://bit.ly/CAPSUSP
USP Staff (Professional & Student Staff): Valeria, Enrique and the USP student staff are available to support students remotely. You may reach us via email at usp@saonet.ucla.edu, phone (310) 206-2980 or Zoom. To schedule an appointment with us, use the following link: https://uspbrc.youcanbook.me/
Joint Statement on Racial Justice: June 8, 2020
Dear Bruins,
We write in community and in solidarity to acknowledge how anti-Blackness, particularly in the form of police and state violence, continues to have a devastating impact on Black and African American communities as well as our larger society. We condemn any and all racist and inhumane acts of violence, such as the murders of George Floyd, Tony McDade, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, Nina Pop, and David McAtee. We are in solidarity with Black and African American communities and the Black Lives Matter movement in the fight against systemic racism. We recognize we cannot effectively serve our students nor do our work in the fight for social justice unless we are committed to dismantling the culture of anti-Blackness and all systems of oppression.
Statements like this one fall short if not coupled with daily work of taking action that is responsive to the needs of Black undergraduate and graduate students, staff, faculty and alumni. This includes acknowledging that anti-Blackness happens in insidious ways, such as in everyday conversations, including here at UCLA. Our staff remains committed to calling out anti-Blackness when it arises in our spaces; to providing resources for students to educate, activate, and engage in racial justice organizing work; and to centering the voices of Black people by elevating the organizing and activism work of UCLA students who are cultivating communities of care and healing.
For those who are seeking support or advocacy, we want you to know we are here. Please reach out to us. We also encourage our colleagues to prioritize the well-being of undergraduate and graduate students in key campus decision-making at this time.
Please know that you can count on all of us for support. For additional assistance, we encourage students to contact Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS ) at 310-825-0768 to make an appointment and connect with mental health resources. For academic support, we encourage students to meet with an academic counselor (undergraduate), departmental SAO/advisor (graduate), or a member of the Case Management Team. Additionally, the Office of the Vice Chancellor of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion has curated campus-wide resources.
In resolute unity,
UCLA Bruin Resource Center
UCLA Community Programs Office
UCLA Dashew Center for International Students and Scholars
UCLA Graduate Student Resource Center
UCLA LGBTQ Campus Resource Center
UCLA Student Health Education & Promotion
UCLA Transfer Student Center
In Support of UCLA Undocumented Community: May 5, 2020
Dear UCLA Undocumented Student Community,
It is an unsettling time. We are amidst a global pandemic that is devastating communities and greatly impacting the personal and financial well being of all. Within the University context, students, faculty, and staff have had adjust to a remote learning environment, resulting in added isolation, stress, and technical and financial barriers for many. Unfortunately, low income communities and communities of color are being disproportionately impacted by this health crisis. Furthermore, this pandemic has led to an increase in reported incidents of racism and xenophobia, egregious and inhumane actions that devalue and dehumanize lives when we should be uplifting and supporting each other.
We recognize the feelings of increased anxiety and upset are greatly exasperated by the uncertainty of the impending Supreme Court decision on the status of DACA recipients. We, at the UCLA Lesbian, Gay,Bisexual, Transgender and Queer Campus Resource Center, write to express that we are here for you, to offer support and space. Our undocumented students are an integral part of the UCLA community and of our LGBTQ+ community. Our Center and our staff are here for you: to advocate and support and to hold space and care, even and especially at such difficult times. While our physical space is closed, our student and professional staff are available to speak by phone or via Zoom. Below our signature we have included our email addresses if you’d like to connect with our professional staff directly. Additionally, you can schedule a time to speak with our student interns via our virtual front desk here: https://uclalgbtq.youcanbook.me. Lastly, we host weekly virtual spaces for LGBTQ+ community members, if that might be something you are seeking. For information about those programs, please find the event listings below or follow us on social media @UCLALGBTQ.
We are here for you, and we send our greatest wishes for the health and well being of you and your loved ones.
Sincerely,
Andy Cofino (he/they), Director, acofino@lgbt.ucla.edu
Jose Garcia (he/him), Operations Coordinator, jgarcia@lgbt.ucla.edu
Liz Lopez (she/ella), Program Coordinator, elopez@lgbt.ucla.edu
Megan van der Toorn (she/they), Assistant Director, mvandertoorn@lgbt.ucla.edu
UCLA LGBTQ Campus Resource Center
Spring Update in Light of COVID-19: March 16, 2020
Dear Bruin Community,
We welcome you to spring quarter and hope you and your loved ones are safe and well.
We know these are challenging times. Some are struggling to support themselves and loved ones directly impacted by the coronavirus. Many are facing challenges as we adapt to a new online learning environment. Some are facing difficulty in adjusting to life within a home that is not affirming of their sexual and romantic orientations and/or gender identities. Many are experiencing heightened racism and xenophobia, intolerable and violent reactions which are the antithesis of what we stand for as an institution and as a Center.
We invite you to be in community with us at this time—one full of compassion, generosity, and appreciation of one another. We want you to know we are here for you: to advocate and support, to hold space and care. We want you to know you are not alone. While our physical space is closed during the shelter in residence order, our professional and student staff are still working diligently to transition our programs and services online.
We invite you to join us in our weekly spaces, now being offered virtually. For information about those programs, please find the event listings below or follow us on social media @UCLALGBTQ.
Our Center staff are also available for direct support. Contact us if you want to set up a time either over the phone or via Zoom:
Andy, Director: acofino@lgbt.ucla.edu
Jose, Operations Coordinator: jgarcia@lgbt.ucla.edu
Liz, Program Coordinator: elopez@lgbt.ucla.edu
Megan, Assistant Director: mvandertoorn@lgbt.ucla.edu
Our regular hours remain the same as if the Center were open: Monday through Friday, 9am-5pm.
Additionally, the UC, UCLA, and our University partners are providing new resources to navigate campus during this time of crisis. We’ve included some helpful links to those resources below. Please do not hesitate to reach out and please, take good care of yourselves and each other.
Additional Resources:
UCLA Updates about COVID-19
UCLA COVID-19 Basic Needs Resource Guide
UCLA Counseling and Psychological Services
UCLA Staff and Faculty Counseling Center
UCLA Student Support line related to COVID-19: 310-825-3894, weekdays from 9am-7pm
Coronavirus: University of California Updates and Resources, Office of the President, University of California
Rejecting Coronavirus Xenophobia, Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, UC Davis
COVID-19: What’s in a Name, Office of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion, UCLA
In community,
Andy, Jose, Liz, and Megan
UCLA LGBTQ Campus Resource Center Staff
Response to Westboro Baptist Church on Campus: Feb 6, 2020
Dear campus community,
We write to inform you that on the morning of Monday, February 10th, 2020, the Westboro Baptist Church (WBC) will be hosting an action on the public property surrounding Murphy Hall in opposition to UCLA’s LGBTQIA+ inclusive policies. The WBC is a nationally recognized hate organization by the Southern Poverty Law Center whose work “specializes in anti-gay vitriol.”
From what we understand, the Westboro Baptist Church members have communicated with the LAPD that there be around 6-7 people representing their group on the public sidewalks on Hilgard Avenue at one of two intersections: Wynton Dr. or Westholme Ave. between 8:30-9am on Monday, February 20, 2020. This event is independently organized by the WBC and taking place on public property. The WBC as an organization and the views it espouses are not representative of UCLA’s community nor our True Bruin Values.
In order to neither embolden nor incite their hateful speech, we encourage all UCLA students and community members to not engage with this organization. Instead, we invite you to join us in community to share space in the days preceding and directly after the event.
Therefore, the Office of the Dean of Students, the LGBT Campus Resource Center, and our colleagues will offer the following spaces for UCLA community members to seek support, community, and resources:
1. Pre-Event Community Space
Wednesday Feb 5, 5-6pm, Student Activities Center Conference Rooms 1 & 2
This space is intended to provide information and support to UCLA community members in processing the impact of the event and understanding their first amendment rights and University restrictions around time, place, and manner. Staff from the Office of the Dean of Students, Counseling and Psychological Services, Staff and Faculty Counseling Center, SOLE, and 580 Café/Wesley Foundation serving UCLA will be present. This is open to UCLA students, staff, and faculty with light refreshments.
2. Post-Event Community Space
Monday Feb 10, 1pm-3pm, LGBT CRC (Student Activities Center, Suite B36) This space is intended for UCLA community members to process through the impact of the event in community.
3. CAPS Drop-In Hours for UCLA Students at the LGBT CRC
Mondays, 1-3pm & Thursdays, 1-3pm, LGBT CRC (Student Activities Center, Suite B36)
The LGBT CRC’s Counselors in Residence are available for individual drop-in consultation several days a week for current UCLA students.
Additional Resources:
Counseling and Psychological Services https://www.counseling.ucla.edu/
The RISE Center https://risecenter.ucla.edu/
If you have any questions or need any additional support, please reach out to the LGBT CRC Staff.
Sincerely,
Andy Cofino (he/they), Director, acofino@lgbt.ucla.edu
Jose Garcia (he/him), Operations Coordinator, jgarcia@lgbt.ucla.edu
Liz Lopez (she/ella), Program Coordinator, elopez@lgbt.ucla.edu
Megan van der Toorn (she/they), Assistant Director, mvandertoorn@lgbt.ucla.edu
UCLA LGBTQ Campus Resource Center
Response to On-Campus Incident: Feb 1, 2019
Dear Bruins,
I write to acknowledge an unfortunate incident that took place within the LGBT CRC. Last night, Jan 31, 2019, a private student group meeting was disrupted by hostile behavior displayed by someone who was not an active member of the group. Although the individual was removed from the Center, those present in the space were greatly impacted. The Vice Chancellor of Student Affairs, Dean of Students and I as representatives of UCLA want to reaffirm our commitment to providing a supportive, inclusive, and safe space for the LGBTQIA+ community at UCLA, and we encourage those impacted to be in community during this time.
Next week, the LGBT CRC and Student Affairs colleagues will offer the following spaces for UCLA community members to seek support, community, and resources:
1. Community Healing Space (UCLA students, staff, and faculty are welcome & encouraged to attend)
Monday, February 4: 6-7pm
Student Activities Center Conference Room
With light refreshments generously provided by the UCLA Office of Residential Life
2. CAPS Drop-In Hours for UCLA Students
Tuesday February 5: 10am-11am, 12pm-1pm
Wednesday February 6: 11am-12pm
Please check in with staff at the front desk at CAPS.
3. RISE Drop-In Hours for UCLA Students
Thursday February 7: 9am-12:30pm
Friday February 8: 9am-12:30pm, 3pm-5pm
LuValle Commons, Room BO1
(RISE is located on the basement level of Lu Valle Commons--398 Portola Plaza, just across the courtyard from Dodd Hall. When you are facing Lu Valle you will see two stairwells leading down. Walk down the stairs to the basement level. You will see the entrance to RISE Rm B01 on the right.)
RISE, which stands for Resilience in the Student Experience, is an emerging holistic wellness hub, serving as an affiliate and physical extension of CAPS to offer an array of healing programs, trainings, workshops, consultation, and self-directed resources to foster and support resilience for our student communities. Jill Dannis joined RISE this year, and comes to us from the nonprofit world, having worked at both The Trevor Project, which provides suicide prevention and crisis services for LGBTQ youth, and Point Foundation, the national LGBTQ scholarship fund for community college, undergraduate, and graduate students. Dr. Andrea Letamendi is the Associate Director of Mental Health Training, Intervention and Response for Res Life and co-directs the RISE Center. Dr. Letamendi is a licensed psychologist and specializes in trauma informed care, culturally responsive practices and resilience training.
If you have any questions or need any additional support, please reach out to the LGBT CRC Staff.
In community,
Andy Cofino, Director, UCLA LGBT Campus Resource Center
Monroe Gorden, Jr., J.D., Vice Chancellor, UCLA Student Affairs
Maria Q. Blandizzi, Ed.D., Dean for Students
Jose Garcia, Operations Coordinator, UCLA LGBT Campus Resource Center
Kevin Medina, Program Coordinator, UCLA LGBT Campus Resource Center
Megan van der Toorn, Assistant Director, UCLA LGBT Campus Resource Center