Published: Dec. 14, 2016 By , ,
Students attend a power hour on how to be an ALLY
Presenters for the Power Hour on How to be an ALLY

The McNeill Power Hour session I attended was named ‘How to be an ALLY’, offered  by the Gender and Sexuality Center and a useful resource for all members of the CU community not just those who affiliate with LGBTQIA. Now that’s a big acronym and I’m sure you’re wondering what that all means, or at least some of it. It stands for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex and asexual persons. It can go deeper than this acronym in terms of how people might identify themselves. There are other labels such as gender non-conforming and non-binary that are more specific with how people might want to be addressed in terms of pronouns and sexuality. The session was very informative and that’s what I liked about it. The Gender & Sexuality office called upon the people of this campus to educate themselves, to progress as a person through the lens of perspective (meaning you can empathize with others); ask questions all the time, don’t make assumptions and be an ALLY to those around you. Most of all, it reinforced the value behind community which already is present at the Power Hours. Community seems to be a prevalent theme throughout campus and by inviting other communities to our community, McNeill acts on this theme.

At the start of Power Hours, prior to the start of this session, all McNeill students were given about 30 minutes to mingle with each other and make connections with their peers. The atmosphere was great during this community time and there was a positive vibe to the gathering. There was laughter floating through the air and a smiling face every direction you turn. This energy could stem from a number of factors but it always seems to be present during the first 30 minutes Power Hours and I feel it comes from the sense of community and support that each student and faculty member has towards the program and their peers.

There’s never an awkward moment when McNeill students come together. On the contrary everyone becomes more extroverted than in their normal routine. McNeill is a ‘safe space’, which is a very general term in relation to the university environment. Virtually every space within a college campus is meant to be a safe space. The difference when it comes to McNeill is that it’s also a comfortable space as well. The community here has created a concept of a ‘safe space’ that is genuine. A safe space means a place where you can truly express yourself, release any thoughts or feelings; embrace yourself and your culture regardless of where you come from. It’s like when you see a friend that you haven’t seen in years, but your relationship picks up right where it left off because the bond you have is so strong it can’t be tampered with, not even by time. That’s the bond that webs across the McNeill community, a bond that will forever sustain, so long as the program is present.