A small group of students gathered the evening of Aug. 27 in the Lion and Lamb Peace Arts Center for the first meeting of the 2019-20 year for Brave Space, Bluffton’s student-led LGBTQ+ organization. But what exactly are the goals of Brave Space, and how does the group plan to achieve them?
Berlin Fuqua photo by Nathan Heinze
“We provide a space for people in our campus community who are on the LGBTQ spectrum to have a place where, if they feel like they can’t be themselves outwardly, they can come and express themselves here,” said junior art major and President of Brave Space Berlin Fuqua. “It’s also a place for conversation, for learning about current issues and we also want to provide a place for knowledge for allies.”
The meeting was composed of the four students running Brave Space, as well as a few other students who, to respect for their privacy, will remain anonymous. Louise Matthews, the director of Lion and Lamb Peace Arts Center, was also present at the event to support the group.
For the most part, the meeting was simply introductory. The group leaders and students introduced themselves to each other, sharing their names, majors, pronouns and, when applicable, positions in the Brave Space leadership. The topic then turned to planning potential events to host throughout the year. Fuqua said the group will participate in the Sept. 5 Ice Cream Social as part of 60 in 6.
While no other events besides meetings have a concrete date, Fuqua said the group is considering a campfire, a game night and a newsletter about LGBTQ+ media, news and history.
Brave Space also had a table at the Aug. 28 Involvement Fair, with Fuqua and Secretary of Brave Space Kori Frey present to interact with students. According to Fuqua, both the meeting and the Involvement Fair were satisfactory.
“I think we made a lot of progress,” said Fuqua. “I think that’s important… so we can help Brave Space to grow even more because by the time I leave, I want Brave Space to keep continuing on, and it only can keep continuing on if people put in their best effort.”
Those interested in joining Brave Space should contact Fuqua or Heidi Mercer, the faculty adviser for Brave Space.
