A Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Ally Center recently opened on the North Carolina Central University campus. School officials say the goal of the facility is to establish a safer and more inclusive environment for all students. Tia Marie Doxey, Director of Student Life Assessment at the university, says there have been some emotional moments there so far.
“The day we opened the center, we had an open house and during the event a student came in, a male student came in and he started weeping, and the student shared that this was one of the times he felt included on the campus,” Doxey says.
According to Doxey, North Carolina Central is only the second public Historically Black College and University in the country to open an LGBTA center.
“We are definitely breaking grounds,” she says. “It was important for us to begin looking at how do we be more inclusive on our campus and how do we help students navigate their multiple identities and sexual orientation is definitely one of the multiple identities that all of us possess.”
Doxey says students use the center to study, get resources and hang out, and it’s getting strong support from the student body, faculty and staff.