Southern Maine Community College is paying tribute to and celebrating members of SMCC’s LGBTQIA+ community throughout June.
In honor of Pride Month, SMCC’s Diversity and Inclusion Committee, the department of Student Life, and the Rainbow Club student organization have organized a number of programs and initiatives throughout the month.
The College will also hang Progress Pride flags in the Campus Center on the South Portland Campus and the Learning Commons on the Midcoast Campus to show its support for members of the LGBTQIA+ community. The flags have the six colored stripes found in the Rainbow flag, but also have five arrow-shaped stripes representing LGBTQIA+ communities of color and the transgender pride flag.
Plans are also being made for the College’s first Lavender Graduation ceremony in May 2022. The ceremony — which will be a smaller, less-formal event than the college-wide SMCC Commencement — will be held for LGBTQIA+ graduates and their families and friends to celebrate their achievements and the challenges they had to overcome to graduate, said Tori Penney, Residence Director and Activities Coordinator for SMCC’s Midcoast Campus in Brunswick.
“I work very closely with many of our queer students as one of the advisors to the Rainbow League,” said Penney, who is also chair of the SMCC Diversity and Inclusion Committee. “It is important that we stand in solidarity with them, celebrate their many achievements, and support them. These events will offer them an opportunity to gather and celebrate, and they will provide a chance for allies and SMCC at large to learn more about the LGBTQIA+ community.”
A series of virtual events is also scheduled for June. Zoom links to the events are available through the SMCC student app and in the weekly SMCC email newsletter that is distributed to students every Monday.
The events include:
- Wednesday, June 2, 6 p.m. Rainbow League club meeting via Zoom. The Rainbow League is a group of students from Maine community colleges who take advocacy action for social equality and have an interest in LGBTQIA+ issues.
- Wednesday, June 9, 6 p.m. Rainbow League club meeting via Zoom.
- Thursday, June 10, 5 p.m.Queer Pride History and Trivia, hosted via Kahoot!, featuring questions about LGBTQIA+ history, pop culture and more.
- Wednesday, June 16, 6 p.m. Rainbow League club meeting via Zoom.
- Wednesday, June 16, 7 p.m. Pride Watch Party. Participants must have Netflix and install the Teleparty Google Chrome Extension to join. Participants will vote on what we watch. Join us on Zoom for introductions, the watch link, and technical assistance before the movie. Movie will start at 7:15 p.m.
- Wednesday, June 23, 6 p.m. Rainbow League club meeting via Zoom.
- Wednesday, June 30, 6 p.m. Rainbow League club meeting via Zoom.