ww\v.unc.edu/glbtsa/lambda FEATURES "Allies are crucial to the development of a safe campus. Except for some hardcore radicals, most people realize that we have to make it together as human beings.^ -Anthony Reid Photo by Michael Jerch Oh yeah. Fm the Community Coor- ^nator for Connor Community and we Actually already have staff signed up for 'Upcoming Safe Zones. I didn’t even work hard, but my staff is trying to push an initiative to get all North Campus RAs h^ained at the same time. We hope to get a ^hole group to do it together because we ^ feel it’s important as a group. There is ^so a South Campus group who wants to it, mostly in Hinton James. i^AMBDA: What role do you see allies of LGBTIQ community playing in cam- I Pns climate? ! j AR: Allies are crucial to the development ! a safe campus. Except for some hard core radicals, most people realize that we i^ave to make it together as human beings. , We definitely want allies learning about I our issues so they can realize that our is- ^'^es are also their issues. Our issues affect l^em. Being aware and deliberate about ^nguage matters. It’s so important that allies can step up to the plate and feel em powered to help LGBTQ people. LAMBDA: In what ways did you work to improve the LGBTIQ climate when you were an undergrad? AR: At the end of my sophomore year, I got involved with BSM and B-GLAD. Both of those organizations were more political then than they are now. My first year here, BSM marched quite a bit. I re member thinking, I don’t want to get ar rested. I just want to get an education. LAMBDA: What was the nature of your relationship to B-GLAD? AR: Senior year, I wanted to make sure that I had B-GLAD on my plate. B-GLAD used to march a lot. My first march was so empowering - oh my God! I don’t even re member the actual purpose. And I got to talk on the megaphone, too. We marched from the Campus Y around campus yell ing. There were a couple hundred people. and that was one of the smaller ones. LAMBDA: What was the goal of B- GLAD’s marches? AR: At that point it was about mak ing Carolina recognize that there was a group that was not represented, but that deserved respect. It was at the time the chancellor changed to Michael Hooker, and I think it was really good for him to realize our presence on campus. And I feel that he acknowledged that. Marches were so visible and empowering and help ful for your own identity politics. LAMBDA: What other interests did you pursue as a Carolina undergrad? AR: Anyone who knows me knows that I’m a sports junkie. I’m sometimes crazy. I have to calm down. And I have always loved Carolina basketball. My senior year I was Fever president. And I was CAA president. Basically as an undergrad I was all over anything sports-related. I went to See "Faces" on page 9