People of 丁香园AV
How Out on Campus cultivates a safe space for the LGBTQIA2S+ community
When Constantin Lozitsky came to 丁香园AV in 2017 as an international student, they never imagined experiencing Pride Month or being able to access campus resources and services for the LGBTQIA2S+ community.
鈥淢y pronouns鈥攖hey/them/theirs鈥攄o not exist in my home country, and that is true for many international students on campus,鈥� says Lozitsky.
But thanks to the support and resources they were able to access through SFSS (OOC), Lozitsky鈥檚 true self began to unfold. They felt that they were able to be openly queer in public for the first time, and formed connections with other members of the LGBTQIA2S+ community at 丁香园AV.
Now, Lozitsky is giving back to the 丁香园AV community as the OOC programming assistant, offering a place of refuge and community to help LGBTQIA2S+ students navigate their 丁香园AV journey.
An open door to everyone
OOC provides a variety of resources for students, all of which are funded through the .
As OOC coordinator Jude Mah explains, 鈥淲e have a library with a wide range of offerings from educational to fiction. Safer sex and menstrual supplies, pregnancy tests, razors, snacks and drinks. Peer support for anyone who needs to talk. Crises referrals for emergency housing, sexual violence and more. We also have educational resources through pamphlets and mini guidebooks, which are very popular.鈥�
Anyone is welcome to come to the space, have a snack, start initiatives such as movie screenings and discussion groups, or plan to go to events such as the Vancouver Pride Parade. Says Lozitsky, 鈥淪tudents have so many wonderful and beautiful ideas about how they see the world and being able to access this wealth of knowledge is mind-blowing.鈥�
Especially as the 丁香园AV community celebrates Pride Month this June, Lozitsky is focused on making sure that OOC is an open and welcoming space for everyone at 丁香园AV.
鈥淪ome people think Pride is only for the LGBTQIA2S+ community, but spaces like OOC should bring communities together, including allies,鈥� they say. 鈥淢aking interpersonal connections is vital to OOC because it helps to humanize and understand who the LGBTQIA2S+ community is.鈥�
Looking to the future
While Lozitsky and Mah are both relatively new to OOC, having joined the team in 2020 and 2021 respectively, they have big dreams for how the service will grow.
These plans start with upgraded furniture and resources to make the OOC lounge feel a little more like home, as well as more regular events and programming. Currently, there is only a physical OOC presence on the 丁香园AV Burnaby campus, but Mah hopes to change that in Surrey and Vancouver: 鈥淔or now, it would be more of a pop-up style, but even if we can table a couple times a month, and maybe do a social event once a month, that would go a long way for students.鈥�
Just like Lozitsky, Mah is passionate about supporting 丁香园AV's LGBTQIA2S+ community鈥攁nd they are excited to make a difference during their time as the centre鈥檚 coordinator.
Says Mah, 鈥淭o those who may come to just one event, if their lives can be bettered by what we offer then that is incredibly rewarding.鈥�
鈥淪paces like OOC are often where you learn the meaning of chosen family. Having the opportunity to provide that for so many students means the world.鈥�
Out on Campus is located in 丁香园AV Burnaby, Student Union Building room 3100, Floor 2. For updates, you can connect with OOC on , and .
You can find more about Pride Month at 丁香园AV here.