{"545651":{"#nid":"545651","#data":{"type":"news","title":"The Pulse of the Community: Georgia Tech Reflects on Orlando","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThe recent mass shooting at the Pulse nightclub in Orlando left many with feelings of grief, anger, and confusion. On June 15, the \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/lgbtqia.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ELGBTQIA Resource Center\u003C\/a\u003E, \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.counseling.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ECounseling Center\u003C\/a\u003E, and \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.diversityprograms.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EOffice of Student Diversity Programs\u003C\/a\u003E hosted the \u201cStronger Together: Reflecting on Orlando\u201d discussion for the Georgia Tech community to come together for reflection and healing.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDrew Adelman, diversity and inclusion coordinator in the Counseling Center, facilitated the discussion and opened by stating, \u201cWe hope that in this space, we don\u2019t place blame, rush to action, or try to fix things. Instead, we hope this space is a place to reflect, process, and heal as a community. We are all affected disproportionately by this tragedy. It\u2019s important to think about your own grieving process and the grieving processes of others.\u201d \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMore than 100 faculty, staff, and students shared their insights and heartfelt reactions to the tragedy during the reflection event. \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cIt is significant that this attack occurred during Pride month,\u201d said Aby Parsons, director of the LGBTQIA Resource Center. \u201cOrlando was one of the biggest tragedies to the LGBTQIA community, but it is certainly not the only tragedy. Students are still being cut off from their parents and loved ones, for instance. I would like to see Atlanta\u2019s Pride Festival be a celebration \u003Cem\u003Eand \u003C\/em\u003Eprotest this year. Our fight is not over after the recent ruling on same-sex marriage.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDenise Ocasio, assistant director of retention initiatives in OMED: Educational Services, commented on another aspect of the tragedy.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cAs a Puerto Rican-American and Floridian, there is a tremendous sense of sadness because this attack happened before the National Puerto Rican Day Parade, which honors the 5 million Puerto Rican-Americans living in the mainland United States. How many times have you gone to a bar or club to have fun\u0026nbsp;with your closest friends?\u201d asked Ocasio. \u201cThen, to think of this safe space being ripped from you in a place that is designed to\u0026nbsp;allow you to let your guard down; the mass shooting in Orlando affected me greatly.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAccording to the FBI, sexual orientation triggers 20.8 percent of hate crimes; race is the only factor that accounts for more hate crimes.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWomen\u2019s Resource Center Assistant Director Melanie DeMaeyer reflected: \u201cI hope that as we go through this grieving process, our anger doesn\u2019t divide us; that we don\u2019t lose the spirit of belonging to each other. We also need to honor and celebrate the sacred spaces that we create for ourselves.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EStephanie Ray, assistant dean of students and director of the Office of Student Diversity Programs, spoke about the event\u2019s success in that regard.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cIt is so heartwarming to see a packed room of community members from all walks of campus life,\u201d said Ray. \u201cWe have an opportunity to share and process our feelings, and it is freeing to release them.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBrandon Bray, federal work study coordinator in the Office of Scholarships and Financial Aid, agreed with Ray\u2019s sentiments. \u201cFive years ago, an event like this would not have happened. Now, it is amazing to see a large crowd of people from all walks of life.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EReverend Steve Fazenbaker, director of the Wesley Foundation, offered hope to a healing community: \u201cOur history is moving from oppression to liberation. Liberation is here as tragedies like Orlando bring change. I hope that this thought offers solace because liberation will come as a result of this attack.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETo conclude the reflection, Adelman and Parsons provided suggestions on how the LGBTQIA community \u2014 and allies to this community \u2014 can help in the midst of this tragedy.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe LGBTQIA community can help by cultivating a \u201cMovement Perspective,\u201d doing something, paying attention to allies, watching out for negative messages, making use of LGBTQIA and allied communities, and taking care of themselves.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAllies to the LGBTQIA community can help by supporting LGBTQIA friends and family, speaking out regarding privilege and oppression, giving voice to the LGBTQIA community, educating themselves, and taking care of themselves as well.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESince the shooting, the LGBTQIA Resource Center has received a surge in registrations for Safe Space, Georgia Tech\u2019s LGBTQIA ally training program.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cIt seems that this tragedy has moved people to educate themselves and take action to support the LGBTQIA community,\u201d added Parsons. If interested in registering for the Safe Space trainings this fall, email \u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:lgbtqia@gatech.edu\u0022\u003Elgbtqia@gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E for more information. \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":"","field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"On June 15, the LGBTQIA Resource Center, Counseling Center, and Office of Student Diversity Programs hosted the \u201cStronger Together: Reflecting on Orlando\u201d discussion for the Georgia Tech community to come together for reflection and healing."}],"uid":"27465","created_gmt":"2016-06-17 10:52:59","changed_gmt":"2016-10-08 03:21:57","author":"Annette Filliat","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2016-06-20T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2016-06-20T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"545751":{"id":"545751","type":"image","title":"Drew Adelman Facilitates the \u0022Stronger Together: Reflecting on Orlando\u0022 Discussion","body":null,"created":"1466179200","gmt_created":"2016-06-17 16:00:00","changed":"1475895338","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:55:38","alt":"Drew Adelman Facilitates the \u0022Stronger Together: Reflecting on Orlando\u0022 Discussion","file":{"fid":"217686","name":"orlando_reflection_event_3_copy.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/orlando_reflection_event_3_copy_2.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/orlando_reflection_event_3_copy_2.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":112748,"path_740":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/orlando_reflection_event_3_copy_2.jpg?itok=ZVepxQiX"}},"545761":{"id":"545761","type":"image","title":"\u0022Stronger Together: Reflecting on Orlando\u0022 Discussion","body":null,"created":"1466179200","gmt_created":"2016-06-17 16:00:00","changed":"1475895338","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:55:38","alt":"\u0022Stronger Together: Reflecting on Orlando\u0022 Discussion","file":{"fid":"217687","name":"orlando_reflection_event_2_low_res_copy.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/orlando_reflection_event_2_low_res_copy.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/orlando_reflection_event_2_low_res_copy.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":302727,"path_740":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/orlando_reflection_event_2_low_res_copy.jpg?itok=1Z-MxuhD"}}},"media_ids":["545751","545761"],"groups":[{"id":"1182","name":"General"}],"categories":[{"id":"129","name":"Institute and Campus"}],"keywords":[{"id":"1020","name":"counseling center"},{"id":"83791","name":"lgbt"},{"id":"137111","name":"lgbtqia resource center"},{"id":"172137","name":"Office of Student Diversity"},{"id":"172138","name":"Orlando"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39501","name":"People and Technology"}],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"71871","name":"Campus and Community"},{"id":"71901","name":"Society and Culture"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EAnnette Filliat\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ECommunications Manager\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EInstitute Diversity\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:annette.filliat@gatech.edu\u0022\u003Eannette.filliat@gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}}}