On April 3 to April 5, BC Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Queer and Questions members will once again be attending the Power of One Conference, this time in Utah at Salt Lake Community College. In order to attend, students are required to submit applications to C212 by March 7. This years theme is “A Family of Many.”
According to the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators website, the purpose of the Power of One is to invite students to learn about intersecting identities while promoting social justice. Additionally, the conference aims to guide attendees into thinking about the importance of identity and the role that identity plays in understanding effective and inclusive leadership, according to NASPA.
BC LGBTQ member William Magruder said, “I want to attend the conference because it will help me determine what kinds of things are useful when it comes to activism. I also want to go because I think it will expose me to a strong queer activist community.”
Magruder didn’t have the chance to attend last year but hopes to attend the conference this year. He also added that he would like to learn more about communities that he isn’t a part of in order to be a better ally for them.
Katie Baker, BC LGBTQ member and Power of One applicant, stated that The Power of One conference is different from all other LGBTQ events, because it is specifically focused on bringing students from different backgrounds together to encourage activism for the LGBTQ community.
Baker is one of the many students who wishes to attend in order to be more involved in activism for LGBTQ rights and to meet other people like her, which is “very inspiring and boosts my confidence.”
Teague Crenshaw, member of BC LGBTQ, will be a second-year attendee at the Power of One. For those who are hesitant about attending events such as the Power of One, Crenshaw offered advice: “It’s a lot of education and getting people involved and can help people have better experiences on their campus when they’re involved. Whether they are one of the queer students at Bellevue College or not, they will have a better time being here. It can help us create more allies and create a stronger community.”
Not only does the Power of One conference provide a community of like-minded individuals, but it is the chance to start paving the way towards a more accepting world.
Crenshaw explained that being trans is “so horrifically dangerous to your life. No matter what kind of trans. It is the scariest shit to be visibly trans. It’s a life-threatening act, but it’s also a revolutionary act.”