Members of the LGBTQA community are able to meet new people and converse in smaller group settings during weekly Lavender Lunches in the University of Idaho Teaching and Learning Center 229, starting Thursday.
Julia Keleher, director of the UI LGBTQA Office, said the lunches are the longest running program the staff puts on.
The 50-minute event, which starts at 12:30 p.m., has been running for over 10 years with Keleher coordinating it since her arrival at UI six years ago.
“We just get together and have great conversations in a safe space where people can feel comfortable being themselves and meeting other people as part of a community,” Keleher said. “My job is to be here for all students and make sure they do well and succeed, especially if they need someone to talk to about sexual orientation or gender identity and expression.”
The event was created to provide a trusted space for students to meet other people who could relate to them, without the worry of being judged or uncomfortable around topics which might not be the easiest to talk about, Keheler said.
UI sophomore Danielle Garvin said she feels respected as an LGBTQA member on campus, but not necessarily heard. That’s where Keleher’s office steps in.
She said the LGBTQA Office has done a good job of involving people and being a welcoming space for new and old students alike.
Since attending the Lavender Lunch events while at UI, Garvin said she has had in-depth discussions on current events relating to the community, as well as casual exchanges about whatever is on her mind at the time.
She said her favorite part of the event is the connections she is able to foster with those who attend.
“It’s a refreshing break from work and classes to connect with people I enjoy talking to,” Garvin said. “It was very helpful when I first got to campus because I was nervous about meeting people in classes or in groups I didn’t feel I belonged to.”
Allison Spain can be reached at [email protected]