THE CELEBRATION CONTINUES
From its opening in 1999 to the students who benefit today , the LGBT Resource Center has been creating community for 20 years .
Celebrate the anniversary at Homecoming 2019 ,
Oct . 18-20 .
“ The campus could be as lonely as it was beautiful for those who didn ’ t feel they fit into the heteronormative culture of their residential colleges or academic departments .”
– SCOTT HEATH ’ 00
03 of 06
LGBT Resource Center
FOR SCOTT HEATH ’ 00 , Nov . 8 , 1999 was a joyous day of celebration . There were rainbows everywhere — especially in the bright balloon arch that marked the entrance to UC San Diego ’ s new Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender ( LGBT ) Resource Center . Empress XXVIII Tiffany Daniels of the Imperial Court de San Diego arrived in an ivory gown and sparkling tiara , joining Chancellor Robert Dynes in a special ceremony to inaugurate the long-awaited space .
Five years prior , Heath had arrived on campus an intimidated freshman , overcome by isolation . “ Among its clusters of brutalist buildings and groves of eucalyptus trees , the campus could be as lonely as it was beautiful for those who didn ’ t feel they fit into the heteronormative culture of their residential colleges or academic departments ,” he said .
At the time , there was no physical space dedicated to providing LGBT resources , just small student collectives like the Lesbian Gay Bisexual Association . Heath joined and began actively sharing information and building community , but he felt compelled to do more .
Heath became a student representative for the Chancellor ’ s Advisory Committee on LGBT Issues — a group of students , faculty and staff that soon became the driving force for a dedicated campus resource center . And yet , progress was slow .
The tide turned in October 1998 , when the campus and nation collectively mourned the death of Matthew Shepard , a gay college student who was murdered in Wyoming . Over 300 students gathered on Library Walk , donning green armbands in honor of Shepard , to inspire awareness and prevent further violence .
Heath invited Joe Leventhal ’ 99 , the student body president , to join in the demonstration . Leventhal supported Heath ’ s resolution to establish an LGBT Resource Center , which passed successfully with the agreement of the Associated Student Council . Backed by the student body and the Chancellor ’ s Advisory Committee on LGBT Issues , the center was approved by Chancellor Dynes in 1999 .
This year , the LGBT Resource Center celebrates 20 years of being the space for all students , staff and faculty and community members to explore issues relating to sexual and gender identities , practices and politics .
Learn more about the center at lgbt . ucsd . edu or connect with the LGBT Alumni Council : contact Paula Thomas ’ 87 at phthomas @ ucsd . edu
32 TRITON | SPRING 2019