The Center for Social Justice & Community Impact is dedicated to providing programs and opportunities that promote and celebrate the LGBTQ+ experience. From Safe Zone trainings and student clubs and organizations to Lavender Graduation, we strive to make our campus an inclusive space for all students.

Were you active in your high school’s Gay-Straight Alliance? Were you an advocate for LGBTQ+ rights through a local non-profit? Are you looking to explore your LGBTQ+ identity? Or do you want to learn more about what it means to be an ally and advocate for your LGBTQ+ peers? Look no further. We will work with you and for you to help you discover your next steps.

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Safe Zone

Safe Zone is Wheaton’s campus-wide program designed to visibly identify students, staff, and faculty who support the LGBTQ+ population, have an understanding of the issues facing them, and an awareness of the various resources available through the LGBTQ+ Network.

Mission

Through education, programming, and activism, it is the mission of the Safe Zone program to strive to heighten campus awareness of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex, questioning, queer, and ally (LGBTQ+) concerns and foster a campus of inclusion, affirmation, equality, and respect for all LGBTQ+ students, faculty, staff, and administrators of Wheaton College.

History

Wheaton’s Safe Zone program began in 2004 through the Office of Student Life when Area Coordinator Paul Hughes brought the idea of a lesbian, gay bisexual, transgender, queer/questioning (LGBTQ+) training to Wheaton. Senior Resident Assistant Shakira Cruz ’06 adapted the training from New York University with a small committee of staff, faculty and students whom gathered to help implement it.

Currently, the Safe Zone program is managed by Mike Pratt, who serves as the LGBTQ+ Engagement Coordinator out of The Center for Social Justice and Community Impact. Pratt, alongside a group of dedicated student and staff advocates, has formally trained hundreds of Wheaton community members through open workshops and requested trainings.

If you, or someone you know, is interested in getting Safe Zone trained (or trained as a facilitator), please contact Mike Pratt at [email protected] for more information.

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