April 9 commemorated the opening of N.C. Central University’s first LGBT Student Resource Center. The LGBT Center is located in G-64 of the Alphonso Elder Student Union. The center is supported by Creating Open Lives For Real Success (C.O.L.O.R.S.) and Dominating Overly Motivated Studs (D.O.M.S.).
The opening of the center marked NCCU as the first HBCU in North Carolina and the second among all HBCUs to have a center dedicated to the LGBT community.
The center is designed for students to connect with other members of the LGBT community and learn about their culture and identity. The research center contains an array of resources such as an LGBT support network, the LGBT lecture series, educational and social programming and a library of LGBT materials.
According to Special Projects Coordinator and co-advisor of C.O.L.O.R.S. Morris Barrier, the organization began as a small group of individuals meeting in Chidley, originally called Brothers and Sisters, who connected with each other to make NCCU visible.
“When I was at NCCU as un-undergrad, I was actually in colors, and worked with them to become president,” said Barrier.
He said that his main concern now is to work towards an active membership and maintain it to have a larger community that is visible on campus.
