Howard University Unveils New LGBTQ+ Student Center During Homecoming Week

Howard University unveiled its newly redesigned Intercultural Affairs & LGBTQ+ Resource Room on Wednesday. The ribbon-cutting ceremony occurred during the Lavender Gala, an annual event honoring LGBTQ+ students and their allies as part of Homecoming Week. The event included a surprise performance by Big Freedia and honored nine students with the Lavender Scholarship.

The center was designed in collaboration with IKEA to create a welcoming environment for queer students on campus.

“This center represents our commitment to fostering an inclusive, supportive environment for all students as we celebrate diversity and promote an understanding across cultures and identities. We give IKEA a special thank you [as] their dedication to inclusivity has made this vision a reality,” AJ King, director of the LGBTQ+ and Intercultural Resource Center, said in an interview with Howard’s publication The Dig .

“At IKEA, we believe in creating spaces where everyone feels welcome and valued,” Ciannie Rodriguez, IKEA’s Equality, Diversity, & Inclusion, said in a press release . “Our collaboration with Howard University reflects our commitment to fostering inclusive environments and supporting the next generation of leaders.”

The center now features a “Howard Bison” neon sign, information boards regarding resources, an affirmation board, a Howard event calendar, Human Rights Campaign advocacy pins and more. It was designed by IKEA interior designer Jelani Trimble, who’s also a Howard alum.

Trimble noted the importance of supporting marginalized communities, even if you’re not part of the LGBTQ+ community.

“Though I’m not queer, I am African American, and I do understand the transgressions against us and the LGBTQ community. We have to stand together to support one another,” he told The Dig.

Howard alum and queer rights advocate Victoria Kirby York pushed for a new center when she was earning her master’s degree in 2010.

“There was something about seeing ‘LGBTQ’ etched in the door that made it feel like we will not be easily erased or repurposed. It feels a lot more permanent,” she said. “I love to see the attention-to-detail to make this space happen. The way it looks right now is the closest it’s ever been to the original dream.”

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