By Nathalie Recinos
Volunteer State Community College’s Diversity and Inclusion is having a roundtable discussion with LGBTQ+, and any ally students Monday, Oct. 4.
This year’s speakers at the discussion will be Judge Rachel Bell and Dr. Dorsha James. The couple will talk about their struggles and accomplishments as members of the LGBTQ+ community.
In 2012, Bell, was elected General Sessions Court Judge, Division VIII (8) and unanimously re-elected in 2014 to another term. In August, 2014, Bell was elected by her peers to be the Presiding Judge over the Davidson County General Sessions Court.
James is the founder/co-owner of myURGENCYMD in Nashville. Prior to founding my URGENCY MD, she was an attending physician of emergency medicine in Hopkinsville, Kentucky, and attending physician of emergency medicine and medical director in Fayetteville, Tennessee.
According to the Vol State’s Diversity and Inclusion webpage, the program helps increase awareness and celebration of diversity among the college and community.
“This mission, in our view, is completely inclusive of EVERY Vol State student, faculty and staff member. If you are at Vol State in any capacity, regardless of your background, you are a valuable component of the diversity we will continue to grow and celebrate throughout the year,” according to their webpage.
The roundtable discussion will be from 1-2:30 p.m. The discussion will be on Zoom and students can find the Zoom meeting ID and link through the Campus Events page.
Jeff King, the manager of Diversity and Inclusion, said that he hopes that students who attend the discussion will learn more about the LGBTQ+ community, and diversity as a whole.
“We have what we call learning outcomes,” said King. “When we think about learning outcomes, what we think about is, ‘what’s the takeaway?’ ‘What did you learn about today, that you didn’t know an hour ago?’
King said students can get involved by reading emails sent by the Diversity and Inclusion office about future events. King also said that students can get involved by attending programs like the roundtable discussion and many more to come during the Fall semester.
“We have four [events], we have this program, and we have what we call Safe Zone Trainings,” said King. “Safe Zone Training is a national program that teaches and dialogues about issues in the LGBTQ+ community. We have a basic training, an intermediate training, when you finish the basic training, and then we have an advanced training.”
Students who have questions or concerns about the roundtable discussion can meet or email the Diversity and Inclusion office, located in the Wood Campus Center.
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