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Friday, March 29
The Indiana Daily Student

Ally Appreciation Day connects LGBT students, faculty

Walking into classes Monday morning, Kelley School of Business students encountered a message of support.

Posing with signs that read “I’m a proud ally” and “I support inclusion,” students were encouraged to stop and take a picture to post to social media expressing their support of LGBT students in the business school.

The social media blitz was a part of Out at Kelley’s first Ally Appreciation Day, put on to recognize students, staff and faculty who identify as allies of the LGBT community and work to create an inclusive environment.

Out at Kelley members manned a table in Hodge Hall from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. distributing cupcakes and white t-shirts with the word “ally” prominently displayed in bold, red letters.

Miguel Yanez, president of Out at Kelley, said this was the big event of the semester for the LGBT support group which began meeting regularly this year.

“It got started because me and a couple friends thought there needed to be a place for people to feel comfortable being out at Kelley,” Yanez said of the group that began with just five members. “It has grown up so much since then.”

The group, which now has 20 members, put on a professional networking dinner earlier in the semester to connect freshman members with supportive professors.

Out at Kelley Vice President of Corporate Relations Jason Shader Smith said the organization provides resources and counseling for students coming out on how to talk to their family and teachers. He said it is important that such students can learn how to show their whole selves from day one in the classroom.

Shader Smith, a junior and founding member of Out at Kelley, said he didn’t initially feel accepted in the business school at IU. It wasn’t until he attended a conference out-of-state that Shader Smith said he felt motivated to be his “whole, true self.”

He said one of Out at Kelley’s goals is to address the bad rapport he said he feels the business school sometimes receives and to bring attention to Out at Kelley as a resource for freshmen or students who may be coming out for the first time.

“As a top 10 business school, we need diversity of thought, mind and person,” Shader Smith said. “It’s one of those things we can do as citizens to make people feel welcome.”

Hugging and chatting with professors, classmates and supporters as he helped set up the Out at Kelley table, Shader Smith said regardless of how many cupcakes or t-shirts were handed out throughout the day, his main goal was to show Out at Kelley is proud to be at IU.

While social media was a big part of Ally Appreciation Day, Shader Smith added that he really hopes the message will spread through word of mouth, reaching those outside Out at Kelley members’ social media circles.

“We’re here, we’re queer and we’re happy to be here,” Shader Smith said.

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