- University News Archive - ��Vlog��ý Little Rock

OutLaw Legal Society named law school’s student organization of the year

John Hill — Thu, 30 Jun 2022 14:14:54 +0000

Each year, the Student Affairs Office selects a Student Organization of the Year. Selection is based on their community involvement, on-campus engagement, and volunteerism. The 2021 Student Organization of the Year is OutLaw Legal Society. They also received the award for 2019. The group’s mission includes promoting diversity, raising awareness of legal issues affecting lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people, and maintaining an open atmosphere of respect, equality and justice for all. It is an affiliate of . “Each student organization is asked to submit a resume to aid us in selecting the most outstanding group. In these resumes, we are looking for campus engagement, community involvement, and unique ways the groups have stood out over the past year,” said Student Affairs Program Manager Rebecca Nugent. “There is no denying OutLaw was extremely passionate when submitting their resume. Not only was it seven pages, but it also included pictures and great detail. They exceeded my expectations of a resume. I felt as if I was at each of the events listed.” During 2021, OutLaw Legal Society:

Partnered with Legal Aid of Arkansas and the Center for Arkansas Legal Services by volunteering at legal clinics to provide pro bono services to low-income individuals who needed assistance with name and gender marker changes.
Raised awareness regarding Arkansas’s anti-trans legislation, including hosting educational panels with law professors and legislators and participating in a peaceful protest at the state capitol.
Reached out to prospective, incoming, and current students by participating in panel discussions, hosting a volleyball tournament mixer and stress relief events, as well as conducting a Friendsgiving dinner.
President Caleb Alexander-McKinzie testified before the Arkansas legislature regarding Arkansas’s housing laws and provided evidence of how housing issues disproportionately affect populations of color and the LGBTQI+ community.
Led education events regarding health care issues affecting the queer community, including a panel with ��Vlog��ýMS. In cooperation with SAGE, an LGBTQI+ senior advocacy non-profit, OutLaw treasurer Jeramy Ashton presented information about health deficiencies specifically related to LGBTQI+ care.
Created a scholarship fund for its members and amended its bylaws to expand its organization and executive board.
Led two successful organizational fundraisers and a Giving Tuesday campaign to increase scholarship funds.
Led social media awareness campaigns for World AIDS Day, Coming Out Day, and Black History Month (featuring historic Black queer icons).
Completed community service events including adopting a fire hydrant in the MacArthur Dog Park and conducting a holiday supply drive for Lucie’s Place, a local non-profit organization dedicated to rehousing queer youth who may be unsheltered.
Conducted a professional development workshop for members to provide interview training that was tailored for a queer dialogue.

In addition, OutLaw is the only student organization with fully trained university safe zone members. Until OutLaw’s action, SafeZone training was not open to students. Two Outlaw members are trained and serve on the university’s SafeZone committee. OutLaw received recognition at The Bowen Awards on April 1, 2022. The group is one of Bowen’s 22 registered and active law student organizations.

��Vlog��ý Little Rock researchers explore challenges faced by homeless LGBTQ adults in Arkansas

John Hill — Thu, 26 Aug 2021 13:32:21 +0000

Criminal justice researchers at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock are investigating the unique challenges and barriers faced by homeless LGBTQ+ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer/questioning) adults in Arkansas. LGBTQ adults experience a number of negative obstacles in life, such as discrimination, stigmatization, and victimization, that make the population especially vulnerable to experiencing homelessness. Compared to heterosexual adults, LGBTQ individuals are more likely to become homeless either through voluntarily leaving or being kicked out of their home. The purpose of the study is to examine the experiences of homeless LGBTQ adults throughout Arkansas and to understand the ability of this population to obtain resources, experiences with agencies and shelters, instances of victimization, and self-identity changes while homeless. “It’s an area that is under-researched in our region,” said Dr. Tusty ten Bensel, director of the School of Criminal Justice. “Because of the recent political climate, it’s very important and relevant that we understand the experiences of LGBTQ+ adults and give a voice to marginalized groups in our community and find ways to support them.” The study started out as a thesis research project for Trye Price, a doctoral student in criminal justice at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock who interviewed nine people for his study. “Victimology is my main area of research. LGBTQ people are often impacted by many issues, and homelessness is an issue that pops up often,” Price said. “I engaged in the homeless literature and found some gaps that I knew I could explore in my thesis. A lot of literature focuses on youth and young adults. I wanted to follow up on this research in the South as some Southern states are known to have more religious ideologies and conservative ideas that fuel legislative agendas. I wanted to see how being in a Southern state affected LGBTQ homeless adults.” Members of the LGBTQ+ community who are homeless are more likely to face discrimination, stigmatization, and victimization than their heterosexual counterparts. Research shows that between 5-30 percent of LGBTQ+ adults are homeless, and they are four to 13 times more likely to become homeless than heterosexual individuals. A common factor that often leads to homelessness for LGBTQ adults is a rejection by family members. Participants stated that they experienced verbal and physical abuse after telling family members about their sexual orientation/gender identity, and they were either kicked out of their homes or chose to leave to escape the abuse. “One of the consistent themes you find for LGBTQ individuals is that they are likely to experience familial rejection,” Price said. “They are often affected by instances of homophobia or transphobia and physical, verbal, or sexual victimization. Poor families often have a greater chance of familial rejection. With these experiences, they are forcefully removed from their home and have to go out on their own. They are tired of their living arrangement and leave voluntarily and enter the streets.” The study found that the obstacles that LGBTQ face in exiting homelessness are employment issues, housing, and emotional difficulties. Gaining stable employment as a homeless person can be difficult without a permanent address, social security card, and birth certificate. Homeless LGBTQ adults may have a difficult time gaining access to these documents if they were kicked out of their home by a family member and probably do not have the funds needed to purchase copies of important documents. Once they become homeless, LBGTQ adults are especially prone to problems that make it difficult to exit homelessness. “Let’s say a kid leaves home. Generally, they have social capital or ties to relatives and friends to give them resources,” Price said. “With homelessness, those ties are weakened. With LGBTQ homeless adults, they are going into the streets with little or nothing. They have poor experiences with family and friends. They have nowhere to go and no one to rely on for food, shelter, and medicine. Other populations often target them. Even here in Little Rock, our participants talked about being targeted by other homeless people and being harassed for being LGBTQ.” In the study, the majority of the participants experienced verbal and physical abuse from other homeless people in Little Rock. “While walking around, they would talk about how other homeless people would target them and yell out homophobic remarks,” Price said. “They talked about how they would have to take protective measures, like carrying a knife or pepper spray, and change their routines, like walking different routes, to protect themselves from other homeless people.” Participants also described how difficult it can be for LGBTQ adults to find resources in the state. Arkansas has only a few agencies that focus on assisting LGBTQ people, such as Lucie’s Place. Because the agency does not have steady federal funding and is supported by donations and fundraisers, the agency is limited in the ability to provide resources. Homeless LGBTQ adults often need additional resources or services such as counseling, separate living quarters, and hormone therapy referrals. If a person is able to escape homelessness, Price noted LGBTQ adults are likely to face multiple episodes of homelessness. “They were able to find ways to escape homeless through distant family members or romantic relationships, but they eventually came back out on the streets,” Price said. “They are not able to obtain enough social capital, wealth, or employment to avoid homelessness. This shows how prevalent the issue is for LGBTQ people.” Price and ten Bensel plan to conduct an expanded study to further explore these results. The coronavirus delayed the start of the new study, but Price and ten Bensel plan to begin interviewing participants for an expanded study later this year.

��Vlog��ý Little Rock Graduate Shane Bowers Selected for Institute for Doctoral Studies in the Visual Arts

John Hill — Thu, 24 Jun 2021 14:31:27 +0000

Shane Bowers, a 2016 graduate of ��Vlog��ý Little Rock, has been accepted at the Institute for Doctoral Studies in the Visual Arts. After graduating with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in sculpture from ��Vlog��ý Little Rock, Bowers earned a Master of Fine Arts in sculpture from Northern Illinois University in 2019. The Institute for Doctoral Studies in the Visual Arts is a non-studio doctoral program for artists and creative thinkers. Bowers said the new Ph.D. program that starts in the fall will allow him to explore beyond studio practice and open a new world of research and opportunity. “I explore what a socially political artist can translate through space and time in my most recent bodies of work,” Bowers said. “In this Ph.D. program, I am combining my art-making practice to do trans-disciplinary research with international connections, resources, and contribute a duality between theory and studio practice.” In addition to his doctoral studies, Bowers is the co-founder of two nonprofit galleries. “I’m a transgender artist that advocates for the LGBTQ+ community and also a civil rights activist,” he said. Bowers founded the Unpacked Mobile Gallery in 2017 with Lauren Iacoponi and Naomi Elson. The mobile gallery provides a space for local artists to create, curate, and exhibit work in communities and public spaces around Chicago in the bed of a moving truck. It is committed to showcase artists that are not able to perform in a brick and mortar gallery. “We wanted to create a non-brick and mortar space that is culturally diverse for local artists in Chicago,” Bowers said. “We did shows in Chicago and offer artists the space, especially when they are underrepresented. Brick and mortar places often underrepresent people of color and the LGBTQ community.” The Dispatch Gallery, which is an extension of the Unpacked Mobile Gallery as a remote option, is a platform where artists can collaborate, showcase their work through livestream performances, video and film screening, and artist interviews. Dispatch is about inclusion and diversity, bringing together artists with culturally and diverse identities such as persons of color, LGBTQ, transgender, and gender non-conforming, immigrants, women, and individuals who do not identify with the mainstream culture. “We wanted to give an opportunity for emerging artists to have that space and for the public who wouldn’t expect a pop up mobile gallery in the back of a truck,” Bowers said. “Then COVID-19 happened, so we created an extension of Unpacked Mobile Gallery. This is for performance artists that are not getting the space they need. We had our first show that had 27 domestic and international artists. We are happy to showcase all these artists.” Bowers is expected to complete his doctorate program in 2026. During the first three years, Bowers and his cohort will complete studies during the school year and travel to meet with his classmates during the summer. The first two summer programs will take place in New York City and Greece. During these summer residencies, Bowers and his classmates will visit art museums and art shows, learn about art history, and present research. During the fourth and fifth years of the program, Bowers will write a 400-page dissertation. This program is meant for professors, adjunct professors, and adjuncts of record,” Bowers said. “It’s great for continuing your career and adding that research component for your studies. I am studying gender studies, philosophy, and sound theory. I am trying to explore the Western dichotomy of gender roles.” Before Bowers arrived at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock, he said he never seriously considered getting a graduate degree. A discovery while he was in the McNair Scholars Program at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock led to an incredible change in his life. “I found out I was dyslexic when I was 23,” he said. “I struggled with reading and writing before then. It changed my entire life to not only be in the McNair Scholars Program because they gave me the tools to be able to be successful in my research. I was able to get through information so much quicker. There is a stigma on people who are dyslexic. They don’t think that you can get a graduate degree. People with dyslexia can get a master’s degree and a PH.D. and go into higher education if they want to. I think that’s important.” Bowers is also thankful to professors like Michael Warrick and Mia Hall who helped him become the artist he is today. “When I went into the art program, Michael Warrick was one of my mentors along with Mia Hall, who helped me learn about visual arts history,” Bowers said. “I started transitioning as a transgender person during my time at ��Vlog��ýLR, and I was also an artist and an advocate for LGBTQ rights. Now I can have two terminal degrees and bring a better pedagogy for artists to be successful. That is how ��Vlog��ýLR helped further my education. I just want to thank my mentors at ��Vlog��ýLR. I wouldn’t be here without them. They inspired my life.”

��Vlog��ý Little Rock students return with important ideas from LGBTQ conference

Mon, 18 Feb 2019 19:09:55 +0000

Four University of Arkansas at Little Rock students presented ways that the campus community can become LGBTQ friendly during a Jan. 30 Alliance meeting. Members of ��Vlog��ý Little Rock’s Alliance barely missed record cold temperatures as they returned from the National LGBTQ Task Force’s annual Creating Change conference in Detroit from Jan. 23-27. Each student who attended took part in two discussions about issues that affect LGBTQ students on college campuses. They spoke about how those issues affect students at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock. “The first program I attended was about creating a queer student leadership program on campus,” said Alliance President Bee Chaney. “The second focused on how to advocate for all-gender toilets. Campus restrooms affect health and retention rates, since students are on campus for long periods of the day and may be holding their urine or simply not drinking water to avoid using gendered bathrooms. Students without proper accommodations are less likely to return the following semester. All gender restrooms need to be a utility in all buildings, accessible to all majors.” Sophomore Brianna Mundorff attended discussions on Safe Zones and holistic wellness for LGBTQ communities. “People in the LGBTQ community are at a higher risk of trauma including mental health, poverty, substance abuse, sexual violence, and social discrimination,” Mundorff explained. “This can be somewhat resolved by a safe living space for LGBTQ individuals and wellness programs that go beyond physical wellbeing.” Junior Chris Kilburn attended discussions focused on digital fundraising in advocacy as well as learning how Fair Anchorage, an Alaska advocacy group, defeated a state ballot initiative seen as detrimental to transgender individuals. “Trans people should be visible and at the center of campaigning for trans rights in 2019,” Kilburn said. Sophomore Gunner Retford, an American Sign Language (ASL) interpreter, attended discussions on making events more ASL-accessible and how to better tailor sexual assault prevention programs on college campuses towards LGBTQ students. “Don’t let accessibility be an afterthought. Interpreters are not volunteers or helpers, they’re there to do a job. Less than 1 percent of queer events are currently accessible to the deaf community,” Retford explained. Any member of the ��Vlog��ý Little Rock campus community who wishes to become involved with the Alliance or any of the initiatives they discussed at the conference can contact Bee Chaney at bmchaney@ualr.edu.

Faculty members, campus organizations honored as ‘Awesome Allies’

Ajani Oyindamola — Thu, 13 Dec 2018 18:39:20 +0000

University of Arkansas at Little Rock professors and campus organizations were honored as “Awesome Allies” by The Alliance during an awards ceremony on Dec. 12. The Alliance is a student organization for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and/or questioning (LGBTQ) students and allies to come together in an open environment to discuss topics related to both gay and straight communities. “Awesome Allies” are faculty members and campus offices who have shown support through LGBTQ inclusive curriculum, classroom behavior, or campus practices. Dr. Juliana Flinn, professor of anthropology, and Dr. Rachel Tennial, assistant professor of psychology, were named “Awesome Allies” for their gender-inclusive curriculum and classroom activities. “I feel honored,” Flinn said. “I didn’t know I did anything special, so it feels like an extra honor.” “By choosing to honor these faculty members, we are hoping to inspire other faculty to include more gender-inclusive classroom activities in their curriculum,” said Bee Chaney, a junior psychology major and president of The Alliance. The Alliance also honored campus organizations Safe Zone and the ��Vlog��ý Little Rock Student Social Work Organization. “We are honoring Safe Zone for their commitment to employee education on LGBTQ issues and the Student Social Work Organization for partnering with us to hold a successful Little Rock Pride Fest booth in October,” Chaney said. Safe Zone provides training about LGBTQ issues and safe zones where individuals affected by homophobia, hateful acts, and sexual violence can safely go for support and assistance from trained faculty and staff. Meanwhile, the Student Social Work Organization’s mission is to represent, lead, and unify the student body with the School of Social Work. All of the “Awesome Allies” award recipients received a rainbow cord to wear during commencement. The Alliance holds meetings every Wednesday from 3-4 p.m. in Donaghey Student Center 201T, where participants discuss campus education, activism, and fundraising opportunities. Additionally, the group meets Tuesdays from 6-8 p.m. to provide a safe space for students to socialize. The Alliance is fundraising to send four students to the Creating Change Conference in Detroit in January 2019 to learn about LGBTQ initiatives that can be brought to campus. Donations can be at Facebook.com/��Vlog��ýLRsAlliance. In the upper right photo, Bee Chaney, president of The Alliance, recognizes Dr. Juliana Flinn as an “Awesome Ally.”

��Vlog��ý Little Rock student researches the role of Argentinian films in LGBTQ rights

Ajani Oyindamola — Tue, 13 Nov 2018 19:09:21 +0000

A University of Arkansas at Little Rock student spent the summer at a prestigious study abroad program where he examined Argentina’s films to determine the role they play in citizens’ LGBTQ rights. Dylan Wright, a junior Spanish and political science double major from Little Rock, attended the School for International Training through the study abroad program, “Argentina: Human Rights and Social Media,” from March through June. “I didn’t want to just study Spanish,” Wright said. “I looked for programs that were taught in Spanish, and I was very interested in human rights. I found a program based in Buenos Aires that was taught in Spanish and studied human rights. It was really interesting to see Argentina’s human rights history up close.” The law regarding human rights in Argentina is unique since the country included several international human rights treaties into its constitution in 1994, which resulted in the importation of international law into the country’s legal system. “They are at the forefront of human rights in many areas. People talk about human rights there all the time; things that people in the U.S. would not realize they have human rights to. Even on the buses, there is a sticker on the bus outlining the human rights that pertain to transportation. Everyone has the right to health care. They don’t view it as a privilege. They view it as a fundamental right.” Wright completed his research paper this semester under the mentorship of Dr. Erin Finzer, associate professor of Spanish and associate vice chancellor for academic affairs. He plans to present the paper, “Framing LGBTQ Rights: Critical Film Perspectives in the Argentine Queer Community,” at a conference in the spring 2019 semester. Through the study of Argentine film, particularly the Latin American film movement known as Third Cinema, as well as through the concept of cultural agency, Wright worked to enhance and develop an understanding of the role that art and culture can play in advancing civil rights and social equality.

Dylan Wright (left) and a fellow student take a walk near a Mapuche organization’s headquarters in Bariloche, Argentina, a largely tourist town known for its Swiss colonial influence.

“Third Cinema developed in Argentina. The people who first coined the term were film directors from Argentina in 1968 and 1969,” Wright said. “After the dictatorship ended, there was a big call for cultural products that opposed the dictatorship. I looked at independent queer cinema in Argentina. It was interesting to look at how the directors implicitly took inspiration from Third Cinema’s tropes and styles. I interviewed one film director, one film historian, and an artistic director of a film festival that focuses on queer cinema.” In the spring 2019 semester, Wright will put his language skills to use in another international human rights project. He received a Signature Research Experience Award to work with Dr. Eric Wiebelhaus-Brahm, associate professor in the School of Public Affairs, who is examining truth commissions in 11 Latin American countries, including Argentina, which were created to investigate human rights violations committed during military dictatorships or during civil wars in the region. “We are looking for the truth in what happened during the dictatorships in these 11 countries,” he said. “Since Eric does not speak Spanish, I will use textual analysis to see what language might have been more effective in these truth commission reports and what might have been copied from other reports.” Through the project, Wright will learn new research methodologies. Wright, who is currently taking a human rights course with Wiebelhaus-Brahm, is interested in how international law can be used to help people who have suffered human rights violations. “I am really interested in human rights in general,” Wright said. “Since I speak Spanish, it’s easier to focus on Latin American commissions. There is a push for truth there that isn’t in a lot of the rest of the world. I am interested in how international law can make tangible differences in people’s lives in a way that is not arcane.” After graduation from ��Vlog��ý Little Rock in 2019, Wright plans to attend a graduate program in law and public policy to eventually work in the field of civil and human rights. In the upper right photo, Dylan Wright overlooks Esquel in Argentina’s Chubut province, where he and fellow students learned about local organized resistance to large mines.

Diversity Week set for March 26-30

Janea Snyder — Mon, 19 Mar 2018 13:18:48 +0000

The University of Arkansas at Little Rock will host an array of events for this year’s Diversity Week, including lunch-and-learns, a Human Library, movies and films, art, Safe Zone training, and an international food and dance festival. ��Vlog��ý Little Rock’s Diversity Council started the annual Diversity Week celebration in 2015 as a way to highlight the university’s commitment to diversity and inclusion. The event is held each spring, although the council is considering expanding the event to once per semester. This year’s event will be significantly larger than in years’ past. “The Diversity Council planned five activities, and then we opened it up to the campus community for additional workshops and events,” said Sharon Downs, assistant vice chancellor for Student Affairs and the Diversity Council chair. “The response was overwhelming. There are now 13 events.” This year’s Diversity Week events include: Monday, March 26 Lunch & Learn, Death By Dialect: Oppression of Language is Still Oppression, 12-1 p.m., DSC meeting room D Human Library, 2-5 p.m., Ottenheimer Library, 1st Floor The Human Library is designed to build a positive framework for conversations that can challenge stereotypes and prejudices through dialogue. Black Panther Movie Panel Discussion, 6-7 p.m., DSC C Tuesday, March 27 “A��첹,” a film about the Arab American immigrant experience followed by discussion, 10:50 a.m.-1 p.m., SSC Auditorium Lunch & Learn: Deaf panel, 1-2 p.m., DSC meeting room D LGBTQ Ally 101, 3-4 p.m., DSC Leadership Lounge Discussion about Safe Zone training content for employees and how students can be good allies to the LGBTQ community. Wednesday, March 28 “I See You: Blind contour drawings from Basic Drawing class,” 9-10:50 a.m., mall area “I See You” is a social practice project by the Windgate Center for Art and Design’s Basic Drawing students. Come get a quick portrait drawn of yourself, or draw a portrait of someone else. Lunch & Learn: Hidden in Plain Sight, 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m., DSC meeting room G Discussion: Subculture of low socioeconomic citizens in the ��Vlog��ý Little Rock community Safe Zone training for faculty and staff, 1-5 p.m., Dickinson 502 Thursday, March 29 ��Vlog��ý Little Rock’s WorldFest: A Food & Music Experience, 11 a.m.-1 p.m., DSC and surrounding outside areas Lunch & Learn: The Voice of Cesar Chavez and the Impact on Hispanic/Latinx communities, 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m., DSC Leadership Lounge Diversity and Inclusion in the Workplace workshop, 12:30-1:30 p.m., DSC D Job seekers will learn what to look for when choosing companies that value diversity and inclusion, including what questions to ask during a job interview. Anderson Institute lecture series: “How Can Black Parents Rear Their Children to be Black Americans in a Color Conscious Society?” 1:30 – 2:30 p.m., Ottenheimer 2nd floor “Te Ata” movie, 4-6 p.m., Ottenheimer 535 Produced by the Chickasaw Nation of Oklahoma, the film tells the story of Te Ata (1895-1995), internationally known Chickasaw actor and storyteller, who traveled the world educating audiences about Native American cultures. Expressing S’More Values, 7-8 p.m., Commons Great Room Students will discuss and compare their key values, create a display board showing values that are important to the students at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock. At the end of the event they will make s’mores. Friday, March 30 ��Vlog��ý Little Rock’s WorldFest: A Food & Music Experience, 11 a.m.-3 p.m., DSC and surrounding outside areas (mall area) The schedule is also online.

Conference will raise awareness of suicide in LGBTQ community

Ajani Oyindamola — Fri, 02 Mar 2018 15:35:11 +0000

The University of Arkansas at Little Rock will host a conference to raise awareness about the LGBTQ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer) community and suicide risk and prevention on Saturday, March 10. The will take place from 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. in Donaghey Student Center Ledbetter Hall. The conference includes plenary and breakout sessions that feature national experts on LGBTQ+ mental health and suicide risk and will be focused on making mental health, suicide prevention, and education an LGBTQ community priority. The featured speaker is Kimberly Shappley, a registered nurse, international board-certified lactation consultant, ordained minister, and mother of a transgender daughter who has turned Shappley into an accidental advocate. Her family’s story has appeared on The TODAY Show, Vice HBO, Good Housekeeping, Huffington Post, and several national women’s magazines. Working with Equality Texas as their faith outreach coordinator, Kimberly is a nationally recognized sought-after speaker as a southern conservative Christian parent of a transgender child. Additional presenters include:

��Dr. John Blosnich, “Questions of Life and Death: Seeking answers about suicide deaths among lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people.” Blosnich is an assistant professor in the Division of General Internal Medicine at the University of Pittsburgh, a research assistant professor with the West Virginia University Injury Control Research Center, and a research health scientist with the Center for Health Equity Research and Promotion at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Pittsburgh Healthcare System.
��Dr. Stephen Russell, “Understanding and Preventing Suicide in LGBT+ Communities.” He is the Priscilla Pond Flawn Regents Professor in Child Development in the Department of Human Development and Family Sciences at the University of Texas at Austin. He studies adolescent development with an emphasis on adolescent sexuality, LGBT youth, and parent-adolescent relationships.
��Dr. Jody Herman, “Suicide Risk and Prevention Among Transgender People.” She is a scholar of public policy at the Williams Institute at the University of California, Los Angeles School of Law. Her work has included research on the fiscal impacts of discrimination against transgender people, employer-provided health benefits coverage for gender transition, the development of trans-inclusive questions for population-based surveys, and suicide among transgender people.

The conference is open to members of the public. The cost to attend is $20 for students and $50 for general admission. For more information, contact Tabitha Childers at 870-834-6777 or tabitha.afsp.ar@gmail.com.

��Vlog��ý Little to host event for Washington, D.C. alumni

Ajani Oyindamola — Wed, 05 Jul 2017 13:08:10 +0000

The University of Arkansas at Little Rock Alumni Association will host its fourth annual party for all ��Vlog��ý Little Rock alumni in the Washington, D.C., area Thursday, July 27. The celebration will take place from 6 to 8 p.m. at Beacon Bar and Grill, 1615 Rhode Island Ave. N.W. In addition, ��Vlog��ý Little Rock alumni Jeff Dutton and Bryan Goodman will host a reception from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. Friday, July 28, at Dutton’s home in Washington, D.C. The reception will raise money for the Stonewall Endowed Scholarship fund, which provides scholarships for ��Vlog��ý Little Rock students who raise awareness for the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer community. Since 2010, seven students have received scholarships totaling $13,000. Those interested in attending either event should contact Kristi Smith, senior director of development, at klsmith4@ualr.edu or 501.569.8739.

��Vlog��ýLR Bowen law student organizations donate to Lucie’s Place

��Vlog��ý Little Rock — Mon, 24 Oct 2016 14:25:12 +0000

Student organizations from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock William H. Bowen School of Law are helping to make a difference for homeless lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) youth in Arkansas. The law school’s student division of Arkansas Association of Women Lawyers, in partnership with Lambda Legal Society, made a donation of $2,500 worth of appliances and furnishings to to help the organization open the first transitional living shelter for homeless LGBTQ youth in Arkansas. Lucie’s Place is a local nonprofit organization that provides homeless LGBTQ young adults in central Arkansas with safe living environments, job training, and counseling services in order to ensure lifelong stability and success. Additionally, the organization works to promote equality and acceptance for these young adults. “There is such a need in Arkansas for a shelter of this kind that we decided this was the best use of our funds,” said Lauren Reiche, president of Bowen’s student division of Arkansas Association of Women Lawyers. The appliances have been installed in the shelter’s kitchen. The items donated included a stove, dishwasher, microwave, oven, and a couch. Last week, the first resident moved into the shelter and will be able to make use of the donations. To raise funds for the project, both organizations held a silent auction at the Barrister’s Ball in April, as well as a baggo tournament earlier this semester. “We really strive to make the biggest impact that we can,” said Reiche. “This is the first time that we have donated this semester, but we hope to do even more as the year goes on.” The mission of the Arkansas Association of Women Lawyers is to honor, promote, and support women in the legal profession. It is a service-based organization that encourages community involvement. Bowen’s student chapter performs a service project every fall. The organization will be holding a Fall Festival for Women and Children First in October with the Hillary Clinton Children’s Library, as well as sponsoring a team for Race for the Cure.

- University News Archive - ����Vlog��ý Little Rock

OutLaw Legal Society named law school’s student organization of the year

����Vlog��ý Little Rock researchers explore challenges faced by homeless LGBTQ adults in Arkansas

����Vlog��ý Little Rock Graduate Shane Bowers Selected for Institute for Doctoral Studies in the Visual Arts

����Vlog��ý Little Rock students return with important ideas from LGBTQ conference