National Coming Out Day activities at UW-River Falls

October 4, 2019 – The Center for Diversity Inclusion and Belonging (CDIB) at the University of Wisconsin-River Falls is hosting a variety of events to engage students, faculty and staff during National Coming Out Day on Friday, Oct. 11.

National Coming Out Day is an internationally observed civil awareness day for coming out and creating a safe space for the discussion and celebration of LGBTQIA+ lives.

Events include group activities to strengthen campus partnerships as well as a panel discussion led by UWRF’s Gender and Sexuality Alliance (GSA) Executive Board. The community is welcome to participate. Events will be held in the Falcon’s Nest in University Center beginning at 1 p.m. with cookie decorating and conversation, a panel discussion at 2:30 p.m. and BINGO at 3:30 p.m. The Center of Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging at UW-River Falls exists to create an inclusive campus community where all people can feel valued, respected and safe.

Also part of National Coming Out Day and month is a staged reading of “The Laramie Project: 10 20 Years Later” on October 11 and 12 at 7:30 p.m. in the Syse Black Box Theatre in  Kleinpell Fine Arts. Free admission. The production is directed by the Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences Dean Yohnk. There will be a post-show discussion related to LGBTQ+ hate crimes with the cast and Wiesen-Martin following both performances. Oct. 10 is the 21st anniversary of Shepard's death, which ultimately led to the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr., Hate Crimes Prevention Act of 2009.

For more information, email nathan.riel-elness@uwrf.edu.