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New Year, New Opportunities
#BeYouAtVU
We hope you all had a relaxing, care-free, rejuvenating break! To start the year off in style, we are pleased to announce that “Vanderbilt’s most comfortable couches” have been reupholstered during the break, so they are now cuter and comfier than ever! Stop in and check them out mid-January. Also in mid-January, don’t forget to mark your calendar for the 1/14 Martin Luther King Jr. Joint Day of Service and 1/16 Nashville MLK Day March and Convocation. We will also be hosting an Open House Wednesday, January 18th from 2-3 pm at the KCPC with the Center for Student Wellbeing for students to learn about helpful resources around campus, enjoy healthy snacks, and explore all that LGBTQI Life has to offer.
We are excited for the return of Vanderbilt’s OUT in Front LGBTQI and Ally Student Leadership Conference. The hybrid conference takes place February 23rd so plan ahead today and submit your proposal by January 23rd! Join us January 24th and 25th for a series of events with Mary Gauthier, a Grammy-nominated singer–songwriter and the author of the memoir Saved by a Song: The Art and Healing Power of Songwriting. Mary will host a 1/24 Writing Workshop for Students, 1/25 Writing Workshop for Staff and Faculty, and 1/25 Reading and Performance at 5pm at the BCC Auditorium. Stay tuned for information later this month about our Aging with Pride panel, an opportunity for members of the LGBQTIA+ community to hear about the experiences of some of our elders, ask them questions, and be in community with one another. Our Instagram has all the latest LGBTQI Life updates, announcements, and events, so be sure to follow us if you have not already done so!
Happy New Year,
–Office of LGBTQI Life
 
LGBTQI LIFE EVENTS
OUT In Front Conference: 1/23 Deadline for Call for Proposals
 Vanderbilt’s LGBTQI Life 2023 OUT in Front Conference themed Roots of Resilience: Community Care in the Queer South will be an all-day hybrid event on Thursday, Feb 23. More information, including a Call For Papers (deadline Jan 23,) can be found here.
1/16-1/31 MKL Donation Drive for Nashville LaunchPad
To honor Martin Luther King Jr.’s spirit of giving, we are collecting donations for our community partner, Nashville LaunchPad, who serves homeless LGBTQI+ young adults across Middle Tennessee. Please consider donating: twin XL sheet sets, blankets, towels, wash cloths, and visa gift cards. Drop-off items at the KCPC/Office of LGBTQI Life.
1/18 Get It Together: KCPC + CSW Open House
Join us for Get It Together, an open house at the KCPC with the Center for Student Wellbeing on Wednesday, January 18th from 2-3pm to learn about helpful resources around campus, enjoy healthy snacks, and explore all LGBTQI Life has to offer.
Spring 2023 Banned Book Initiative Reading Groups
 Join us for any Spring 2023 Reading Groups. Facilitators will reach out closer to the group’s start with information about accessing the books and the logistics of the meetings. If you have questions, feel free to reach out to lgbtqi@vandebilt.edu or any of the other participating offices. Find out more and sign up here.
1/31 January Reading Group: Out of Darkness
Join us for the reading group for Out of Darkness by Ashley Hope Perez. January 31st at 12pm Multicultural Community Space. Facilitated by Student Center for Social Justice & Identity. Contact: kauthar.f.gaber@vanderbilt.edu or signup here.
2/7 and 2/8 February Reading Groups: Gender Queer: A Memoir
Join us for the reading group for Gender Queer: A Memoir by Maia Kobabe on February 7th at 12pm in-person with lunch provided and February 8th at 5pm online. Facilitated by LGBTQI Life. Contact: katja.tetzlaff@vanderbilt.edu or signup here.
LGBTQI Life Programming Survey
 What do you need from us? Complete our short 3-minute survey to provide input on our LGBTQI Life events and programming.
CAMPUS EVENTS AND OPPORTUNITIES
The Inclusive Connector
To learn about news, events, and happenings related to Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion, sign up for the Inclusive Connector. Please sign up here.
1/14 Martin Luther King Jr. Joint Day of Service and 1/16 Nashville MLK Day March and Convocation
Mark your calendar for the Martin Luther King Jr. Joint Day of Service! On 1/14, students from across Nashville will come together to engage in community service projects (sign-up here.) This annual event is an incredible opportunity to engage with students both at Vanderbilt and other institutions as well as make a real impact on the Nashville community. Transportation will be provided to and from all locations from Vanderbilt. Also join us Monday, 1/16 for the Nashville MLK Day March and Convocation. Registration and hoodie pickup begins at 7:15am (sign-up here.) Buses depart Kirkland Circle and The Commons Center at 8:15am. Students, faculty and staff are encouraged to take part in the 2023 Nashville MLK Day March and Convocation. Breakfast and transportation will be available from Kirkland Circle and The Commons Center. Please direct any questions to sols@vanderbilt.edu.
1/24 and 1/25 Workshops and Performance by Mary Gauthier
 Mary Gauthier, a Grammy-nominated singer–songwriter and the author of the memoir Saved by a Song: The Art and Healing Power of Songwriting. Mary will be doing three events on campus: 1/24 Writing Workshop for Students, 1/25 Writing Workshop for Staff and Faculty, and 1/25 Reading and Performance at 5pm at the BCC Auditorium. Registration is requires for workshops, but not for the reading and performance. See flier or contact Rory Dicker for more information.
Vanderbilt University’s JSTOR LGBTQ+ Collections
 Check out Vanderbilt University’s JSTOR LGBTQ+ Collections mostly contains local Nashville newspapers focusing on LGBTQ+ issues from the 1980s to the 2000s. Also included are similar items related to LGBTQ+ issues in Middle Tennessee.
Paid Research Opportunity: Queer Students of Color In Stem
 A new study by PRISM Research Lab is focused on learning from the experiences of Black, Latinx, and Asian LGBTQ+ students in and outside of undergraduate STEM classrooms. Participation is voluntary and confidential. Learn more here. Questions? Contact Luis A. Leyva, Ph.D.
Immersion Vanderbilt Opportunities
 Interested in completing your Immersion Vanderbilt experience with the Office of LGBTQI Life? Get in touch! We can help you pursue your passion and cultivate intellectual interests through experiential learning. Check out the Immersion Portal for more information.
UPCOMING COMMUNITY EVENTS
Nashville Launch Pad Volunteer Opportunities
Nashville Launch Pad’s Emergency Shelter needs MANY volunteers to make it run smoothly, such as evening shift, laundry service, meals and one-time projects. On-site volunteering in the shelter requires attending a 2 hour training. Please feel free to contact NLP with questions.
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This group is a place for employees who identify as LGBTQIA+ and their allies. The LGBTQIA+ Affinity Group, known as the Glammadores, will host regular meetings aimed at providing resources for LGBTQIA+ employees and allies, including social networking, meetups, guest speakers, support navigating workplace interactions and more. For more information or to join, contact 
The Bi/Pan/Fluid affinity group provides a supportive and brave space for people who want to explore bi/pan/fluid or otherwise non-straight/non-heterosexual identities and experiences. Join us for conversation, exploration, and fun! Connect 
BlackOut is an affinity group that facilitates the coming together of black LGBTQIA+ members of the Vanderbilt community in order to provide support and share space and experiences. BlackOut is co-sponsored by The Bishop Joseph Johnson Black Cultural Center. Connect 
The Queer and Asian (Q&A) affinity group provides space for students who are LGBTQIA2S+ and Asian American, South Asian, Southeast Asian, and Pacific Islander. Join us for resources, conversation, and fun! Connect 
Willow provides an affirming, open space for women, women-aligned people, and lesbians attracted to other women, women-aligned people, and lesbians to discuss their experiences, share resources, and find a focused, supportive community where their identities are centered. Join us for meetings, movie nights, and more! Connect 
Plurality provides a brave space for LGBTQIA+ people who identify with or are practicing polyamory or consensual non-monogamy. Plurality delves into the history, representations, and skills involved with polyamory and consensual non-monogamy. Join us for resources and discussions! Connect 
