Supporting LGBTQIA+ and BIPOC Communities
February 7, 2025
Dear District Community,
There are some recent federal executive orders that will impact our LGBTQIA+ and BIPOC communities. For example, two are related to barring transgender individuals from the military and sports teams. Another aims to end federal support for gender transitions. And finally, one order declares that only two biological genders will be recognized by the U.S. Government. All of this is in the context of ending federal support for diversity, equity, and inclusion programs, and it is happening against a backdrop of Black History Month celebrations at our campuses.
We cannot measure the impacts of any of these executive orders yet, but we will continue to monitor the actions of the federal government and communicate about those that significantly impact our communities.
Most importantly, we want you to know that we support all students, including our LGBTQIA+ and BIPOC communities across this District, and our campuses have many support services available. Over the next month, you will continue to hear announcements from the presidents of your campuses about these resources, supports, and upcoming events.
As always, we encourage civic engagement and advocacy for yourself and others. If
you are so inclined, one of the greatest impacts you can have is voting and communicating
with your elected leaders. Here is the contact information:
- Call the U.S. Capital Switchboard and an operator can connect you directly with their Senate offices: (202) 224-3121.
- If you don’t know who your Senator or Member of the House is, you can search at the Find Your Members page of congress.gov.