DJ Du Plessis Building
University Of The Witwatersand
Johannesburg, Gauteng
South Africa
0027723782878ACTIVATE is the LGBTIA (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex and asexual) student society at the University of the Witwatersrand. We recently redesigned our operational framework from a two-pronged approach to 3 programme areas:
1) Social Programme: Socials, clubbing, Out In Africa Gay & Lesbian Film Festival outings, Cinema Nouveau Club, house parties...from the raucous to the more sedate, we hope all ACTIVATE members will find the right social space and activities for them from our offerings.
2) Public Education & Advocacy Programme: Public talks, discussions & debates, documentary screenings, poster campaigns, exhibitions, Campus Pride March/Parade...this is where we put the ACTIVism in ACTIVATE! It's about boldly asserting that 'We're here, we're queer, we're gonna face down homoprejudice & discrimination and promote understanding & the embracing of diversity!'
3) Outreach & Support Programme: We know that out-the-closet students are only the tip of the iceberg and with this programme, we seek to tap into the closeted student population at Wits (which - at 10% of 25 000 students - we know is HUGE!) and facilitate whatever support we can for them.
A key mechanism in this regard is our Narnia Network blog where students can post comments and questions anonymously and at least have some sense of community and receiving support:
www.narnia-network.blogspot.com
Although our organisation is LGBTIA-focussed, membership is open to all students regardless of sexual orientation and each year we always have a few heterosexual members.
ACTIVATE has three main aims:
1) To build a sense of community, friendship and solidarity among LGBTIA students through social activities and events,
2) To counter and oppose manifestations of homophobia, prejudice and discrimination on campus,
3) To foster tolerance, understanding and acceptance of LGBTIA students and issues in the wider Wits community.
Our ultimate vision as an LGBTIA society is to see Wits become a place where LGBTIA students experience no prejudice or discrimination, are free to express themselves without fear of hostility and where the wider Wits community is well-informed about LGBTIA issues and accepting of LGBTIA people.
This is a campus group. Geographical Scope: Local Added on 04-03-2009 Updated on 04-05-2009 |
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