Edmonton’s Grant MacEwan University is becoming a warm, welcoming and inclusive place for LGBTQ and allied communities, thanks largely to the growing reach of the MacEwan Diversity Project (MDP) and the student group InQUEERies.

Joshua Stewart, who co-chairs both groups, says the university has shown an overwhelming amount of support and backing for the MDP, which re-launched last year, stemming from both faculty and students.

“The change since last year… has been nothing short of remarkable,” Stewart states. “Last year a student coming to MacEwan would be out of luck if looking for any visible, active queer organizations at any of [the university] campuses. Beyond that, staff, faculty and visitors would be hard pressed to find any information, support services, or contacts specified to GLBT needs within the university as a whole.”

It’s a much different story now. This month the MDP launches their inaugural page on the university website, providing LGBTQ resources for anyone who wishes to utilize them.

In addition, the MDP’s positive space campaign is an active initiative spreading LGBTQ information and support across MacEwan’s four campuses and into the community. The group created a logo, posters, and stickers to spread the word and the message, and to inspire a more diverse and queer-friendly educational and social environment.

“Staff within the student resource centre are displaying the MDP stickers and understand the importance of creating a welcoming environment for all students,” says Karen Heslop, the second co-chair for the MDP and director of the Student Resource Centre.

The MDP hosts diversity and sensitivity training workshops, movie nights and discussion groups. October’s forum, entitled simply, Coming Out, drew a crowd larger than chairs could accommodate in MacEwan’s student lounge.

“People shared their coming out stories with people that maybe have not yet come out,” Stewart says.

In recognition and solidarity with those teens that have recently committed suicide in the United States as a result of discriminatory, homophobic bullying, InQUEERies held a You Are Loved chalk event in the main foyer of the university on October 4th. More than 150 students and faculty participated, inscribing messages of hope and sharing their stories on how the suicides have affected them.

“It gave students something to think about,” Stewart states.

On November 25th, a forum and academic panel discussion will be held on cultural representations of LGBTQ in media, and the following weekend both InQUEERies and MDP will be supporting Edmonton at the Gay Cup Grey Cup Party, November 27th.

“It feels like we’re doing a lot right now,” says Stewart, “and I’m really happy to see what’s going on.”