LGBT Center Welcomes New Staff Members

Two new members of the LGBT Center team were recently named to help the Center expand services and support to the campus community.

Aldo del Sol will be working as an office assistant this year.He is a senior majoring in Biology, Pre-Dental, with a Spanish minor and will be applying to dental school next year. Aldo is also proud of his Cuban heritage and is lending additional support to the Cultural Center and to other Hispanic/Latin American students.

He is looking forward to his time in the Center, and said, "I am very excited for the opportunity to work at the LGBT Center. I decided to work here because it has a very welcoming environment and it gives me the chance to interact with other students and talk to them about my experiences."

Katy Garrison is a familiar face to many in the Center, after helping launch the new alumni council in 2012 and serving on numerous speaking panels and project teams.She is a U of L graduate and past president of commonGround.She is also the namesake of the LGBT student leadership award given each year to students who serve as leaders of student organizations.

In her new role, Katy will be co-facilitating InsideOut, a confidential support group for students who are coming out or questioning their identity.She said, "InsideOut allows me to provide guidance and support to LGBTQ students who are coming to terms with their identity, building their support systems and creating real, positive changes in their lives."

Katy will also coordinate campus SpeakOuts classroom presentations that feature students telling their coming out stories and answering questions from the audience."I am devoted to working with these programs because being a part of this special process, in which a person learns to love and respect themselves, allows me to witness the beautiful transformation of young LGBTQ leaders, and the undeniable strengthening of a community."

To join Inside Out or participate on a SpeakOut panel this year, contact the Center at lgbt@louisville.edu.