Multicultural Student Affairs to host Safe Zone Trainings

The Office of Multicultural Student Affairs (MSA) at the University of North Georgia (UNG) will host several Safe Zone trainings on all five UNG campuses on April 4 and 5.

Safe Zone training is meant to create awareness and help develop allies to the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer/Questioning (LGBTQ) communities. Each training will be led by Anna Baxter, a counselor who specializes in LGBTQ issues at Wellspring Counseling Center in Roswell, Georgia. She will discuss issues such as sexual orientation and gender identity with an emphasis on how they pertain to being a part of a community.  

"We are offering Safe Zone trainings to the UNG community to teach about gender, sexual and LGBTQ identities and issues, and open dialogue on how faculty, staff and students how they can help," said Tara Overzat, assistant director of MSA. "Safe Zone has been at UNG for a number of years where it was a once a year training held on Dahlonega and Gainesville campuses. This year, it has been expanded into two trainings at Dahlonega and two trainings at Gainesville, which are open to all students, faculty and staff. The Dahlonega trainings will be available through video conference to the Blue Ridge, Oconee and Cumming campuses."

Two student groups – the Gay-Straight Alliance on the Dahlonega Campus and Spectrum on the Gainesville Campus, will be co-sponsoring the events as well as attending the training sessions to provide perspectives and assistance to other students who are interested or unfamiliar with the groups and their communities.

Many faculty and staff at UNG have received Safe Zone training.  The Safe Zone sticker is a symbol of their course completion and denotes that the person displaying the sign wants to create a climate where one can expect to be free of harassment.

"Having assisted on the UNG Dahlonega Campus with the screening of 'Gender Revolution,' a documentary film covering gender identity, I see our students have an interest in the experience of their LGBTQ peers and want to learn more. I would love to see Safe Zone expand further for the five UNG campuses. We have already had a wonderful response to the news that we are offering four trainings this April. Much like at other universities in Georgia, I would like to see Safe Zone offered multiple times each academic year," Overzat said.

The trainings will start on April 4 on the Dahlonega Campus, the first from noon to 1:30 p.m. and the second from 4 to 5:30 p.m. at the Library and Technology Center in room 382. The Gainesville Campus will hold training at the Martha T. Nesbitt Building in room 3203 on April 5 from noon to 1:30 p.m. and 4 to 5:30 p.m.

For video conferencing:

Blue Ridge – April 4 at 4 p.m. in Room 107

Cumming – April 4 at 4 p.m in Room 246

Oconee – April 4 at 12 p.m. OR 4 p.m. in Room 564