LGBTQ Advocate, Author to Speak at Cashion Tonight
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Baylor Lariat WE’RE THERE WHEN YOU CAN’T BE Tuesday, September 17, 2019 baylorlariat.com A&L | 6 Opinion | 2 H-Tea-O Dangers of Vape New tea shop The culture opens across downplays interstate health threat LGBTQ advocate, author to speak at Cashion tonight SOPHIE ACEBO is internationally known for speaking on creating dialogue Reporter between faith and sexuality. Cerro Gordo, Ill., junior Mason McNamara is excited to attend the event and is hopeful for the turnout Lee will bring. Justin Lee, an author and advocate for affirmation of the “I’m excited to see how the students of Baylor, both LGBT LGBTQ+ Christian community, will be speaking on campus and allies, will react to the event and I’m also curious to see who from 6:30-9:30 p.m. tonight on the fifth floor of Cashion shows up from the faculty and staff of Baylor,” McNamara said. Academic Center. Lee has experience speaking on a variety of college campuses, The event is titled “Christianity and LGBTQ+ Persons” and regardless of what their values or traditions may be. He is a is being hosted by Baylor’s Diana R. Garland School of Social strong advocate for opening the floor for dialogue and bridging Work. It is part of Baylor’s Conversation Series and is free to the gap between Christianity and the LGBTQ+ community, the public. something that McNamara hopes brings change. Lee’s mission in visiting Baylor’s campus is the hope that “I view this as progress for Baylor and I hope it helps people dialogue can be created in a safe environment and to further understand that people of the LGBTQ+ community are simply movements towards acceptance and advocacy to help LGBTQ+ people and we are just like anyone else,” McNamara said. students feel “loved and supported and cared for as human Lee has also published books in an effort to help parents be beings.” more accepting towards their children who identify within the “I would like to offer suggestions for things I’ve seen LGBTQ community and has found success in his ministry. work on other campuses to improve the level of grace in our “I often talk to parents whose children have come out and Cole Tompkins | Multimedia Editor conversations and show the world what it looks like to show the parents disagree with some of their children’s theology STARTING THE DISCUSSION Justin Lee, author and grace and love in the midst of disagreement,” Lee said. or decisions,” Lee said. “Then I get to talk to those parents blogger, also created Q Christian Fellowship, the largest Lee is also the founder of Q Christian Fellowship, the about ways that they can show love to their child without christian LGBTQ advocacy organization in the world. world’s largest LGBTQ+ Christian advocacy organization. He compromising their own theology.” Photo club snaps into focus, looks to expand TYLER BUI Staff Writer The Baylor Photography Club is a new club on campus where students can Nathan De La Cerda | Multimedia Journalist explore their passion for photography WELCOME TO CAMPUS The Medrano family gets in one last picture before saying goodbye during the family picnic, after move-in. This, among in a collaborative space with other other programs put on by New Student Programs, gives students a chance to adjust to college life before starting classes. photographers. Las Vegas senior Zach Jones, president of the Baylor Photography Club, decided to start the club because he thought that New Student Experiences ranks No. 8, there were not enough creative outlets on campus for students. He reached out for help to Rockwall senior Ali Barnett, the vice president of the club, along with according to US News and World Report four other officers: Samantha Raleigh, Blake Becker and Roman Hernandez. “We realized that there weren’t really any art clubs on campus—we wanted to open up a BRIDGET SJOBERG the First-Year Experience category, and sees touches that make students feel cared for. fun environment to let non-majors and art News Editor Baylor as a school that prioritizes personal “A recent example of this is our New2BU majors alike experience the world that we experiences for incoming freshmen to connect survey which launched today [September 16]. fell in love with,” Barnett said. When US News and World Report released to the university in a meaningful way. We have a 32-question survey that we ask all of After looking into the process of its official 2020 Best Colleges rankings, Baylor “I was very excited to see Baylor rank in our new students to take and our response rate chartering a club on campus, Jones found was included in several categories—one of the top 10 for first-year experience. There are is normally 90+%,” Cohenour said. “This helps an inactive club formerly called the Baylor the highest being named No. 8 in the nation countless faculty, staff and student leaders us to understand the student experience and Photography Society. He took over the for “First-Year Experience.” The rankings are who work diligently to invest in our student’s get students connected quickly to resources charter and has been working to get the made by a variety of “college presidents, chief experiences as they begin their Baylor and opportunities on campus. We read each club more well-known on campus and to academic officers, deans of students and deans journey,” Cohenour said. “I feel this beautifully open-ended response that students write and gain more members. of admissions from more than 1,500 schools” represents Baylor’s caring culture where every follow up if needed. We do this to honor our “We’re just planning on getting it who nominate universities to be included student matters and is valued.” student’s voice and let them know we hear started right now—then after that we are within specific categories. Baylor was included She values programs like Line Camp and them and are here to walk alongside them as planning on doing a bunch of events to in the ranking due to having received 10 or Welcome Week and the work that Dr. Nathan they begin their Baylor journey.” just go out, have fun, shoot around and more nominations. Shelburne and the New Student Programs team Jordy Dickey, assistant director of the maybe go grab coffee afterward,” Jones Michelle Cohenour, director of student put into making the events special. Although Student Union, also sees Baylor as a place that said. “We just want to build a creative success initiatives, has been at Baylor for Baylor’s ranking was high on the list for being a allows for students to feel seen and appreciated community, build people up and make five years and helps work with colleagues school of over 14,000 undergraduate students, through the effort put into programming and some new friends.” to coordinate first-year initiatives. She was Cohenour believes that despite its larger size, The club plans on bringing members excited to hear about Baylor’s high ranking in Baylor makes an effort to include personal WELCOME >> Page 4 to different venues such as Cameron Park and downtown Waco to shoot together and share their work during club meetings. Anyone is open to join the club, and there are no dues or requirements besides bringing yourself and a camera. “Throughout the semester, we just SUB celebrates 71st year on Baylor’s campus want to go on exciting shoots and exhibit work that we’ve shot over the semester,” Barnett said. “We’re looking to rent out MATTHEW MUIR SUB itself. experience… we actually finished putting up one of the spaces at Cultivate 7Twelve and Staff Writer Students from Baylor Union Board, hats just in time to watch the SUB’s birthday roll possibly have a gallery night for everyone.” a student programming group that hosts in at 12 a.m.,” Gipson said. “I may or may not Jennings Sheffield, associate professor Baylor’s Bill Daniel Student Center Sundown Sessions and UBreak, arrived late have fallen asleep on the couch while everyone of art and photography at Baylor, is the celebrated its 71st birthday Monday. The SUB Sunday night to decorate the SUB. Center else was singing happy birthday, but the SUB faculty advisor for the club. She said she is is a social hub for students — referred to as senior Chloe Gipson, a member of Union knows where my heart was at.” excited to be able to share her passion for the “heart of campus,” the SUB is home to Board, was one of the students who spent their Decorations weren’t the only festive fare photography with Baylor students. restaurants, a game room and is the spot that Sunday night placing hundreds of party hats to mark the occasion. Slow Rise Slice House hosts Dr. Pepper Hour each week during the across the building’s four floors. PHOTO >> Page 4 school year— a tradition nearly as old as the “Decorating the SUB was such a fun BIG DAY >> Page 4 Vol.118 No. 7 © 2019 Baylor University Tuesday, September 17, 2019 2 The Baylor Lariat opinionbaylorlariat.com GOT SOMETHING TO SAY? We want to hear it. Send us your thoughts: [email protected] EDITORIAL Vape culture downplays health threat Despite a sixth person dying due to a lung he couldn’t show himself on the silver screen. disease related to vaping in the United States, Camel’s kid-friendly face sold cigarettes on you can still find students hitting their Juul in magazines and billboards but not television Moody Memorial Library. because Congress banned airing cigarette ads While the substance of vaping is believed to on April 1, 1970.