Nat Betancourt Arellano recalls visiting CSUF’s LGBT Queer Resource Center shortly after it had formed a decade ago.
“It was so small that only a handful of people could fit,” Betancourt Arellano recalls of the center’s original space on the second floor of the Titan Student Union building.
Growing up in the Inland Empire, Betancourt Arellano, who identifies as a bisexual transgender person, says there was a lot of hatred targeted at the LGBTQ community.
It wasn’t until Betancourt Arellano arrived at CSUF that they started feeling more welcome as a member of a marginalized community – thanks, in large part, to the LGBT Queer Resource Center.
“At CSUF,” Betancourt Arellano says, “I was able to let my guard down about the things I already knew about myself. The center’s coordinator at the time, Bri Serrano (now director of the Queer Culture & Resource Center at Cal State Dominguez Hills), was a huge influence. The center was a safe place for me to connect with others in a welcome and affirming environment.”
Betancourt Arellano graduated from CSUF in 2015 with a major in communications and a minor in history.
After working at other colleges in California, mostly in residential halls and career centers, Betancourt Arellano returned to CSUF in June 2019 to start their new job: running the LGBT Queer Resource Center.
It’s a dream career Betancourt Arellano, whose official title is senior coordinator, says they never anticipated having.
“It’s a lot of fun,” Betancourt Arellano says. “I always knew I wanted to go back to my alma mater. My mentors at CSUF encouraged me to apply, and I love this job. My identity as a queer person and supporting others has always been so important to me.”
Center spotlighted
The LGBT Queer Resource Center has been in the spotlight this month hosting several events beginning Oct. 11, National Coming Out Day, with a rainbow flag-raising ceremony.
Marking the date of the Second March on Washington for Lesbian and Gay Rights in 1987, National Coming Out Day acknowledges the hardships of coming out, but also the joy and importance in being proud of one’s identity.
October is LGBT History Month, an annual observance of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer history, and the history of the gay rights and related civil rights movements.
CSUF celebrates LGBTQ History Month by putting on various programs and events surrounding the experience of queer and transgender people.
Led by the LGBT Queer Resource Center, the campus creates spaces to celebrate queer and transgender identity, discuss systems that impact the community, and empower students to feel affirmed and confident in who they are.
A highlight came on Oct. 13, when the LGBT Queer Resource Center, along with Housing and Residential Engagement, staged its annual drag show, which this year had a Halloween theme. The event was held from 7-9 p.m. in Housing Piazza.
“Not many people get to say they put on drag shows for a living,” Betancourt Arellano says with a laugh.
Collaboration, belonging
A precise estimate is difficult, but the LGBT Queer Resource Center serves at least 400-500 students living in CSUF’s residential halls, Betancourt Arellano estimates. That number doesn’t include students who drop by the center on a regular basis.
From its humble roots, the center has grown into a bigger space on the first floor of Pollak Library and is next to other identity and cultural centers including the African American Resource Center, Latinx Resource Center, Titan Dreamers Resource Center, and the Asian Pacific American Resource Center.
“This helps us to collaborate with students from various other marginalized communities and creates a huge sense of belonging,” Betancourt Arellano says.
Although gay student groups at CSUF date back to the 1970s, the establishment of the LGBT Queer Resource Center in 2012 has helped create a true sense of belonging for its users, says Mariham Iskander, associate director of CSUF’s Diversity Initiatives and Resource Centers.
The month of activities will culminate Thursday with “10 Years of Pride” in the Golleher Alumni House.
Students, faculty and alumni are welcome at the 6-8 p.m. event to share memories, meet other LGBTQ+ Titans, and enjoy performances from the community. Food and refreshments will be served (to RSVP, visit bit.ly/qrc10years, and for more information, follow @lgbtq.csuf or email lgbtq@fullerton.edu).
Iskander and Betancourt Arellano note that the center is trying to raise money for a relatively new service, a Gender Affirming Closet, where students can pick out clothes for free that best align with their gender expression. The service also provides chest binders for students who are transitioning.
Betancourt Arellano notes the importance of marking the 10th anniversary of the LGBT Queer Resource Center.
“This is our first big milestone,” they say, “and I’m excited for the next 10 years.”
