In celebration of LGBT History Month, San Jacinto College is offering Safe Zone training to educate students and employees about issues specific to the LGBT community. All three academic campuses offer Safe Zone training; the North and South Campuses hosted sessions earlier this month.

Amanda Rose, the coordinator of Student Engagement and Activities (SEA) on the Central Campus, said part of the training’s purpose is to establish a positive and inclusive college culture.

“Its target is to ally the LGBT community with the rest of the community,” she said.

The training came to the College five years ago when SEA coordinators realized the absence of strategic efforts aimed at raising awareness about issues affecting LGBT groups. In turn, they decided to adopt Safe Zone training scheduling the sessions to coincide with LGBT History Month. Rose said College leadership embraced the idea adding, “We are very fortunate San Jacinto is very accepting.”

During the two-hour workshop, participants listen to personal stories while learning proper vocabulary usage, which Rose stressed changes over time. Furthermore, the group will talk about the differences between gender identity and gender sex. Rose said discussions revolve around hypothetical scenarios as well as topics like “the first time you identified someone as transgender.”

Meanwhile, Rose described attendance for each session as “hit or miss” but said the training goes on whether the audience is “three or 30.” Moreover, the curriculum evolves and expands to keep up with the fluidity of the cultural climate. She added, “We are trying to bring awareness and educate in a world that’s evolving.”

Safe Zone training takes place from 9 a.m. until 11 a.m. on Oct. 25 In Room (208) of the Student Center (C14) on the Central Campus.