Gay Rights Revolutionaries, a campus LGBT activism group disbanded

last December.

     GRR, which became a student organization during the fall semester,

was created to spread awareness of LGBT issues on campus with

activism. During its short time as a student organization, GRR

organized Honk for Love, an event intended to gain LGBT acceptance from

rush hour drivers on Main Street and Lincoln, and Bridging the

Gap, a debate on religion and homosexuality.

      Justin Lagore, a junior public relations major and GRR co-founder,

said although the events were successful, the group had significant

financial problems as soon as it began.

       “There was a lot of red tape from [The Center for Student

Involvement] when we were trying to register. It wasn’t our fault or

their fault, but we reached this weird state of being half-registered

[as a student organization],” Lagore said. “Things wouldn’t pan out

with scheduling, and we started to see a steady decline in membership

over time. Things just kind of lost fire from there.”

       Lagore said the organization received no university funding and GRR

members paid for meetings, food and other materials out of their own

pockets.

       “We loved having everyone show up for the meetings,” Lagore said. “It

was expensive yet worth it to us, but money only lasts so long.”

       Lorenzo Thomas, a junior philosophy major and GRR co-founder said he

believes groups like GRR are not meant to be within a student

organization setting.

       “I think the worst thing we did was to try to become a student

organization in the first place. We were not meant to be upstairs in

the Student Center,” Thomas said. “We can’t put a movement somewhere

like that. You don’t put revolutionaries in a room.”

       Lagore said although GRR has disbanded, he has taken a vacant board

position for Pride! Kent and plans to incorporate more activism within

the group, which is now a social organization, by beginning an

activist committee.

       “Since working with the Pride! board, I have tried to bring in some of

the same activist ideals from GRR,” Lagore said. “Pride! is attempting

to become a multifaceted organization. We’re not looking to start GRR

back up, but the former members are behind Pride! in taking a more

activist stance.”

       Thomas said that even though GRR has disbanded, he hopes that

students will continue to promote activism for LGBT rights and

remember that they don’t need a group for their voices to be heard.

       “The worst possible thing is apathy,” Thomas said. “Even if something

doesn’t work out exactly how you wanted, at least you stood up and

tried.”

Contact Drew Parker at [email protected].