Campus organizations change and evolve over time and one of the most recent transformations was PRIDE, formerly known as the Unity Alliance. PRIDE was officially brought to campus during the fall 2011 semester and is beginning to break ground this semester.
According to PRIDE Vice President Susan Degnan, "The Unity Alliance's main mission was to promote acceptance on Longwood's campus, and we felt we had already reached that point of acceptance."
Degnan added that the Unity Alliance had garnered a negative reputation due to some group members, and it was the desire of many to "refresh as a new group which promoted advocacy."
PRIDE President John Berry Jr. said he hopes PRIDE will eventually become a campus-wide organization. "I hope that we will achieve a better sense of knowledge to educate the campus on issues regarding our community, which includes a vast group of people … not just a few people who are gay, bisexual, etc."
Berry added that PRIDE aims to help students develop individual pride. "As people who go to Longwood, we all experience a pride in just being a Lancer, and there's individual pride we all contribute to," he said.
Chantal Gamble, PRIDE secretary, agreed that PRIDE is not just about sexual orientation. "My interpretation of pride is no longer the rainbow gay club, but just … being proud of who you are no matter what you may be. No matter what your sexual orientation is, no matter what your color is, it's just pride in yourself."
As for students who are struggling with who they are, Gamble suggested looking into the It Gets Better Project at itgetsbetter.org. "It will get better," she said. "There will be a silver lining. Not everybody is going to shun you and reject you for who you are."
Degnan added that PRIDE members are available to any students who wish to speak about their struggles in confidence. She said, "We're always here, always around and willing to talk." She added that various professors with "ally" symbols on their office doors are also more than happy to talk with students.
Above all, Berry said it is essential to place being honest and respectful to yourself before everything else. He added, "Before you can be part of organizations, before you can go out of your college, out of your home, out of your family … you need to find a sense of who you are because you can't really support or help others without being true to yourself first."
PRIDE has several upcoming events, including a Valentine's Day social on Feb. 15, the annual Fearsome Foursome and Redemption Prom events, a No Hate photo shoot and a drag show that will be put on with members of Hampden-Sydney College.
As for the future of PRIDE, Berry said he hopes to come back to Longwood decades from now and see the organization with 100 members. "That's where I want to see this organization go," he said. "Growing and promoting the type of pride we stand for. Every pride is what we stand for."
Berry said he appreciates the on-campus support PRIDE has from students and administrators alike and hopes to see attendance at the club's meetings rise. "If we have a bigger group, we can do bigger things," he said. Those interested in PRIDE general meetings can go to Ruffner 115 at 7 p.m. every Wednesday.
