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Join SAFE@HFC for Ally training on June 20

Release Date
Event Date
-
Location
Andrew A. Mazzara Administrative Services & Conference Center (ASCC) (Building L) Rosenau Rooms or online via Zoom.
Image of a rainbow colored name tag that says, "Hello, I'm an ally."

T he campus organization SAFE@HFC is offering its annual Ally training training for employees and students who wish to serve as Allies to the LGBTQ+ community. The training will take place Monday, June 20, from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.

Register to participate in-person or on Zoom

  1. You may participate in-person in the Rosenau Rooms on the first floor of the Andrew A. Mazzara Administrative Services & Conference Center (ASCC) (Building L). Lunch will be provided to those who attend in person.
    Register to attend in person by emailing Beth Preston.
    You may also call Beth at 313-317-1530. She will answer questions and provide more information.

  2. You may participate online via Zoom.
    Register to attend on Zoom

We are grateful to the following organizations who are sponsoring this year’s Ally training:

  • HFC Adjunct Faculty Organization, AFT Local 337
  • HFC Support Staff Association
  • HFC-AFT Local 1650 Full-time Faculty Union
  • HFC Local 71 Administrators Union
  • HFC Division of Student Affairs

Mark Saint Amour will serve as the facilitator

This year’s facilitator is Mark Saint Amour (they/them/theirs), the co-executive director for the Center for Whole Communities in Burlington, VT. Mark uses they/them pronouns. Saint Amour is an alumnus of Grand Valley State University, where they graduated magna cum laude with their bachelor’s degree in business administration, with a major in entrepreneurship and general management and with a minor in criminal justice. Saint Amour has been active in the non-profit field for more than 10 years, primarily with a diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) focus.

Currently, Saint Amour, who lives in Saugatuck, is completing their master’s degree in criminal justice and social work with a focus on social, restorative, and environmental justice. They will graduate in 2023.

“I practice servant leadership utilizing a harm-reduction model, system change theory, and collective impact, an intersectional and critical equity lens, healthy feedback loops with active and constructive listening techniques, and a radical lean into empathic and vulnerable communication that is open, honest, and transparent, and centers personal accountability and growth among all parties,” said Saint Amour.

What is an Ally?

An Ally is a person who is open and knowledgeable toward LGBTQ+ issues. Allies choose to openly, actively, consistently provide support for – and advocate for – LGBTQ+ individuals and communities. Allies support full and equal civil rights, gender equality, and positive social change. They stand against discrimination and phobias: homophobia, biphobia, and transphobia.

Allies are often – though not always – cisgender, straight individuals who are:

  • Good listeners
  • Dedicated to bringing about positive change
  • Continually educating themselves
  • Not seeking to be the center of attention
  • People who acknowledge their privilege
  • Always working to expand understanding and acceptance
  • Respectful of other people’s privacy and safety

“We recommend that all Allies at HFC participate in Ally training to create a community consensus on what an Ally is and how you can be supportive and welcoming to the LGBTQ+ members of the HFC community,” said HFC Financial Aid Specialist Beth Preston the SAFE@HFC advisor and co-founder.

Register soon so we can get an accurate count

The Ally training is free and open to HFC employees and students. In-person attendance is limited to 50 people. Lunch will be provided for those who are attending in-person.