Story by Cynthia Palomares
Students work toward getting Judy Shepard to Las Cruces
The Sexual and Gender Diversity Resource Center located at New Mexico State University finalized its contract with keynote speaker Judy Shepard, whose son was killed by homophobic criminals, after some debate with ASNMSU Council; she is now set to speak at the Las Cruces Convention Center from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Apr. 17, 2012.
The Sexual and Gender Diversity Resource Center members Ryan Garcia and Sharna Horn set up a booth at The Rocky Horror Picture Show held last semester. (Photo by Cynthia Palomares)
Sharna Horn, Coordinator of the Sexual and Gender Diversity Resource Center, along with NMSU students worked hard to create a bill to bring Judy Shepard to the NMSU campus, but James Graham, ASNMSU President, was forced to veto the bill due to procedural issues.
Student uproar
“I knew the consequences of my actions, but took an oath to protect students fees – in the end there is a very definite line between what is allowed and what is not,” Graham said.
He said his decision to veto the bill came from his concern with students’ fees and how those who paid for this year would have potentially not seen the benefit of their investment.
Adrian Trujillo, senior, was one of many students upset at the council’s decision to veto the bill.
“My initial reaction was that the President of ASNMSU possibly had some personal issues with the GLBTQ (Gay, Lesbian, Bi-sexual and Transgender) community,” Trujillo said.
The decision was overturned midway through the fall semester, and the ASNMSU council adjusted the dates as to when Shepard would speak.
The backlash was heavy at first,” Graham said. “I weighed the good, bad and the ugly in the end but I am pleased with the outcome.”
“I think this is awesome because the voice of the senate really came into power here,” Trujillo pointed out.
Learning from Mathew’s story
Judy Shepard has honored the memory of her son by supporting the GLBTQ community by becoming an activist for the group after her son Mathew, 21, was brutally beaten and killed. Horn is familiar with Mathew’s story and has seen Shepard speak before. She believed it would be a great opportunity to have her speak to students and the Las Cruces community.
The importance of the event
Stonewall QSA, student organization on NMSU, held a coming out day, during which students were allowed to write on a door and walk through it, hense coming out. (Photo by Cynthia Palomares)
“Issues like these allow us to come together as a community and they help us fight some of the ignorance out there,” Horn said. “Hate’s not just targeted toward one group; it’s targeted toward many groups.”
Bringing Shepard to our community will impact how people think about the GLBTQ community. Due to her unfortunate story, Trujillo believes we will benefit from it because it has the power to impact the lives of others.
“It is so incredibly devastating that someone would be filled with so much hate that they would then take that hate and inflict such physical and emotional pain on someone because of their sexual orientation,” he said.
“Bullying someone due to their race, religion, country of origin, or sexual orientation is completely unacceptable,” Graham said.
“We can educate students to think about what they say before they hurt someone is one of the best possible solutions to begin making a change in our society,” he added.
Safe places at NMSU
The Mathew Shepard Foundation has a vision to replace hate with understanding, compassion and acceptance and also encourage respect for human dignity by raising awareness, opening dialogues and promoting change.
The Sexual and Gender Diversity Resource Center's work area is open to all NMSU students. Photo by Cynthia Palomares
To be attacked because you are different is unacceptable, but it occurs on campus and in our community. The Sexual and Gender Diversity Resource Center, the counseling centers and WAVE are safe places to turn to on the NMSU campus.
“I believe that we’re working on the community and making (NMSU) a safer place. Would I say it’s 100 percent safe? No. Would I say were safer than other campuses – yes, but it’s a work in progress,” said Horn.
The event will be free of charge for students who have already paid, but it will also be open to the public. Graham is expecting a high turnout from both students and the Las Cruces community.
“I hope the community can be supportive of (Judy’s) presence,” said Graham.
Judy Shepard will speak at the Las Cruces Convention Center from 7 – 9 p.m. A book signing will take place from 9 p.m. to 10 p.m., and her book will also be sold before and after the event for $20.
