Pride Center’s Trans Day of Remembrance Event Expands Inclusivity at CSUN 

By Teagan Davidge 

The University Student Union’s (USU) Pride Center hosted a Trans Day of Remembrance event last month to promote mental health and spread knowledge about the history of the trans and non-binary community. 

Craft activities, baked goods from a trans-owned business, and resource tables from various campus organizations helped to expand trans visibility on campus at California State University, Northridge (CSUN) and inform students about the communities that are offering support. 

“There are a number of students who identify as trans or gender non-conforming that are here on campus that have been speaking about some of the different challenges they’re experiencing,” said Martel Okonji, Pride Center manager. “We want to hold space for every student on campus and ensure that they can make it to graduation, and that looks like recognizing these holidays and days of significance, to celebrate and also bring awareness.” 

A community altar featured images and biographies that recognized influential “transcesters” that participated in trans rights movements. Students wrote messages on sticky notes to add to the altar while they learned and reflected on the struggles that trans people face. 

These positive messages are currently displayed in the Pride Center for students and faculty to reflect on throughout the day. 

“It is important to me that people leave this event knowing that there are people who identify with a different gender than they were born with, and to acknowledge that those people exist, and that they are important,” said Tam Tran, student event assistant at the Pride Center. “It’s also a crucial part of the event to honor their identities and the struggles that they have been dealing with.” 

There were also five resource tables that promoted available resources for the trans and LGBTQIA+ community. 

“CSUN students who identify as LGBTQIA+ might not even be aware that there is a Pride Center on campus and there is the Klotz Health Center that offers LGBTQIA+ resources,” said Tran. “Even though I work at the Pride Center, there is still stuff that I don’t know about the LGBTQIA+ community, so it’s good that we have these events for everyone to educate themselves and learn more about different identities that exist.” 

The event was met with positive feedback from the campus community, having created a welcoming and creative atmosphere for students to connect and gain a greater understanding of each other. 

Okonji also spoke about a conversation he had during the event with a student who felt they didn’t understand the trans community. He said the student changed their perspective after engaging with the event’s activities. 

“Sometimes, there are not spaces created to have these types of conversations. If we have more spaces to educate folks and allow them a space to talk about it, it can create a different environment,” Okonji said. “Some of us who knew about this were very excited to hear this person forming a more inclusive opinion about how they treat other students.”  

To check out other events hosted by the Pride Center and learn more about its resources, visit its website.