On April 10, the Shippensburg University community took a vow of silence to honor the LGBTQ+ community.
The Day of (No) Silence was organized by the Pride and Gender Equity (PAGE) Center.
It is an annual student-led demonstration that protests the bullying and discrimination that many youths within the LGBTQ+ community face. It began in the 1990s and has grown into a national day of protest with hundreds of participants.
Several SU students took a vow of silence. The PAGE Center provided notecards, pins and other materials to indicate the vow of silence, along with encouraging participants to notify their professors of their vow.
Additionally, the PAGE Center offered silent activities from 4:30 to 6 p.m. These activities included coloring pages, books and board games.
After the silent activities, PAGE Center Director Miller Hoffman and peer educator Karmen Alicea led participating students to the CUB Amphitheater to break the silence.
“I have been silent today for my queer and trans friends and family whose voices were taken from them, who were stepped on by those who do not respect and love us,” said Alicea. “I am silent for unjust and unfair treatment that our community faces daily.”
The small group of students screamed together in a moment of unity, with some crying, yelling and standing in support.
After the silence was broken, the group of students were invited back to the PAGE Center for more activities, but with chatting being permitted.
For more information on PAGE Center events, visit its Instagram @ shippagecenter.
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