California State University, Bakersfield kicked off this year’s OUTober celebration by raising its pride flag on Wednesday.
The ceremony featured comments from speakers including President Vernon B. Harper Jr., Associated Students Inc. President Anthonio Reyes as well as representatives from the LGBTQ+ affinity groups on campus.
“The flag represents the courage and the activism of thousands of people who have sacrificed more than we will ever know for the freedoms and liberties that are the birthright of every human being,” said President Harper. “When our campus family and guests see this flag, they will know that CSUB is a place that celebrates and champions each and every one of our students, faculty and staff.”
Assistant Professor of Critical Pacific Islands and Oceana Studies and Asian American Studies Dr. Jeremiah Sataraka received the Rainbow Campus Champion Award during the event in recognition of his leadership and support of the LGBTQ+ community on campus.
He has previously served as co-chair of the university’s LGBTQ+ Faculty and Staff Affinity Group and has helped organize campus events such as the Lavender Graduation and the first-ever Transgender Day of Remembrance last year.
“He has worked tirelessly to develop a framework of acceptance and kindness on our campus through his work with various organizations,” Dr. Harper said. “Jeremiah, thank you for being a role model and a safe haven for our students, and for championing the importance of being authentic to ourselves and our community.”
Ana Reyes, president of the LGBTQ+ Network student club, said the flag-raising ceremony is an important annual tradition that holds a lot of meaning for many LGBTQ+ students at CSUB.
“Seeing the pride flag being raised on campus sends a powerful message of ‘you belong here.’ That visibility matters because it affirms that every person deserves to walk on this campus with dignity and pride,” she said. “This flag sends a clear statement that we will not be erased and we will not be silenced. As much as this flag is a symbol of joy, it is also a symbol of resilience.”
Wednesday’s flag-raising ceremony was just the first in a series of events being held throughout October recognizing the university’s LGBTQ+ faculty, staff and students. OUTober is held in conjunction with LGBT History Month.
Here is a list of some of the other major public events coming up:
Oct. 16: Brown bag discussion with Professors D Solis and Sam DeLaCruz; 12 p.m. in the Stockdale Room; “Queering the Sacred in the Central Valley,” 5 p.m. in the Albertson Room.; Expression Nights, 7 p.m. at the Student Union patio.
Oct. 21: “Pride and Peace of Mind: Mental Health in the LGBTQIA+ Community,” 1:30 p.m. in Rohan Hall Room 115.
Oct. 23: PRIDE Night at the volleyball game against UC San Diego, 5 p.m. in the Icardo Center.
Oct. 24: “Daniel Day: A Day of Service,” 9:30 a.m. in the Edible Garden.
Oct. 28: “Demanding Space! LGBTQ+ Student Organizing in Kern County in the 1970s and Beyond,” 6 p.m. in the Student Union Multipurpose Room.
Oct. 29: Candy Salad Creations, 1:30 p.m. in Rohan Hall Room 115.
Oct. 30: Sexual Ethics Education Fair, 1 p.m. on Red Brick Road.
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