Spelman College will host a summit this Friday, April 29, examining gender and sexual politics at historically black colleges. The summit is being organized by the university's Women's Research and Resource Center.

“The summit is the culminating activity of a three-year advocacy project that engaged 11 HBCUs on the particular experiences of LGBT students, faculty and staff in an attempt to facilitate institutional change that acknowledges, values and respects difference,” Spelman noted on a web page for the summit.

The goal, according to organizers, is to present findings of the advocacy project and discuss strategies for creating inclusive campus environments. There will be four panel discussions, as well as a screening of the film “Bursting With Light” made by Spelman graduate Taryn Lee Crenshaw.

The program kicks off at 9 a.m. with a welcome from Beverly Daniel Tatum, president of Spelman College.

Panel discussions include:

Setting the Context: LGBT Communities in/and HBCUs moderated by M. Jacqui Alexander, research professor, Spelman College.

Panel participants include Ruby Nell Sales, Founder, The SpiritHouse Project, Anthony L. Pinder, director of internationalization, Georgia Gwinnett College, Gary L. Lemons, associate professor, African-American Literature, University of Southern Florida and Roderick A. Ferguson, associate professor and chair, department of American Studies, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities.

HBCU Administrators: LGBT Climate and Strategies for Change moderated by Johnnella Butler, provost, Spelman College.

Panel participants include Yvonne Ortiz-Prince, dean, Student Affairs, Huston-Tillotson University, Bettye Parker Smith, professor of English, former provost, Dillard University and Clarissa Myrick-Harris, interim executive director, United Negro College Fund.

HBCU Climate Issues: Student/Alumnae Perspectives moderated by Donna Hope, Spelman College, C'2000; program manager, City University of New York Building Performance Lab's Benchmarking Service Bureau.

Panel participants include Victoria Kirby, graduate assistant, Office of the President, Howard University, Daniel Edwards, co-chair, SafeSpace, Morehouse College, JeShawna Wholley, C'2011, past president, Afrekete, Spelman College and Moya Bailey, Spelman College, C'2005, Ph.D candidate (Women's Studies), Emory University.

Best LGBT Practices from the Field: Social Justice Organizations and University Collaborations moderated by Cynthia Neal Spence, associate professor, sociology; director UNCF/Mellon Programs, Spelman College.

Panel participants include Amit Taneja, associate director, LGBT Resource Center, Syracuse University, Donna Payne, associate director of diversity, Human Rights Campaign, Sharon J. Lettman-Hicks, executive director and CEO, National Black Justice Coalition and Matt Richardson, assistant professor, department of English/department of African and African Diaspora Studies/Center for Gender and Women’s Studies, University of Texas, Austin.

The summit will culminate with a tour of Spelman's campus and fine arts center.

For more information, please visit http://www.spelman.edu/about_us/distinction/womenscenter/events.

Top photo: Beverly Daniel Tatum, President of Spelman College (via spelman.edu)