By Spencer Kelly

The Howard University Fifth Annual LGBTA Renaissance Reception was a beautiful celebration to highlight the University’s efforts to be more inclusive and share the accomplishments of students creating direct impact within the LGBTQ+ community. Presented by the Office of Student Affairs, the reception was hosted by Assistant Director of Intercultural Affairs Gaëlle Ivory alongside C.A.S.C.A.D.E. President Alexis Grady and Scholarship Fund Founder Christopher Cross. Additionally, C.A.S.C.A.D.E. was recognized for celebrating their 40th year as an organization: for all their efforts and hard work to strengthen the LGBTQ+ community to the University and beyond.

The keynote speaker was none other than New York Times Best Selling Author and Howard Alumnus Michael Arceneaux . He sincerely shared how his time at Howard shaped his identity and how he became more outspoken and more humble with his voice.

“I had to prove myself again, again, and again,” Arceneaux shared. “If I knew I proved people wrong, it would make it easier for people behind me to do better.”

Areceneaux’s experiences on campus taught him to love his black, queer self and he is so proud the Lavender Scholarship is supporting that effort across campus.

The Lavender Scholarship is funded by the Lavender Fund, to support students of the LGBTQ+ community in their efforts and initiatives for positive change and impact. This year, 18 applicants applied for the scholarship, representing 15 majors across the University. Common to previous years, 3 applicants are selected but this year, due to the increased pool of funds, 4 were given the honor of receiving this year’s scholarship.

The 2019 recipients are as follows:

Neeka Greene (he/him/his), junior political science major, classics minor from Cleveland, Ohio.

Martrese Meachum, graduate film student in the College of Fine Arts from Savannah, Ga.

Natalia Eugene (she/her), second year graduate student in the College of Medicine from Flushing, N.Y.

Brenton Brock, an English doctoral student from Selma, Ala.

Recipient Neeka Greene, who uses he/him/his pronouns, has hosted conversations in Ohio high schools about what sexual health education should look like as well as hosting screenings of LGBTQ+ films. He has started a foundation of queer representation and dialogue in his Cleveland community. Ohio is the only state that does not require sexual health education taught in schools. Greene wanted to change the narrative of how students should learn when it comes to inclusivity.

When Greene first came to Howard, he shared, “I noticed people were “screaming black, screaming queer, screaming doing whatever they want [...] and I noticed that if they can do it, I can do it better.” Howard has showed him that there is a difference between learning how to survive and learning how to live, and that’s the motivation he cares with him. Greene hopes to pursue his Ph.D. after graduating from Howard and be a librarian to preserve the history of books and information.

To donate to the Lavender Fund, please go to Howard.edu/give (search: ‘Lavender Fund' under ‘Choose Designations’).

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