The Natural Gift
tion program. She says she has submitted hun holidays rolled around, she says she was feeling
dreds of class synopses and only has had one
increasingly frustrated.
denied by the colleges administration in more
During a December meeting for the Ameri
than three years. When she submitted the class can Association of Women in Community Col
“How to be happy and single in the couples leges, Kenney’s mind was wandering. She wasn’t
world” with “How to be happy, single and gay in
listening to the speaker at the podium. She was
a couples world,” she received a terse written thinking about a meeting she attended earlier in
response from an administrator: “Not at this the day in which she heard about the progress
time."
that Clackamas Community College has made
It was a pretty big message, Kenney says. “We
in changing the climate for gays on campus. She
don’t want your kind. We don’t condone that.
was thinking about how far she’d come in her
Stay in the closet, don’t talk about it.”
life and how much still needed to change at her
While the rejection was difficult, Kenney’s college. She was thinking about moving on—
resolve to make a difference at her college only about quitting.
strengthened. She got involved in the Ameri
“I was right at the brink of giving up,” Ken
can Association of Women in Community Col ney says. “As much as I love this college, I was
leges, helped start a scholarship fund, networked about to give up.”
with faculty and administrators around campus
But as her attention turned from her internal
and became the adviser for the Pride Students’ dialogue to the speaker, she realized the woman’s
Alliance, a struggling support group for sexual
words sounded familiar: Leadership. Undaunt
minority students.
ed. Struggle. Funny. Gusto. Champion.
Most importantly, Kenney started speaking
Kenney received the Carolyn Desjardins
out. The benefits offered to heterosexual
Leadership Award that aftemixin. Her friends,
employees exceeded those provided to domestic
mentors, protégés and onlookers stood in a
partners, so she approached the human thundering ovation. The award—a lavender
resources department.
colored plaque—was inscribed with these words:
The college never had offered or required “Because you have inspired, championed and
diversity training, so she invited a speaker to celebrated the talents within each of us.”
come and talk
“It gave me back
about issues in the
my strength,” Kenney
sexual minorities
says. “It was a huge sign
community.
She
to go forward.”
Pi'ide Students'
complained to ad
Alliance
ministrators about
anti-gay graffiti on
rogress
campus left un
GAY, LESBIAN, BISEXUAL,
touched. “I refused
enney says things
TRANSGKNOERED PEOPLES
& ALLIES
to be shamed,” she
are changing at
says.
the college. All staff
But in the midst
now receive equal ben
/| Empowerment
of Kenney’s quest to
efits across the board.
make a real differ
The college admin
General Meeting
ence, she found
istration soon will
room 1252
herself faced with
begin offering diversity
February 15, 2001 «oo» W 1 M
serious personal and
training. Complaints
health problems.
about
harassment
She was diagnosed
against sexual minori
with diabetes and
ties are being investi
then Graves’ dis The Pride Students’ Alliance is a growing
gated.
ease. She almost support group on the Gresham campus
Anti-gay graffiti
was killed in a car
has been removed
wreck when she blacked out at the wheel. The from bathroom walls. A safe bathroom has
accident left her in a coma with a bruised heart. been designated for trans students.
Her 10-year relationship had ended as well.
The Pride Students’ Alliance is meeting
Kenney says she knew the chain of events regularly and growing in numbers. And the
either would send her into a “downturn” or onto college recently sent Kenney to the Oregon
a higher road. She had to choose which course
Hate Crimes Conference, a gesture that has
she’d take; she decided to do something truly meaning to her.
“Mount Hood is looking at diversity issues
meaningful with her life.
Kenney resolved not only that her college at a much deeper level that it has ever before,”
must treat all people well but that she needed to she says. “Look at the incredible changes.”
But most significant to Kenney is a letter
treat herself well first. She started by taking a
running class at the college. Within a few sent to all staff from college president Dr. Bill
Becker denouncing harassment against any spe
months, she was running the Portland
cific group—including gay, lesbian, bisexual and
Marathon and had dropped 80 pounds.
transgendered people. “You can imagine how
traumatic this is for those targeted by such a
he sign
message,” he wrote. “We at Mount Hood Com
munity College do not tolerate any behavior
hen Measure 9 successfully qualified for that attacks a specific group or person.”
the November 2000 ballot, Kenney grew
The college will have a new president this
increasingly frustrated and angry that she didn
summer.
’t
He already has asked to meet with
have the same rights as her own staff. During her Kenney.
“For the first time on this campus 1 feel
3 1/2 years at Mount Hood, she says she has
wholly
supported from the top,” she says. “We
worked hard, improved her program by doubling
the number of courses offered in the continuing can’t ever go back. We’re moving
education program and grown to love the peo forward.” jm
ple she works with.
For more information about the PRIDE
But that hasn’t been enough. "I’ve done my
job and yet the message I get is, ‘You’re not as S tudents ’ A lliance send e-mail to
good as us,’ ” she recalls thinking. “1 was sick of psa_mhcc@yah.oo.com or call 503-491-7428.
being treated as a second-class citizen.”
JONATHAN K ipp is a Just Out staff reporter
Measure 9 failed to pass, but the race was
uncomfortably close, Kenney says. When the who can be reached ai jonathan@justout .com.
—
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