Jaqc Allen Oral History Interview, 2015

Partial Transcript: So, to start off, can you tell me a little bit about yourself? Uh, this can include things like, how long have you been in Corvallis, and at OSU, what identities are relevant to you, and anything else that's important or salient to you.

Segment Synopsis: Jaqc gives an overview of salient identities, as well as positions held across campus.

Keywords: BCC; SOL; black cultural center; gender queer; multicultural network; native american

Partial Transcript: Can you share your coming out process as a queer individual?

Segment Synopsis: Jacq briefly describes some of their childhood experiences, and goes on to explain what it was like to come out to family and friends.

Keywords: OSU; coming out; gender queer; lesbian

Partial Transcript: How does your race, gender identity, and gender expression impact peoples' perceptions, expectations and interactions with you? And just to kind of give, um, some context on this, when we were talking earlier you kind of mentioned how you feel like, maybe people put expectations of masculinity on you that are also tied to race.

Segment Synopsis: Jaqc describes how they are been perceived by others since they started presenting in a more masculine way, and explains how being both gender queer and black impacts these perceptions, expectations, and interactions.

Keywords: black masculinity; gender queer; intersectionality; masculinity; micro-aggression; race

Partial Transcript: Um, so how did you get involved with the cultural resource centers and SOL?

Segment Synopsis: Jaqc explains the series of events, both positive and negative, which led to their involvement with SOL and the other cultural resource centers. Jaqc also describes how this process also coincided with them coming out while at OSU.

Keywords: CRC; Native American Longhouse; OSU Women's Center; SOL; coming out; cultural resource centers; multicultural network; office of equity and inclusion; student involvement

Partial Transcript: From your perspective, what resources does SOL provide to the LGBT people of color community?

Segment Synopsis: Jaqc talks about the challenges SOL has faced since its establishment at OSU 10+ years ago. They describe their personal interpretation of SOL's mission and vision, and suggests ways the cultural resource centers could combat SOL's invisibility on campus.

Keywords: CRC; QTPOC; SOL; collaboration; cultural resource centers; intersectionality; multicultural network; queer and trans people of color

Partial Transcript: Can you talk a little bit more about maybe what that resistance or lack of inclusion looks like?

Segment Synopsis: Jaqc describes their experiences, as well as those of some of their friends, in some of the cultural resource centers. Jacq points out that these spaces aren't as intersectional or inclusive as they could be. Jacq also considers ways this might be improved.

Keywords: CRC; OSU events and programming; QTPOC; SOL; cultural resource center; intersectionality; queer people of color

Partial Transcript: You've had a lot of experience working with, um, all the different cultural resource centers on campus--like, how do you think maybe the most successful way to move that forward, that like--creating that environment of inclusion, like what would that look like? Or what are strategies you've done that seemed to work the best?

Segment Synopsis: Jaqc describes what they have done through SOL so far to make the cultural resource centers a more inclusive environment on campus--including discussing procedures with OSU folks working in administration.

Keywords: Diversity and Cultural Engagement; NAL; Native American Longhouse; procedures; social justice

Partial Transcript: Do you have any critiques of SOL? Or, perhaps more accurately, the structure and resources that is provided to SOL by the university. How could SOL be better supported by Diversity and Cultural Engagement?

Segment Synopsis: Jacq describes how students working for SOL may need more formal support and mentorship from OSU faculty and employees, especially since they are all still learning how to run an organization.

Keywords: Diversity and Cultural Engagement; LGBTQ+ multicultural network; SOL; student activism; student workers; university support

Partial Transcript: In your opinion what has SOL's biggest successes been since you've worked with them?

Segment Synopsis: Jacq describes what SOL has given to the university and student life at OSU, even before they began working there.

Keywords: CRC; LGBTQ+ multicultural network; SOL; cultural resource centers

Partial Transcript: And then... what is--you mentioned this a little bit earlier but what is Project Social Justice and how did Project Social Justice impact your experience at OSU?

Segment Synopsis: Jaqc describes the structure of Project Social Justice (PSJ), and how the program helped them get to a place of self-reflection and self-acceptance.

Keywords: Charlene Martinez; graduate students; identity; intercultural student services; mentorship; project social justice; workshops

Partial Transcript: And the last question is: what were some of your experiences in the queer studies program and why were they significant to you?

Segment Synopsis: Jaqc provides the highlights of their experience in the queer studies classroom at OSU.

Keywords: Native American; Qwo-Li Driskill; Two-Spirit; education; lived experience; marginalized voices; queer people of color; queer studies