There are many reasons to include allies in LGBT related programming, such as:

• Allies learn more about the LGBT Community

• LGBT folks feel supported by the presence of supportive allies

• The more people at your program the more successful

So, getting people interested in, and attending, our programming is the real trick.  Here are a few suggestions:

• Invite allies to be a part of your planning process.  Resident Assistants, other student group leaders and staff advisors, representatives from the Activities Board, and others make great committee members.

• Identify a really supportive ally in the administration at your school (the Dean of Students, Director of Residence Life or the Provost).  Ask them to be a spokesperson for you.  They can influence other administrators, faculty and staff to participate – all of whom will have connections to students as well.

• Consider organizing programs specifically geared towards allies.  Workshops or forums on how to be a better ally, invite guest lecturers to campus who are out as allies, etc.

• Provide information for allies.  PFLAG is a great source for this.  Find out if there is a local PFLAG Chapter in your area.  Go to their meetings, invite them to your events and programs, co-sponsor each other’s events. 

• If you have a Safe Zone or Safe Space program on campus, talk about your programming during the training or hand out fliers with the Safe Zone stickers/logos.

• Use the mailing list from the Safe Zone program or other events to advertise your programs.

• Connect with other multicultural groups on campus that have similar missions.  If the Black Student Union at your school works to end discrimination and oppression, you have something in common.  This is especially helpful if you have a LGBT person of color coming to lecture on campus.  Other groups to connect with are Women’s Center groups, Equal Opportunity Offices, Social Work students, Disabilities Offices, etc.

• Many Freshman Seminar courses require students to attend events on campus, make sure you send fliers to the instructors of those classes.  You might want to include a letter with more information about the program, what their students may get out of attending and that you are asking all of the Freshman Seminar instructors to announce this in their class.

These are just a few ideas.  We hope this helps, but remember, sometimes all it takes is a simple personal invite.  Please send us your thoughts on how to reach out to allies that work on your campus.

Source: Campus Pride, 2006.