Thank you for stopping by to learn more about the Coalition for Sexuality & Gender Identities. Take some time to look through our content and don’t hesitate to share how you’d like to get involved. Use the menu below to jump to a section of interest.
Please contact us at csgi@acpa.nche.edu or connect with the members of our Directorate Body with questions or ideas.
who we are
The Coalition for Sexuality and Gender Identities (CSGI) is one of the Entity Groups within ACPA charged to increase awareness, eliminate oppression, and provide support for the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender community in higher education, for faculty, students, and staff. We strive to further professional competencies related to topics as campus climate, equity, identity development, research & scholarship, and program development for the LGBTQ community.
csgi HISTORY
The roots of the Coalition for Sexuality and Gender Identities, CSGI, reach back to 1982, when a ground breaking idea called Opening the Closet Door was held at the 1983 convention. The “idea” quickly grew into a Task Force in 1984 with Kathy Obear and Amy Reynolds leading the way. In 1985, Mary McGhee went before the ACPA Executive Council and proposed that the Task Force become a Coalition (formerly “Standing Committee”). The proposal was accepted, and the Coalition for Lesbian, Gay and Bisexual Awareness was born. In 1998, Transgender was added to our name to more accurately reflect our goals and mission. Therefore, the title of the Coalition is formally known as Coalition for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Awareness (CLGBTA). In 2017, the Coalition was renamed to the Coalition for Sexuality and Gender Identities to more inclusively reflect the membership of the Coalition.
Statements of Commitment
- To educate the general membership of ACPA in order to increase their personal and environmental awareness of the social, psychological, health-related, political, economic, professional, legal, and spiritual realities of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender persons.
- To work actively to eliminate the overt and covert oppression of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender persons within ACPA and on college and university campuses.
- To protect and advocate for the basic human rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender students and colleagues.
- To provide support for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender members, as well as allies by reducing professional isolation.
- To appreciate the diversity within our membership and to work separately and in coalition with other groups to eliminate sexism, racism, classism, ableism, heterosexism, and other forms of oppression within our own membership, as well as within ACPA and on our college and university campuses.
News & Updates
Resources
LGBTQ Peer Review Scholarly Journals
Canadian Online Journal of Queer Studies in Education Website: http://jqstudies.library.utoronto.ca/index.php/jqstudies/index Columbia Journal of Gender & Law Website: http://cjgl.cdrs.columbia.edu/ Duke Journal of Gender Law & Policy...
CSGI Databases of LGBTQ+ Scholars & Scholarship
Introduction The Coalition for Sexuality and Gender Identities is compiling a database of faculty, graduate students, and student affairs professionals who are engaging in LGBTQ+ research within Higher Education and Student Affairs. These database is a way for...
Transgender Resources
The Coalition for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Awareness is committed to increasing awareness and encouraging education on Transgender Issues. This page is a start of that education. Organizations/Internet Resources Gender Education and Advocacy (GEA)...
LGBTQ Peer Review Scholarly Journals
Canadian Online Journal of Queer Studies in Education Website: http://jqstudies.library.utoronto.ca/index.php/jqstudies/index Columbia Journal of Gender & Law Website: http://cjgl.cdrs.columbia.edu/ Duke Journal of Gender Law & Policy...
CSGI Databases of LGBTQ+ Scholars & Scholarship
Introduction The Coalition for Sexuality and Gender Identities is compiling a database of faculty, graduate students, and student affairs professionals who are engaging in LGBTQ+ research within Higher Education and Student Affairs. These database is a way for...
Transgender Resources
The Coalition for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Awareness is committed to increasing awareness and encouraging education on Transgender Issues. This page is a start of that education. Organizations/Internet Resources Gender Education and Advocacy (GEA)...
CSGI Spirituality Resources
Affirmation Affirmation is an organization for Gay and Lesbian Mormons which serves the needs of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender LDS and their supportive family and friends through social and educational activities. Axios Axios is a resource site for Eastern...
Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Resources for Students
Campus Pride National network for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Ally Student Leaders Delta Lambda Phi National Social Fraternity for Gay, Bisexual and Progressive Gentlemen Empty Closets A site that provides coming out resources and a safe place to chat...
CSGI Health and HIV/AIDS Resources
AIDS Healthcare Foundation In support of it's mission, AIDS Healthcare Foundation is committed to: 1.being a leader in the fight to provide comfort, care and support to persons infected with HIV or living with AIDS; 2. providing the finest healthcare services possible...
Ally & SafeZone Program Resources
The list below is a list of LGBT offices with paid individuals. Many also offer a Ally and Safe Place Program. We would like to thank the Consortium of Higher Education of LGBT Resource Professionals for developing the below list. While this list is not meant to be...
CSGI General Resources
American Civil Liberties Union The American Civil Liberties Union works to protect and defend the Constitution of the United States. American Veterans for Equal Rights The American Civil Liberties Union works to protect and defend the Constitution of the United...
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Meet the Directorate
Cole Eskridge
Immediate Past Chair
They/Them
Mathew Ferguson
Equity Officer - Internal
He/Him/His
Seth Matteson-Bellitto
Equity Coordinator
He/Him
Kris Oliveira
Practitioner-in-Residence
He/Him
Michael Silvey
Praxis Coordinator
He/They
Dom Cristini
Praxis Director - Cabaret
He/him/his
Des Woods
Advocacy Coordinator
Hey/They
Cori Deming
Connectivity Coordinator
They/them
Cloe Bourdages
Vice Chair of Development
She/They
Benjamin Williams
Development Coordinator
He/Him
Jordan Smoot
Chair
He/They
Sam Lim
Equity Officer - External
They/Them
Kaity Prieto
Scholar-in-Residence
She/her/hers
Brian Gano
Vice Chair of Praxis
He/They
Jimmy Luckman
Praxis Coordinator
He/him/his
Julia Montminy
Praxis Director - Communication
She/Her
Sam Deming
Vice Chair of Connectivity
They/Them
Jason Norris
Connectivity Coordinator
He/Him
Ryan Moguel
Director of Development
He/Him
Connor Terry
Development Coordinator
He/Him
Zach Parker
Chair Elect
He/him/his
Lu GK
Equity Coordinator
They/Them
Sy Simms
Scholar-in-Residence
They/Them
Katie Buell
Director of Knowledge & Practice
She/Her
Tommy Lee Jr.
Vice Chair of Advocacy
He/Him
Sage Robles
Advocacy Coordinator
They/them
Evelyn Mendlowitz
Director of Connectivity
She/Her
Fredo Oliveira
Connectivity Coordinator
He/Him
Zack Mroz
Development Coordinator
He/Him
Past Chairs
Mary McGhee (1985-1987), Jim Croteau (1987-1989), Jamie Washington (1989-1991), Amy Reynolds (1991-1993), Julie B. Elkins (1993-1995), David Barnett (1995-1996), Julie B. Elkins (1996-1997), Jonathan Poullard (1997-1999), Jo Campbell (1999-2001), Gisela P. Vega (2001-2003), Keith Humphrey (2003-2005), John Fox (2005-2007), Claire Williams (2007-2009), Patrick I. Romero-Aldaz (2009-2011), Danielle M. Nied (2011-2015), Bill Huff (2015-2017), Michael Bumbry (2017-2018), Olajiwon McCadney (2018-2020), Katie Stygles (2020-2021), Sean Watson (2021-2022), Amanda Mollet (2022-2023), Ryan Jasen Henne (2023-2024), Cole Eskridge (2024-Present)
upcoming events
Get Involved
Become a member of the Coalition for Sexuality & Gender Identities! Support student learning in higher education by helping to share knowledge of best practices, policies, and programs for those who want to increase awareness, eliminate oppression, and provide support for the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender community in higher education.
Ready to join?
Joining an Entity through the ACPA Member Portal automatically identifies you as a member of that Entity! You will begin to receive Entity communications through their respective email listserv and have access to any resources they share!
- Login to your ACPA Member Account
- Click on My Profile
- Click on Entity Involvement Profile
- Find the entity you want to join and select the box next to the entity name.
- Save the extended fields at the end!
Contact csgi@acpa.nche.edu to learn more or ask questions!
Any ACPA member can become involved and there are varying levels of involvement:
- Attend our open business meeting at the annual ACPA convention
- Review conference programs for the annual convention
- Submit a sponsored program proposal for the annual convention
- Host an ACPA2GO Webinar
- Write a blog post to be featured in our blog section below
CSGI Awards
Annually in the fall semester, the Coalition for Sexuality & Gender Identities honors individuals and programs that contribute significantly to the field of higher education working with college students. Recipients are announced in mid-December and awarded at the next ACPA Convention.
Julie B. Elkins Outstanding Service Award: For significant contributions to CSGI through their support of and efforts for LGBT awareness in ACPA.
Public Service Award: For significant contributions to higher education and to their institution (or other institutions around the country) through support of and efforts in LGBT awareness.
Val DuMontier New Professional Award: Recognition of a new professional (1-5 years in the field) who has made significant contributions in the area of LGBT awareness.
Dr. Darin M. L. Stewart Research Award: Recognition for completed or ongoing research on LGBT issues, especially research that supports, engages, and lifts up QTBIPOC people and increases their life chances in postsecondary spaces.
Dr. Sheltreese D. McCoy Advocacy Award: For significant student or staff advocacy for QTIPOC communities
2024 – 2025 CSGI Award Nominations are OPEN!
Nominations will be accepted through Monday, September 30th at 11:59pm EST. If you have any questions, please contact Zack Mroz at zachary.mroz@northwestern.edu.
CSGI Blog
Times are Slowly Changing: LGBTQ Safe Spaces at HBCUs
January 2020 – Monthly Post for ACPA’s Coalition for Sexuality and Gender Zakiya Brown | CSGI's Practitioner-in-Residence | Lincoln University of Missouri Eighth-grade English are my earliest memories of acknowledging my attraction to the same gender. She was the...
Destigmatizing Mental Health and Illness for Queer and Trans Student Affairs Professionals
March 2019 – Monthly Post for ACPA’s Coalition for Sexuality and Gender Cat McGraw (she/her) | Boise State University Nick Daily (they/them; he/him) | The Claremont Colleges I'm Cat, and I'm Nick, and we experience mental health stuff. I'm Cathlene E. McGraw,...