FSU Panama City hosts 3rd annual Out in the South event
On Oct. 8, Florida State University Panama City will host Out in the South, a forum to educate and affirm experiences of the LGBTQ+ and underrepresented communities.
The third annual event is set for 1-4 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 8, in the St. Joe Community Foundation Lecture Hall at the Holley Academic Center at FSU Panama City, 4750 Collegiate Drive. Scheduled to coincide with LGBTQ+ History Month. Out in the South will include guest speakers, panel discussions and giveaways, including $100 in gift cards. Check-in begins at noon.
“Historically, college campuses have played a critical role in enacting social change,” said FSU PC Interdisciplinary Social Science professor Robert Cvornyek. “I will let people know how they can channel their efforts in local organizations.”
Through community partnerships with institutions and organizations, including Gulf Coast State College, the LGBTQ+ Center of Bay County and Equality Florida, FSU Panama City will bring together a diverse population of LGBTQ+ individuals and allies to celebrate the unique cultures and build a supportive community for everyone.
Keynote speaker Nadine Smith is the co-founder and CEO of Equality Florida, the state’s largest organization dedicated to ending discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity. Earlier this year, Smith was named to the 2022 TIME100, the magazine’s annual list of the 100 most influential people in the world.
Out in the South also will feature presentations from the Rev. Fr. Rian Adams on “Religious Freedoms and What it Means for Equality,” and Dr. Jonathan Applebaum, professor at FSU in Tallahassee, will discuss “LGBTQ+ Health and Wellbeing.”
Admission to Out in the South is free; register at EventBrite: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/out-in-the-south-2022-tickets-399061773507.