Belen Blizzard is Concordia’s first-ever 2SLGBTQI+ student support coordinator

Artist and fifth-year women’s studies student Belen Blizzard is Concordia’s first-ever 2SLGBTQI+ student coordinator. Since assuming this role in September, they have been busy offering support, services and organizing events for trans and queer students.

Funded by the Equity Office, and situated within the Simone de Beauvoir Institute (SdBI), this new role will include mobilizing undergraduate students to organize a conference slated for May 2025.

Blizzard has always felt supported by Concordia’s thriving 2SLGBTQI+ community. But, they note, “there are so many queer and trans students across the university that don’t find community within their departments. Many are unaware of the various resources accessible to them on and off campus. So, I’m kind of there to be a bridge for those students.”

‘A breakthrough moment’

Lisa White is executive director of the Equity Office.

“We wanted to support specific 2SLGBTQI+ services and programming for Concordia students, and we partnered with the SdBI to explore next steps,” she explains.

“The SdBI leveraged its expertise to develop this new role, and the Equity Office is happy to contribute via our 2023–24 project funding from the Ministère de l’Enseignement supérieur.”

Kimberley Manning, principal of the SdBI, says this position will fill an important gap in the services offered by the university — needs formerly addressed, primarily, by student-led groups.

“Student groups at Concordia have long focused on 2SLGBTQI+ issues. The Centre for Gender Advocacy is an extraordinary organization in terms of the services they provide to our students but also the legislative work that they've been doing with respect to trans rights. And Queer Concordia has focused more specifically on LGBTQ issues,” Manning notes.

“But there has never been any kind of designated support, from the institution, for queer and trans students. And so, this is kind of a breakthrough moment.”

Manning says this represents a realization of the SdBI’s primary mission as a connector among feminists. “It is a gathering place, a place of support, of connection, of community,” she asserts.

“Incorporating Belen into that mix has been key with respect to providing services to students in a more official, structured way. They are a truly remarkable student, and we’re thrilled that they chose to join us in this venture.”

Active listening

A member of Concordia’s STRIVE subcommittee on transphobia and former SdBI student association executive, Blizzard already has extensive experience advocating for trans and non-binary young people — racialized young people in particular.

“Part of my role is to hold office hours for students to come by if they need to rant or chat. Active listening is central to peer support, listening without intervening,” Blizzard explains.

“It feels like very important work to be done within the university and I’m grateful.”

Blizzard will further develop and amplify resources available to 2SLGBTQI+ students, but also draw them into the SdBI’s Learning Centre and Lending Library.

As Manning notes, “The institute is a really inclusive space. We want underrepresented students from across the institution to know they can feel welcomed and supported here.”

“A lot of queer and trans students frequent this space and we have an amazing selection of books,” adds Blizzard, who also welcomes this excuse to remain at the SdBI a few months beyond their upcoming graduation in December.

Life, community and joy

Blizzard’s mandate will culminate in the student-led conference, “Towards Trans Joy and Justice.” As part of a joint effort, participating students will also receive guidance from Manning’s own research team, supporting trans and gender nonconforming young people and their parents;  community organizations working with queer and trans youth in Montreal; and Marlihan Lopez, events and outreach coordinator for the SdBI.

“This is a leadership opportunity for trans and non-binary students; they will devise the conference themselves,” Blizzard says. “We have chosen seven students, primarily Black, Indigenous and people of colour, to attend monthly workshops and then they can do whatever they want.”

“They will be the ones setting the agenda,” Manning adds. “The idea is to have a one-day research meeting and a one-day festival. We want to include music and art and bring some real sense of life, community and joy to the work. Because we all need it right now.”

Belen Blizzard, Concordia’s first-ever 2SLGBTQI+ student coordinator, can be reached at 2SLGBTQIcoord@concordia.ca.