By Dalton Patterson
Staff Writer
The DMACC United Club is one that strives to create an area where students can sit and talk about what can be done to bring the DMACC student body closer together as a whole. The DMACC United Club meets Wednesdays at 12:15 p.m. on campus. This club aims to establish a more open community at DMACC as well as offer support to students in need or just those curious about the LGBTQ community. Like most clubs DMACC United is eager for new members to further expand horizons and open conversations. The club invites people to stop by to find out more. Some of its current members include advisors Professor Krystal Cox and Professor Jennifer Wojcik, and the Club’s President Natasha Tellinghuisen.
“We discuss what we can do to help out the other clubs around campus. Whether it’s pitching ideas for activities or assisting in events. We also help out with fundraisers and campaigns when we can,” Tellinghuisen said. The club itself only has five official members. With the rotation of interested students coming and going, the head count for this kind of volunteering can vary.
(Krystal Cox)
Upon emailing Instructor Krystal Cox for more on the club, she had this to say.
“My role in the club is that of a faculty adviser. While our dedicated membership changes per semester it’s usually higher in this spring.” When asked if this club has improved it’s member college experience she said: “While this group is no different than others, in the fact that you get what you put in, I can wholeheartedly say that “yes” I know of members who have benefited from having the support of like-minded individuals and hetero participants who have learned a good deal by having conversations with members of the LGBTQ+ community.”
In her final statements of the interview Tellinghuisen wished to talk more on how the club has reflected upon her and her own thoughts on it. “I think it has. It gives us all a chance to think about everyone else and not just ourselves, and work towards making
(Natasha Tellinghuisen)
DMACC an emotionally safer place, as well as giving us a better outlook on life when we help out people in need.” Tellinghuisen said her experience in the club has been a positive one. “We work with other clubs and schools to create awareness of the LGBTQ+ community (we had a book club that involved a lot of inside last year and plan on another in the spring), we are currently planning a fundraiser to collect money for sending mosquito nets to places with high malaria outbreaks, and in the spring we expect to start a fundraiser to send supplies to San Jose in hope to help them out. This club is a very positive environment and I love it.”