Portland State University’s Women, Gender and Sexuality Studies (WGSS) department has received a $100,000 grant from the Mellon Foundation. The department, one of the oldest in the Pacific Northwest, will use the grant to strengthen its regional and campus connections, which were affected by the pandemic. Associate Professor Miriam Abelson noted that the grant’s timing aligns with the department’s plans to reassess its future direction and rebuild its connections.
The department’s project, ‘Build as We Fight,’ will be led by Abelson, Molly Benitez, and Kai Hang Cheang. The project’s goal is to provide a supportive environment for LGBTQ+ individuals and teach them how to apply theory to social transformation. This is particularly important given the current challenges faced by LGBTQ+ communities and communities of color.
The department aims to not only envision a more equitable future but also implement it. Benitez explained that the project is an opportunity to include diverse perspectives from historically marginalized communities, thereby enriching our understanding of the human experience.