#WeGotThisCCSU
I came out as Trans nearly a month ago now. Since then, since I became Jacey to the world; I have testified in front of the Appropriations committee of the Connecticut General Assembly, I have been profiled in the school newspaper, I have taken part in a photo shoot and a women’s conference, I have volunteered at a benefit concert, gone to events and press conferences and, the whole time, I have been receiving support from so many of you at Central.
Going to Elect Her (which is the women’s conference I went to) I was able to relate to my fellow women, lift each other up, and realize we aren’t alone.
Being featured in an article written by two talented journalists, and getting to share my story felt super empowering as well, and when I read it I almost cried. (Actually I cry a lot more now but anyway that is besides the point.)
The rest of this stuff is standard for me. Except for having to wear heels more now (which can hurt a lot ) Going to public hearing, events, volunteering, etc. is how I stay involved in, and give back to, our community.
Right now I want to talk about why I try to be involved in the community, why I try to give back to it, and that is because of the help that I have been receiving, and what it represents to me.
The help that I have received isn’t something that just happened once, and it hasn’t taken the form of just one thing. People have helped me in what feels like every possible way. From correcting other people when they don’t know my new name or pronouns, to giving me emotional support, to taking me shopping, some even went as far as to donate old clothes and makeup!
This kind of help is more than just clothes though, it is more than just one person helping me in any one of these ways; it is even more than just one person helping me in all of these ways (which some people actually have done!). This help is a show of a kind of acceptance, a kind of love even, which is both stronger than the kind we feel for our family, and extends far beyond the kind we feel for our friends, it is the kind of love we feel for our community.
This love, this is why I want to give back to the campus.
This love, this is why when a friend of mine came up with the idea of doing a clothing swap for trans people, that I started talking to our Pride Club about it right now! (We are still working out all of the details so look forward to hearing more!)
And this love, this is why right now, I declare my candidacy for Vice-President of the CCSU Student Government Association.
The Vice-President is more than simply just the back-up president, it would even be unfair to describe the VP as even the assistant to the President. Rather our Vice-President has the responsibility to create and enforce the rules for which every Senator must follow.
If I am to be elected to this position I shall have high expectations for Senators, but shall be kind in my enforcement of them.
I have been on the Student Government Association longer than many of the people running, I have served as the Vice-Chair of the Public Affairs Committee for the Student Government, and I have even been elected to represent you on the Student Advisory Committee of the Board of Regents.
Serving our community for so long, has taught me what we need from student leaders, especially what we need from our Student Government.
We need a Student Government which is expected to do more. We need a Student Government where it is expected to show up to public hearings, where it is expected to show up to hall councils, and we need a Student Government where it is expected to show up to its own community service projects!
And we need our Vice-President to be expected to show the kind of love for our community for which I feel each and every day!
It might be a fight, but I think we got this CCSU!
~Jacey Long,
CCSU SAC Representative & SGA Vice-Chair of Public Affairs
