Unity Center not deterred by vandals

Flag torn down but the fabric of Valley College’s community remains strong

By Kenya Harris

Engineering major Alejandra Contreras, a registration assistant at the Dream Resource Center, stands in front of the Unity Center with the LGBTQIA+ flag that was torn down by vandals in August. (Astrid Cortez | Valley Star).

The Rainbow Pride Center is prepared to withstand future hate crime attacks with four pride flags at the ready.Over the summer, vandals ripped the LGBTQIA+ Pride flag off its post in front of the Unity Center. The Rainbow Pride Center reported the act of vandalism and the destroyed flag was replaced within two days.

“Up until that point, I had felt this was a welcoming campus,” said Rainbow Pride Center counselor Natalie Guerrero. “In the back of my mind, I still knew some people would go out of their way to do something like that.”

The crime was discovered on the morning of Aug. 2 by the center’s student equity secretary and was reported to the sheriff. In the days after the vandalism, measures were taken to ensure the safety of the LGBTQIA+ community on campus.

“At the beginning, I felt shocked,” said center employee Alej Contreras. “You didn’t expect it. It reminds me to be careful about my surroundings.”

An emailed statement was sent out to the campus community from President Barry Gribbons condemning the attack and reaffirming Valley’s “undeterred support for our LGBTQIA+ community.”

Crimes against the queer community have been on the rise in the United States. The Anti-Defamation League and GLAAD recorded 356 anti-LGBTQ+ hate crimes between June 2022 to April 2023. That is more than double the number of incidents recorded within the same time period in 2020.

“We want our students to know that we are actively taking steps to make our campus a safe place,” said Guerrero.

Guerrero added that part of the work in making the campus safe is outreach at community events and education. Holding events like student panels where people can come together regardless of their identity and engage with the community on campus is an important part of building support for those who need it most.

“And so it’s a daily choice and part of our activism and social justice that we have to keep moving forward,” said Guerrero, who keeps the extra pride flags in a drawer at the center.. “Our community is very strong, especially with the hate crimes that sometimes happen in our country…our students feel like it’s scary, but we cannot go into hiding.’’