Queer and Trans People of Color Collective

QTPOC (Queer and Trans People of Color) Collective serves a unique purpose as an RSO in the Amherst College community by addressing both national and institutional structures in place that have historically disadvantaged and continue to oppress students of color who exist outside of cisheteronormative society. The reach and purpose of the QTPOC Collective includes but is not limited to: Cultivating a safe and affirming space for LGBTQ+ students of color who self-identify as queer and/or trans, including questioning individuals and allies that recognize the intersectionality of queer/trans identities with race, class, and other factors Fostering a sense of community and belonging among self-identifying queer/trans students of color by centering experiences outside of whiteness Organizing a space that allows for: Political action, activism, and student advocacy that addresses national/international systems of oppression Pushing for institutional and communal accountability surrounding issues that affect QTPOC both directly and indirectly, including healthcare, access to resources, faculty and staff representation, policing, etc Education, particularly about issues that impact QTPOC and other marginalized intersectional identities Collaboration with other RSOs, OICR (Office of Identity and Cultural Resources), and other on-campus departments to address the absence of intersectionality in many cisheteronormative and white-centric spaces on campus Connection with the broader queer community within the Pioneer Valley and the Five College Consortium