Hello everyone. We hope you are all taking care of yourselves and each other during these tumultuous and unprecedented times. We would like to provide you with an update about how the Rainbow Center plans to move forward through the end of the semester:

• The Rainbow Center will be closed until further notice. Our professional staff will be telecommuting as schedules allow in order to continue providing support for ALL UConn students, staff, and faculty. Kelsey and Steven will each hold virtual drop-in office hours for folks who are looking to connect and get support. Individuals can sign up for a Zoom video call using their Calendly links listed below. Appointments last 15 minutes for Steven and 30 minutes for Kelsey. Folks are also still welcome to email the professional staff at rainbowcenter@uconn.edu and we can provide assistance that way as well.
  • Kelsey’s drop-in hours: Tuesdays from 10-11:30am. Sign up at https://calendly.com/koneil
  • Steven’s drop-in hours: Thursdays from 10-11am. Sign up at https://calendly.com/stevenfeldman
• All Rainbow Center sponsored events are henceforth cancelled, including our annual Drag Show and Lavender Graduation. Although we are deeply saddened to cancel these events, we are looking into online forms of programming and more information to follow in the coming weeks about what that might entail.
  • During this time, the folx at the Rainbow Center will be developing a way to honor and celebrate our Lavender Graduates. As such, we will be extending the deadline to register for Lavender Graduates through April 24th. Since one of the avenues we are considering will be to mail out to the UConn graduates a stole and rainbow tassel, our registration form will have an updated space to include a mailing address (safe recipient name, street address, city, town, zip). The nomination form for awards has also been extended through March 31st. The Lavender Graduation webpage can be found at https://rainbowcenter.uconn.edu/lavender-graduation/ 
  • Although all HIV/HepC testing dates at the Rainbow Center have been cancelled, our testing provider has made another arrangement for folx to be tested for HIV. Unfortunately, the HepC in-home testing is not available. Perception Programs is able to offer a free take home test for individuals who would like to know their HIV status. Perceptions Programs can mail it to you at your address (within the USA) free of charge. They will have to collect some basic information for record keeping which is the same information that they gather at the testing days normally at Rainbow Center. This test is an oral swab that will give you results in 20 minutes. It will start picking up HIV 3 months after exposure. Additional information on the test can be found at http://www.oraquick.com/. If you are interested you can call or text 860-208-0888 or you can email stephen.feathers@perceptionprograms.org. 
• We have posted a list of resources on our website that are available to the LGBTQIA+ community in response to COVID-19 at https://rainbowcenter.uconn.edu/covid19/. We encourage you to browse through these resources in addition to those put out from the University of Connecticut, the Center for Disease Control, and the World Health Organization.
• Students enrolled in UNIV 2500 Gender, Sexuality, and Community should look for email communications from Professor O’Neil regarding on-line assignments. The public portion of the Out to Lunch Lectures (OTL) are canceled through the end of the semester.

We are all adjusting to this new, online world of social distancing. Please remember to take care of yourselves and each other. Take deep breaths. We will get through this together. Know that those of us at the Rainbow Center are still here to support you through this!

Hello everyone.

By now, many of you have probably seen the most recent UConn communication about COVID-19. In light of this news, we would like to take this moment to address some questions we have been getting:

• The Rainbow Center will be closed beginning Friday, March 13th at 5:00pm to all outside business until at least April 6. Our professional staff will be telecommuting as schedules allow in order to continue providing support for ALL UConn students, staff, and faculty. We will provide further information via our website about what this will look like next week.
• All Rainbow Center sponsored events until April 6 are being cancelled and/or postponed. We will keep you updated regarding new dates for our events when we have that information to share.
• For students who are looking to remain on campus, we recommend reading the email that was sent to you from Residence Life and follow their directions by logging onto your MyHousing account and submit a March 23 – April 5 housing request form. If you, or someone you know, is concerned because going “home” isn’t a safe/affirming option for them to return or stay at until April 6, please also contact the Rainbow Center professional staff at rainbowcenter@uconn.edu with the subject line “Student Housing Concern” and we can help them make arrangements. As discussed at the Town Hall Meeting earlier today, students who are concerned about financial security during this time should connect with the Financial Aid Office. Folks may also contact the Rainbow Center professional staff at the email address above to keep us informed so that we may assist as needed.
• Students enrolled in Univ 2500 Gender, Sexuality, and Community should look for email communications from Professor O’Neil regarding on-line assignments. The public portion of the Out to Lunch Lectures (OTL) are canceled until at least April 6.

This has been a long and stressful week for every husky at UConn. Please remember that we are all looking out for each other. Take some time today to take care of yourself. Put away your phone and laptops for a couple minutes. Listen to music. Go for a walk. Do some deep breathing exercises. We will get through this together and the Rainbow Center will still be here to support you through this.

Rainbow Center Staff