New Haven Pride Center

Prism is a group founded in 1995 by a group of Yale students of color. Their objective: to combat homophobia in communities of color and racism in communities of queers. Many people on Yale’s campus felt that Prism was an obsolete organization because of the increasingly diverse LGBT Co-op. However, the co-op is an umbrella organization for all the queer groups at Yale and is not intended to focus on issues of color in the LGBT community.

Because many thought this organization to be void, Prism fluttered to non-existence. This year, 2009, Prism will be back and better than ever.

Prism’s mission is to provide a safe space for queers of color to speak openly about their concerns while not excluding other non-colored/non-queer parties. We want to let people of color on our campus know that their sexualities are not to be feared but celebrated. In communities of color, many people struggle to openly embrace their sexuality. In many communities of color, the concept of “man” and “woman” have specific gender definitions and deviance from those roles can sometimes be fatal. While it is true that all communities have these roles, people in non-colored communities, specifically American whites, seem to be allowed to stray more than those in colored societies. There is a phrase whispered in the black community to describe men who wish to deviate from the “norm” while still maintaining “normalcy”; he is called a “down low man.” He is a gay hiding in straight’s clothing, fooling his family, friends, wife, and child. He sneaks out at night to be with his lover and comes back to his home when he is done. Issues like this will be discussed in Prism’s meetings: Is the “down low man” at fault or is he merely a product of his society?

Prism also aims to combat injustice in the queer community through activism and join with other Yale groups in order to achieve solidarity and strengthen our activist interests.

Another objective is to aid the greater New Haven community through acts of community service. We want to work with the youth so that they may start to love themselves and not think of their sexuality as a burden or a curse, but just another wonderful part of who they are. We want to raise money for charities and research so that no more of our loved ones will die from AIDS.

The services that Prism offers are invaluable. We are working hard to ensure its success for the coming school year and its presence for years to come.