SUNY Old Westbury students will have the opportunity to engage with queer art and history through an upcoming trip to the Leslie-Lohman Museum of Art. Designed as a larger, more immersive event, the trip reflects a growing effort to expand student experiences beyond traditional learning.
The Leslie-Lohman Museum Trip will take place on Friday, May, 1, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. The trip, hosted by OW Rainbow and the History and Philosophy Club, invites students to attend a museum that focuses on showcasing queer-focused art in New York, featuring thousands of art pieces made by LGBTQ+ people.
Attendees will be picked up at the Student Union at 11 a.m. and should expect to have their transportation, museum tickets and lunch to be paid for by the school. Students can expect to view a variety of art pieces made by LBGTQ+ artists, including exhibits created to give different perspectives of queer love.
The goal of the event is to show people the importance of LGBTQ+ art and history, to show that LGBTQ+ individuals want to be safe and heard in the world.
“We hope people take away that we’re still here during this climate that we’re in, in America,” said Beranna Beckett, president of OW Rainbow.
Beckett said the museum is an important part of LGBTQ+ representation.
“In the current climate, where a lot of queer and people of color’s voices are being taken away and removed, this stands as a place that wants to be here and wants to be shown,” Beckett said. “We are still going to keep doing what we do, no matter what and contribute to our communities.”
Jillian Crocker, director of women’s, gender and sexuality studies, otherwise known as the WGSS, at SUNY Old Westbury, emphasized the educational value of these experiences. She noted that representation – whether in art, history, or schoolwork – helps students understand how their personal identities connect to larger narratives.
“Learning about their history is an important piece about understanding how their story fits in with the stories of so many others who have come before them,” Crocker said.
About 39% of LGBTQ+ young people seriously considered attempting suicide in the past year, according to a 2024 U.S. National Survey on the mental health of LGBTQ young people conducted by the Trevor Project, a crisis intervention and suicide prevention organization for LGBTQ youth.
Campus initiatives and events that center around the identities of LGBTQ+ individuals can play a meaningful role in countering those experiences by fostering a sense of connection and belonging on college campuses.
Crocker also highlighted the importance of LGBTQ+ initiatives and programs on college campuses.
“Support for programs like WGSS, support for LGBTQ+ studies programs, whether as a minor or as a major, hiring initiatives that underscore folks with expertise in LGBTQ+ studies and WGSS who can teach those courses from their areas of specialization,” said Crocker. “I think are all very important ways that colleges can invest in the academic fields of LGBTQ+ studies and the WGSS more broadly.”
Including LGBTQ+ inclusive policies and practices in schools were linked to students’ sense of self-worth, according to a study published by the National Institutes of Health.
Despite progress, challenges remain. Queer artists and creators still face barriers to recognition and funding in mainstream spaces. Crocker emphasized the need for continued support.
“The more that we can do to support artists and writers,” Crocker said. “The more space we create for marginalized voices to come to the surface.”
Ultimately, the trip aims to create not only an educational experience, but also a sense of shared belonging, reinforcing the value of representation both on campus and beyond.
“It feels more and more important to take up space and show that we are present, we’re not going anywhere,” said Beckett. “We want to be safe and heard.”
The Leslie-Lohman Museum Trip hosted by OW Rainbow and the History and Philosophy Club at SUNY Old Westbury. 11 a.m. on Friday, May 1. Transportation, tickets and lunch paid for by the school.
