Inaugural Post: Welcome to uRap!

"You're gay?!" a queer friend of mine from freshman year exclaimed in response to my sudden and impromptu coming-out.

"Yeah," I laughed, nervously, "And I'd really like to get into the USC LGBT community, but I don't know how..."

He excitedly went on to tell me about all of the opportunities to be Out and About on campus. The list was a little overwhelming at first, but was eventually punctuated by his enthusiasm for a group he called "uRap."

According to him, it was probably the best way to get an introduction to the USC LGBT community, as it provided a safe space for open discussion about a wide array of queer-related topics, as well as a great support system of queer peers.

It was great news as transitioning, in any way, shape, or form, can be nervewracking, to say the least.

I was the new kid all over again.

So when I showed up to uRap for the very first meeting, and found myself facing a room of a couple dozen fellow uRappers (many of whom already seemed well acquainted with one another as well as the overall gist of the LGBT community), I was a little anxious.

But all of that anxiety was laid to rest almost as soon as we started talking. And laughing.

And bonding.

What I discovered was that uRap was more than a support group: it was a close group of friends and an opportunity to tap into both the overarching LGBT community as a whole, as well as my own place within it.

It was a group of like-minded, open, warm, and interesting people: richly diverse in background and interests, but alike in goals and need for and contribution to forming a withstanding community.

uRap is a community.

That being said, this year our goals as uRappers will be to continue this strong sense of fellowship, as well as broaden our understanding of other, less overt aspects of the LGBT culture and community.

Our theme, then, is "Building Bridges": the idea that we (that is, all individuals both within and without of the LGBT network) are all interconnected, and should take proactive steps toward understanding and coming to terms with a community that is bigger than ourselves. That is, through discussion and bonding, to forge new bonds, or strengthen pre-existing bonds, with other communities that share our space, as well as with one another as LGBT (and Ally!) individuals.

I'm excited for the coming year as uRap coordinator, and I can't wait to see what kinds of new discussions and ideas are waiting to sprout up, as well as what new friendships we're going to make.

It's going to be a great year!

Vickie Toro
uRap Coordinator

PS
This blog is brand-new to the uRap experience! Be sure to check in periodically to keep up with news, videos, etc., and always feel free to comment and stay involved!

We chose to put up a separate blog for uRap for a couple of reasons:
1. It is more confidential than facebook and myspace, and therefore better abides by the golden rule of the uRap tradition;
2. Not everyone may have a facebook or myspace page, and this seemed more accessible.

If you have any private questions or concerns, feel free to email us at urap@usc.edu.

Or if it's REALLY personal, just me at vtoro@usc.edu.

See you soon!