Lavender Lane Housing Initiative

I led advocacy efforts to establish Lafayette College’s first gender-affirming and gender-neutral housing option, working with students, staff, and administrators to create structural support for LGBTQ+ student wellbeing. The initiative addressed how traditional housing assignments often fail transgender, non-binary, and other LGBTQ+ students.

Process

• Documented the need for gender-affirming housing through student testimonies and research
• Developed a formal proposal addressing practical and policy concerns
• Advocated through official institutional channels while building grassroots support
• Designed implementation guidelines to ensure the space would be welcoming and sustainable

Impact

Lavender Lane opened as Lafayette’s first gender-neutral housing option and continues to support students today. This project helped lay the groundwork for lasting institutional change, demonstrating how community advocacy can reshape structures to be more inclusive and equitable.