Voice chapels have gone from having 30 consistent students attending to 80-100 students consistently attending.
Voice chapels take place in Hart Auditorium on Wednesdays from 11-11:30 a.m.
Voice is an organization on campus with the purpose of providing a safe space for people to explore the concept of their spirituality and sexuality. Voice does not exist as a political group, but instead, a place to educate and love all people.
Lauren Ramsey, a senior education major from Frisco, is the chaplain of Voice and says the organization is extremely important to this campus and provides a place where people can be themselves and feel respected and loved for who they are.
“I believe a lot more people are coming to Voice’s chapels and events because they realize the need for this organization on campus and people are starting to realize that this community needs to be loved and supported in the same way that Jesus loves,” Ramsey said. “I’m so excited to see such large involvement in our organization this year and it really shows that we are touching people’s lives and making a difference on campus. It is hard to be openly gay on campus, much less an advocate and it truly does make it all worth it to see this impact that we are making.”
Ramsey is typically in charge of Voice chapels, but on occasion, other officers or guest speakers will take charge as well. The topic of Voice chapels vary based on topics that Voice sees fit for the week. Topics and issues within the LGBTQ+ community are not always discussed every week. February is spent on discussing Black History Month, and Voice spends time in September talking about suicide prevention and awareness.
Voice hosts chapels and events just like other organizations, as well as small groups where deeper and personal conversations take place. Recently, there has been a lot more engagement in these chapels and small groups.
Since this peer education and support group was created in 2012, Voice has grown so much and as of the Fall of 2020, it became an official organization.
Elizabeth Dzina, a junior multimedia major from Dallas, is the treasurer and event planner for Voice said that Voice is a community where students know that they deserve to feel safe and heard.
“I feel Voice chapels are beneficial for students of the LGBTQ+ community who have heard many negative things just for who they are and the struggle between their faith and sexuality is very hard,” Dzina said. “The stories of others are the reason I go to Voice chapels, and it is very humbling because everyone has a story and everyone deserves to be heard and to share their struggles through life.”
