The Triangle Coalition met Wednesday night to vote for a new logo and 2011-2012 executive board members.
Communications Officer Kayden Prinster said the logo change was a way for current members to be involved in decision making for the organization.
“I want to make sure that people that are coming to meetings get to have a say in what is going on,” Prinster said.
Senior Keri Smith designed the winning logo. Smith, who submitted different designs for consideration, created a logo using the colors of the LGBTQ flag and a black triangle. The black triangle is a queer symbol that originated during the Holocaust.
“I think that rebranding can be a positive step for any organization,” Smith said. “The old logo was nice, but with a new LGBTQ center logo and website, as well as a whole new center, it isn’t surprising that TriCo would want to update their logo.”
The outcome of the executive board voting will take affect next semester, with Emily Colvin becoming the new TriCo President.
“My hopes for the next year is that we continue to offer a space in which LGBTQ communities on campus can organize and grow, and that the opportunities associated with this space can be made available to more and more members of our communities,” current TriCo President Sean Jarvis said.
Outreach is something Prinster said he wants to see an increase in next year.
“That is one of the areas we have always lacked in, something we have never done very well,” Prinster said. “I hope we can continue to be a pretty big presence on campus.”
Another significant addition to TriCo is the Legislative Liaison position. Jarvis said he has wanted to create this type of position since he began working with TriCo.
“I wanted to take the pressure off of the other executive board members to engage in the lobbying that’s a necessary part of any diversity organization’s mission,” Jarvis said.
Taylor Dukes was elected into the position, which will focus on legislative business between the organization and the campus.
TriCo plans a large amount of programming throughout the year focused on raising awareness.
Jarvis said his favorite memory of TriCo was the silent protest held on the Day of Silence in 2009.
“It was such an inspiring show of support from the campus at large, during a period of intense controversy over the role of queer people at MU,” Jarvis said. “It was an incredibly hopeful moment for queer politics at Mizzou.”
A large amount of TriCo’s programming occurs during Pride Month in April. Pride Prom and a drag show are two events that TriCo fits into its programming every year.
“We collaborate with the LGBTQ Resource Center to use both of our funds to make it huge and extravagant,” Prinster said. “We really want to be out and about the entire time.”
If any student is interested in TriCo but has not yet become involved, attend a meeting, Jarvis said.
“You can’t find out if something is for you without having contact with it, and Tri-Co has made great strides in making and maintaining an open and accepting environment,” he said.