Senators and representatives from the Legion of Black Collegians umbrella organizations voted to accept Queer People of Color to LBC on Wednesday.

Jeffery Perkins, LBC activities chair and QPOC secretary, and Hassan Williams stood during the meeting to present a case for the organization to be added to the legion.

The organization is not very big and has only been on campus for three semesters, Perkins said.

“We need a lot more members and participation,” he said.

The majority of the members are upperclassmen, so the group is targeting freshmen to keep the organization going after current members graduate, Williams said.

QPOC President Brandon Hamilton started the organization after being a part of a discussion group about queer people of color. He said he hopes being added to LBC will lead to more collaboration with other minority organizations.

Perkins said being accepted to LBC is a benefit to QPOC.

“The LBC is the only black student government in the nation,” Perkins said. “It offers benefits and opportunities never seen before. Being an umbrella organization amidst others gives a sense of inclusion.”

Perkins said he was the only openly homosexual in his high school class. When he came to MU, he immediately sought out the LBGTQ Resource Center.

“It’s difficult to be a minority on campus and even tougher when you’re queer,” Perkins said. “We hope to be a safe space to everybody.”

QPOC brings together two minority groups, Williams said.

“Our identities intersect,” Williams said. “We are trying to fix half of the broken bond.”

Adding QPOC as an umbrella organization of LBC offers another resource to QPOC’s senators, Perkins said.

“Being a senator now and looking back, I didn’t have that support,” he said. “It’s nice to help and be a voice if anyone needs help.”

When Hamilton was a sophomore, he said he knew there were others like him but felt out of place. He wanted to try to get everyone together. When Hamilton started QPOC, Perkins said it was exactly what he needed.

“People are pretty supportive,” Hamilton said. “There’s a sense of camaraderie, and it’s really great.”

The group hasn’t received any criticism, Perkins and Hamilton both said.

“If there’s criticism, I hope it’s for the right reason and it’s constructive,” Hamilton said.

Though the group is small, the members are close and have fun, Hamilton said.

“We welcome everyone and make them feel at home,” he said.

The group has meetings at 7 p.m. on Mondays. Perkins said he hopes the group will co-sponsor other events on campus throughout the year.