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Penn State Berks Art Competition Celebrates LGBTQ+ Month

by Penn State Berks

Oct 26, 2021

“Recesses of Identities”, First Place. Submitted by Huy Truong

In celebration of LGBTQ+ Month and National Coming Out Day, Penn State Berks held a student art competition. Students were invited to submit their original artwork inspired by an LGBTQ+ cultural or historical figure, along with a short paragraph describing the piece and the inspiration behind it. Prizes were awarded for the top three entries.

First place went to Huy Truong, a junior biology major from Reading, for his painting titled Recesses of Identities. Truong explains, “This is a mirage-esque portrait inspired by the Australian pop singer Troye Sivan, a prominent LGBTQ icon. The refraction of the face illustrates the many facets of being an LGBTQ+ person, facing their many identities and emotions.”

Second place went to Kimberly Nicholas, a sophomore communications arts and sciences major from West Reading, for her work titled She-Ra: Pricess of Power. “Noelle Stevenson, who has come out as gay, and is the showrunner

“She-Ra: Princess of Power”, Second Place. Submitted by Kimberly Nicholas

of Netflix’s She-Ra and the Princesses of Power inspired me to create this piece. On the planet where this show takes place, heteronormativity does not exist, and queer people just get to be,” states Nicholas.

Third place went to Natalya Radovic, a first-year science major from Warrenville, Illinois, for her portrait titled A Portrait of Queer Activist Marsha P. Johnson. She explains, “Marsha P. Johnson inspired me through her actions to make a graphite portrait of her.”

“A Portrait of Queer Activist Marsha P Johnson”, Third Place. Submitted by Natalya Radovic

Penn State Berks supports students who identify as LGBTQ+. Sharon Pitterson-Ogaldez, coordinator of diversity and international programs at Penn State Berks, stated, “The Office of Diversity and International Affairs at Penn State Berks provides support, resources and advocacy for students who identify as LGBTQ+, as well as education and programs that promote understanding, acceptance and inclusion of members of the LGBTQ+ community on campus.”

The Penn State Berks Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee, in collaboration with the Rainbow Alliance student organization and the Campus Activities Board, sponsored the competition. For more information, contact Pitterson-Ogaldez at [email protected].

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