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The Queer Stories of 'Cuse podcast series was created by the LGBTQ Resource Center at Syracuse University (SU), in collaboration with The SENSES Project, to curate an oral history archive telling queer stories in an authentic light. This series features interviews of past and present SU students, staff, faculty and community members of the Greater Syracuse area who are passionate about queer issues and advocacy work.
Special thanks to:
The SENSES Project Program Coordinator, Nick Piato
Director of SU LGBTQ Resource Center, Jorge Castillo
Associate Director of SU Office of Supportive Services, Amy Horan Messersmith
Co-hosts: Bushra Naqi, Rio Flores & Sebastian Callahan
Queer Stories of Cuse (QSC) Intro Episode Transcript
Bushra Naqi 0:03
Okay, thank you so much. Well, hello, everyone. My name is Bushra Naqi. My pronouns are they/them, I identify as queer and trans. And I'm basically a recent graduate of SU. So if we can all just introduce ourselves, you know, with pronouns and just our position and affiliation with SU, that would be great.
Rio Flores 0:22
Okay, my name is Rio Flores, Fernanda Hubei. I'm also a recent graduate of SU, glad I made it. And I also present as queer and trans masc. I felt the need to add it, but it's fluid.
Nick Piato 0:43
Hello, everyone, my name is Nick Piato. I am the SENSES Lab program coordinator. And I use he/him pronouns.
Jorge Castillo 0:55
Hello, I'm Jorge Castillo, I use he/him pronouns, he him pronouns, and I'm the Director of the LGBTQ Resource Center.
Amy Messersmith 1:03
Hi, everybody, this is Amy Messersmith. I'm one of the Associate Directors for the Office of Supportive Services, which houses two opportunity programs HEOP and SSS, and my pronouns are she/her.
Bushra Naqi 1:15
Perfect. So we've all gathered here today for the first episode of Queer Stories of Cuse. So thank you all for joining us today. Basically, we created this podcast to serve as a platform to tell and you know, share the stories of underrepresented queer populations at Syracuse University, and also within the Syracuse community in general. So over the past few months, really, we've just been compiling interviews from SU alumni, SU students, faculty, staff who've contributed to the queer programs and events here at SU. And we're really excited to share all of these stories and release them all. So thank you for gathering with us. Basically, I think we just want to start off by like sharing what this platform will serve as it'll basically be an oral history and an archive telling, you know, the stories of queer people, and I think it's really one of a kind, like, it's the first of its type, right? Like, there's never been an oral history at SU, you know, telling the queer and trans stories from our voices specifically, I think it's always been told for me Gnosis have people, and it's time to, like, reclaim that space and challenge ourselves, because we should be in charge of our narration. So yeah,
Jorge Castillo 2:36
So one of the ways one of the the reasons I guess how we started this was because as we were preparing for the 20th anniversary of the LGBTQ Research Center, we found, I don't know, 20, plus big binders of clippings and cuttings, and a bunch of stories and letters and things have been sent to us and sort of collected over the years. And again, they were all just sort of like flat stories on paper writing, we wanted to talk to some of these folks and hear their actual stories and sort of bring some of these stories to life and start compiling these stories. Like you said, partially because we want to hear stories from people themselves and not sort of look back and just find papers and papers. Right, right.
Bushra Naqi 3:15
Yeah, I think it's interesting, because like, the oral history telling us kind of a sacred form of knowledge, right, like ancestral knowledge and how we've been told stories from our elders and our ancestors have been from word of mouth, right. And like, that's how we know everything, and all of our lessons and our stories we know from speaking, you know, not necessarily from like, the colonial form of education and knowledge and knowledge making. Right, so is a really unique way of sharing stories, and we hope that it continues to expand throughout the next few years.
Jorge Castillo 3:46
Yeah, I mean, I think a lot of maybe some folks still think of oral history as something that was in the past, right. And it's something that we continue to do, we might not label it as our history. But if you look at the ways that we build community, and we have sort of closed spaces for ourselves to sort of like, openly share and discuss both resources and feelings and and support each other, that's what we're doing. Right? We're essentially continuing that oral history, tradition.
Amy Messersmith 4:10
Yeah. And it's, I think it's so interesting, because we talk about institutional knowledge and the value of that and then to have this recorded telling of, you know, how the LGBTQ Center came into existence even. That's kind of like an origin story that, you know, it can be told in a two dimensional way through paper, which I think is super important, but then to hear it, it adds an entirely new dimension to understanding what went on. And all the energy, time commitment, patience, anger, all those things that go into creating something like this. On campus. I think it's really important.
Jorge Castillo 4:49
Well even if we could even sort of challenge that right because it didn't start with the center in 2001. Right, there was an immunity. I don't know if thriving is the right word, but there was a community before that. that center came into existence, or we found letters from like, people who graduated in the 70s, who were, like queer people. Now we might use the word queer rabbit who identified as gay. And at that point, and they were still finding community, they were still creating spaces for themselves, right. And so those doors were not kept anywhere, if it wasn't until after the fact that they wrote to us and said, Hey, by the way, I'm so happy that there's a senator and others have physical spaces for us. Yeah.
Nick Piato 5:25
I don't want to get ahead because I'm sure you're telling some of the stories and the actual episodes, but like, like, what did those serve communities look like? You know, before there was like the LGBTQ Resource Center.
Jorge Castillo 5:36
So the center for about 17 years, we were housed literally, in a house on Ostrom, I just bank something. We were an ullstrom. And that was known as a pride house even before the center open because that was sort of the space a house literally, that was used by different organizations to pride union, that sort of predates the center by a couple of years. And so it was sort of a space for queer people to sort of gather. So that letter for that, from that person that I'm thinking about, they set up sort of like an informal coffee shop. So they've rented a basement sort of studio. And that was sort of like an open place where like, and again, it was five, sis says cisgender, white gay men who would just had that had the means to rent that space, right. But they also through some conversations, and I've been able to stay in contact with this person. They were also involving, like other people of color into that space to use that as a way to organize as a way to sort of meet and hang out and just like build coalitions, which, again, we assume that it's like a new thing, but it's, it has been happening forever.
Bushra Naqi 6:43
I mean, we're always gonna make it happen, you know, with whatever we have whatever resources were there, however, minimum or maximum they are, you know, so I think that's the important part to have, like recognizing that and stuff like that. Oh, sorry.
Amy Messersmith 6:56
I was just gonna say, what's their name for that space? Did they acknowledge something there was
Jorge Castillo 7:01
and I'm gonna have to go back to it because it was, like, we should like, recreate,
Amy Messersmith 7:06
like, you know, like,
Jorge Castillo 7:09
it was it was a play on Gay Liberation Front. Because again, that's it was around the time of the like, a lot of like, it was a few years post Stonewall, and a lot of that was sort of like brewing in the air. They and so they, it was a play on that, but it was they didn't want to be as radical were seen as radical. And so it wasn't, but it was it was similar to that. So powerful.
Bushra Naqi 7:28
You have a me you have a podcast voice like, right, like, your voice feels like you're making a podcast. Awesome. Yeah, I think I just want to talk a little bit more about how it feels to be queer at a PWI. Since we've recently graduated and have been here for four years, and you know, you are a staff here, like, how has it been from the time that we've started to now departed and like, kind of talking about our queer identities? Like, I can go first? I know, that's the big question. I mean, for me, personally, like I didn't even identify as queer before coming here. So I think finding that identity and exploring that identity here has been rewarding. And especially like with other queer and trans people, I've had, like the privilege of meeting them here. I think it was hard at first, to find them, like, spot them out, you know what I mean? Like, there wasn't like I didn't know about the senator when I first came here. And it was just like, really nerve wracking to kind of explore those identities in a PWI after coming from New York City, and like, what do you did you start 2019, like, right when Barnes happened? So I yeah, I mean, I found a lot of people through protests through resistance, and all those kinds of things. And that's how I found my true people. Right. And I think that's what always happens in different forms. So if we can just speak a little bit out to like, how it's been at LSU. And like, how it's been exploring, that was queer identities.
Rio Flores 8:56
Yeah. So for me, I actually knew about the Senate but not like, fully, I actually like, because, like, beforehand, I knew I was queer might even identify as queer. Like, I just knew it. I didn't label it. I don't know. I don't even have anything. Right. Um, and but also that was like, before, like, the experiences I had here, but actually, I knew about the house. And then when he came here, I was like, always, where's the house was with the house and I'm
Jorge Castillo 9:26
20 minutes away from downtown Syracuse University. Right on Oh, strong, so it's about a 20 minute walk to shine.
Rio Flores 9:34
And, um, and so I like and I was actually in the engineering learning community and it's very white sis hat. Very, it was very intensive learning community. But I was actually able to find some people in like the multicultural learning community and I just knew that like, I could, like be around other folks that are queer. But I think that The whole purpose of it was just knowing that like, at the end of the day, I was able to find my own community. And I was able to find, like, where I feel comfortable at. Because I just was able to figure out like, what I want to do and when I want to what I want to experience because by surrounding myself with the people that I want to be, and I think that's also where I like from the people that I met with and people that like my spoke with that was a general idea of like, it was kind of confusing being here. Such a large is like such a large place like Syracuse like is a huge campus like I get lost, like, I can't get to class in 10 minutes. Like if I have to travel across campus. I don't know why. I don't know why this class is on itself. When I'm on campus, and it's like 10 minutes away. I don't know how you want to get that up as I didn't know there were classes on South. Yeah, like, well, like it's like by the unless you're like, the manly Fieldhouse. I don't Yeah, I come aren't building Yes, yes. Yes. It's just something like that. So far, so far away. Even focus so far away.
Bushra Naqi 11:05
Oh, stairs? Oh, yeah.
Rio Flores 11:07
Oh, my Lord. But I think it's, it's a definitely at the end of the day, like I enjoyed meeting people and like finding my own community, but it is also challenging just trying to navigate that. But I think it's been a lot better. Now with new resources. And now with like, people, like students allow more students just knowing like, Okay, you could go here, you could go to different orgs. I'm like, people won't be weird or won't be like, but it's actually friendly space.
Bushra Naqi 11:39
Yeah, that's great. Speak a little bit to how it's been like,
Jorge Castillo 11:45
so I started here, July 2018, I came here as assistant director, and I was I was lucky that the team that I joined were all people of color. So that was amazing to see be surrounded by a bunch of queer people of color and starting Christian candles or who, as an alumni was the director when I started, and that was, that was amazing. But again, the distance between where the house was and what the rest of the community was, was sort of challenging. Because I was coming from another another university where students around the clock were always in the center popping in between classes, have lunch, to study to things. And in the house, it was like crickets like, and I was like, oh, no, why did I come here, like students are not popping in but it was not accessible, right? Like, you couldn't just hang out there and then make it to class. It just wasn't gonna happen. And so pleasantly that, you know, they brought us together, and we're sort of now in China We're centrally located. As a queer person of color that I'm I'm always gravitating to people of color. I think being surrounded by people of color is always important to me, just as it is to be with queer people, sometimes even more so. And so it's been really great to be with Multicultural Affairs, right? Sort of, I can't separate those two things. But yeah, I have seen sort of that improvement. And being now like, openly in the middle of campus makes a big difference, right? Like students are always coming through shine, right. And so that's fantastic.
Rio Flores 13:07
Yeah, I remember actually, because we came in 2019. I remember when the research and it was like environ, like, before shine was like, actually finished renovations. And so everything was in bird and he was on one floor. Yeah. On the fifth floor. iceless. Like, no one up there, I only found out that everything was like, and that one place just because I had such a class. And I booked introduced me to it. And I met with Marissa. But I remember I used to see you like in the office because like, I remember like, I don't know if he was I think he was like the assistant director during that time. When we came and I remember like, there were there was like a lounge and people would play this switch. And I was like, Oh, that's so nice.
Jorge Castillo 13:53
Give it to the gays. We brought the switch the color the the the the pros. Yeah, really,
Bushra Naqi 14:00
it's just a different vibe. You know, when you step in there, like you, you see that you're surrounded with people that like are kind of like you and it just makes you feel welcomed, you know, so when you don't have that it's kind of lonely, and it's pretty, pretty bad.
Jorge Castillo 14:12
You know, I don't know, this could be a generation generational gap. But there's this movie called to Wong foo, thanks for everything Missoulian Newmar. And when the Queens come into this, they get stranded in a small town and they they end up having to stay in a room like in this random place. And as soon as they walk in did like they are playing a Dream of Jeannie I think or something and then they started throwing things around the room to sort of add color. That's how it felt when we move to very narrow and quiet and we're like no, this is not going to work.
Bushra Naqi 14:43
It's also on like the quietest floor of the library. So you can't like speak until you get wherever you trying to go. But we made
Jorge Castillo 14:50
it cozy and again, not just the LGBT Center but Multicultural Affairs visibility cultural center, right? Yeah.
Bushra Naqi 14:55
They're all connected really, you know, and I feel the safest really with like other queer to stabled people of color. I mean, the most. So yeah, that's, that's a lot.
Rio Flores 15:05
I think even even like, because we're well, I'm mean, Bushra with SSS, but even also like, how, what is this is like, so it's student supportive services. And it's a scholarship program I was able to get visa was attain it actually, we didn't originally get offered him we had to, actually someone reached out to us specifically like, like, hey, we have this opportunity. So you could be able to afford to come to Syracuse University, if you like, really want to be here. And like, we know that you're like a person of color. But you also have like this, you academically qualify. And also know, we understand that there's like financial hardships, just with the lack of resources historically, with specific communities. So we was able to attend su through SSS, and we came here during the summer for Summer Start. Yeah, and which is just a summer program become here. You take classes, like do classes, I'm pretty sure. But you also are here with like, predominately students of color that's in a GOP or SSS and each GOP if I believe it is Higher Education Opportunity Program. Yeah, I think that's the Yep. As a funny
Jorge Castillo 16:17
that was that was a teacher in Munich.
Rio Flores 16:22
But um, it felt comfortable actually, because, and that's, I think that's why transitioning, maybe was like, good, and like, was helpful wasn't as stressful, but it was also stressful just because of how different things are when that the academic year actually picks up and
Bushra Naqi 16:40
people come in. Just ask for Yeah, like everybody else.
Rio Flores 16:46
But I think also even even that, like being able to, like, know what account like what to do on campus. So like, how Syracuse is so different, because like, majority of us is also coming from New York City. Yeah, all of the students are but majority. And it was actually kind of funny, because it was like New York City at Syracuse. But that's what it felt like. And then we came here and was like, oh, there's only insomnia open. Like, I can have cookies for dinner. It's the only thing that's open right now. But it felt nice meeting with other like queer folks, or just like people of color. And generally, because we were able just to interact before also, like a lot of maybe we felt like fresh that like just like, general like family will familiar, like expectation was like, Okay, well, we're gonna do ethic college, you know, but it was just more so us. Trying to figure out everything, but we had like a support system. So yeah.
Amy Messersmith 17:45
Do you guys mind sharing a little bit about how, like going into a little bit more detail about how you found each other? Or like how you found the community? The queer community on campus?
Rio Flores 17:56
Yeah. So you want to go? Oh, well,
Bushra Naqi 18:00
I think in summer star, we just bonded together, like I all my friends were queer. And at that point, I was not. I didn't identify as queer. Right, I was stray, I thought I was stray and all these things. And I guess my friends had like, oh, like, I just got to explore that more, because I was not able to go out that much, you know, in New York City, and things like that. So when you have your own freedom, you get to, you know, delve into your identities more and explore them more. And I met Rio and I met a lot of my other queer friends, and just started, you know, like, exploring my identity more. And I think summer star gave me that time to before the school year started to kind of just like, explore myself and like, what, like I like to do. So yeah, I think that's that was it for me.
Rio Flores 18:45
Yeah, I think it's very similar at will. As like, so we went through summer so here for us. So we met, like, we had a general friends Brian's having new friends that we knew were like, people that we knew. And like, it's not that we're like, okay, like, we're like, like, just like clocking each other, like, we're like, okay. You're gay friends. So, like, we were just talking and then like, I think it's more so like, trying just to figure out like, who you're comfortable with, or like, who you're bonding like with like, as friends or like, okay, like, you get a good vibe from this person. Um, but I think also, even like, to, like, further like to photo long, like, the queer community, I guess on campus, like, it took, like, organizing then like being involved in protesting, or like, being involved in different spaces to like, fully, like, find new people or, like, where we brought in, like, the queer community specifically, and also just people of color in general. And that's where like, we was able to figure out like, okay, like, actually, like, maybe I'm not like just cisgendered like, maybe it is like trans rights and like, what does that look like? And it's different for everyone. But also like learning online. How to be like, just a better person in general, like, Okay, how to do certain things or like, how to say certain things or like how to advocate more for specific things. And I think a lot of times like language is very difficult because like, we're all just like, like 18 year old 17 year olds coming to campus. I'm like, taking these classes, and I'm like, I don't know, whatever the words that they're telling me. And like, I think also, like, since I like, also know, like, and I language and it's also like, kind of difficult, like, trying to explain certain things. And I'm like, Oh, that's not No, I don't know. Like, I don't know how to put words to what I'm feeling. But that's how I'm feeling. But I think it's just important to like, try new spaces, even like, I wasn't Lucia for like, some part of my high school experiences, which is just a Latinx Oregon campus. And their name translates to the struggle, but it's specifically focused on like, activism in line, Latin America, country, like Latin Americans and all that to me done. But I was recently, like, upperclassmen that was also queer. But that wasn't like, even the focus, because it was mainly like focusing on like, letting died and like, being at a PWI Yeah. PWI. So I think he's just more so like, trying to figure out like, maybe there are certain spaces where I feel more comfortable. But everyone, like, everyone can be queer and, and, and random was spots, you know, like, you could go to Chipotle, or run into someone like, you're like, oh, like, I see a pin on your bag. And like, oh, like,
Bushra Naqi 21:29
yeah, I love you.
Rio Flores 21:32
Like, oh, my God, thank you so much. I don't know it's very, it's very this like thing.
Jorge Castillo 21:38
That's a rom com right there.
Bushra Naqi 21:43
Like, when you come to I, for me personally, like, I think I was questioning more of the role of gender like, what is gender serving in my role in my life? Right, like, what kind of role does it play in? Like, what do I actually feel about, like, my gender and like, all of those things started pushing me and challenging me to, you know, like, I don't know, think about more things than just like, sis normativity. So yeah, that was really important to me. Freshman year, I think I developed a lot of those thinking. And then I started getting into queer theory and like radical, like feminism stuff, black feminist theory, and like, all those theories that I learned in some of my classes, I could apply that to my life and my identities. And that bridged a lot of gaps for me. Yeah.
Rio Flores 22:26
And I think for me, like, I'm, I majored in sociology, right, and I'm not saying I'm a sociologist, but I felt like a lot of times, like, I was reading, like, a lot of like, these articles, and like these textbooks that are specifically focused on sociology, like, like sociology, and like theorists. And a lot of times, I'm like, there's a lot of gaps. And there's like, a lot of like, like, Miss perceptions, or like, a lot of just one singular perception, like perspectives, in general, like, and it's just whites as men. So it's also like understanding, like, how it is power, and how does these, like, social structures, like influence, like, students learning and like, well, we understand what what's what's okay. But it's also just understanding, like, it's okay to, like, take it one step at a time. Like, you don't have to have all the answers right now. Like I say, like, I just, I just been applying for jobs. So it's like, I don't know what, you know, the next, like, step is, but it's just more so like, at least being relieved to have other people to talk back to or like, just to talk with and, like, just meet with, and it could just be watching the show, like, you could just,
Bushra Naqi 23:34
it makes a world of a difference, you know, not the people even in in your classes, you you kind of have to take a step back, like there was this class at Rio was taking it was like sociology on like, gender, and they were just being so transphobic and like, you know, really focusing on like, your sex assigned at birth, and like, all those kinds of things and going with those, like, I don't know, you have to take a step back, even in like, the academic spaces that you occupy and be like, well, what am I learning? And like, does this check out? Like, you know, and it's hard sometimes because you're like, I'm doing this for a grade, but also, like, this is not really, right. Or I can challenge them a little bit more, or I can bring this up in my class and make everybody think about this for a little bit. You know, yeah, yeah.
Rio Flores 24:18
But, but it's always like, queer bodies putting themselves or like, just color in general, like putting themselves at risk, like, I know, so many times with like, specific students or like specific communities always having to like, advocate in public and it's kind of like awkward, like the silence of like, okay, like, Why is no one else supporting it or like, and it's also like, you know, scary because, like, if someone isn't out or someone is uncomfortable, like, they're not gonna say anything in class, and I'm like, you know, I understand that specifically. And it's like, all these things are very like, scary especially like sometimes like at a predominately white institution or like a predominantly and I don't say cuse is changing, but also that's the thing that why I enjoyed so much of the queer community because it's not just like Syracuse University, and I think that we have to focus on like, not so much uncertainty university but Turkey's community as well. Right? It has a queer it has a queer community, like, it's it's thriving, like, you know, yeah, it's very different from other cities like New York City, but like or like LA, but they're there. Yeah, it still exists. And I think sometimes, maybe to focus on like, as she takes away from the community that was already vibrant. And it was already right, like, really doing so well. Like, you know, like, yeah, there's just already so many people here in Houston to kind of like takes away from like, their stories as well. Yeah.
Jorge Castillo 25:39
I think that's where the importance of diversifying not just the student body, right, like having faculty and staff where you're queer elders, right, and who are also people of color so that we do that heavy lifting, we put ourselves in the front lines, versus having the student who's more vulnerable to still developmentally trying to learn about themselves and find the language to talk about themselves and what that means for themselves. And so that's the importance of us being those people in the classrooms in the administrative offices, right, supporting you, right, so that you don't have to do that exposure of yourself. Yeah. And as you as you probably saw from a lot of the interviews you've conducted, like, there were all these sort of like a whole generation of faculty and staff members who were openly queer, right? Sometimes I joke that I'm, like, professionally gay here, right? That's kind of my job right to be open. Whereas like, other staff and faculty members, their sexuality or their gender identity can sort of take a step back.
Bushra Naqi 26:29
Yeah. Has there ever been a moment where you kind of have to challenge like the administrators or kind of like, be like, the only queer there and kind of advocate for queer issues?
Jorge Castillo 26:39
I mean, I'm, I'm always advocating for issues. But I've been lucky that in terms of like, my colleagues, I have, again, there's a lot of queer folks. And again, some of them are not as openly queer as others, but, but it has been nice to know that there are a lot of queer folks within the administration, which is important as well, right? Because they're also, if not as explicitly, they're always implicitly thinking about how to ensure that queer students feel safe feel like they belong here,
Bushra Naqi 27:08
right? Yeah. I think we can talk a little bit about like queer joy and how we found queer joy on campus and where we feel the most safe and like comfortable, but just being ourselves or not just queer joy. Sorry, I don't want to exclude you guys the whole time. But like, just where we feel the most comfortable on campus and why we think that is
Jorge Castillo 27:28
well wisher my philosophy and then ruin class is I assume everyone's queer until until they had so like, right. So true. So joy, where do you find joy? Yeah,
Amy Messersmith 27:42
I mean, honestly, this, things like this bring me joy, just to be able to sit down and have these kinds of conversations and have the opportunity to have the time to share a nuanced dialogue. And I just think that that's so important. Swinging
Rio Flores 28:05
I think, Joy, I could be different things. I don't know. Like, I feel like it could be quite a joy, but I got because we just like, like, being happy that you're surrounded by other folks that have similar identities or just like, make you feel comfortable or make you feel welcome. And it could be two different activities. It could be just like, as I said, it could be just like, meeting up like, Oh, you're going to dental cultural collective, like I heard they have free food. Like, are you gonna go? Food? Yeah, I had the iPhone, John DS, like, you're gonna go and I'm
Jorge Castillo 28:40
always have always.
Rio Flores 28:44
And it's always like, it's always just very nice, like, also like meeting people that you haven't seen in a while, like, Oh, my God, like, how are you? And it's just reconnecting and I think that's just sparks joy, like anything random things, spark joy, it could be, I guess, going to the barns to like, I guess play soccer or someone or going to the eSports lounge or just like, you know, just messing around or just like walking on campus with your friends and taking pictures on a quality nice day. I was I was very joyful that our air quality.
Jorge Castillo 29:17
Like, moderately, yeah.
Rio Flores 29:21
Like in it was it was very
Bushra Naqi 29:23
bad. Like 393. It was very
Rio Flores 29:27
hazardous. But I'm glad. That's also joy.
Amy Messersmith 29:31
So anybody listening to this in the future, this is a day after
Bushra Naqi 29:36
the three, three days every day in forest fires
Amy Messersmith 29:39
of the Canadian forest fire. Invasion,
Bushra Naqi 29:43
I don't even know if they've gotten it under control. No,
Nick Piato 29:45
it's gonna come back, I think, this weekend.
Jorge Castillo 29:50
And I think it's spreading towards like Alberta. And I'm like, well, they're not spreading their different wildfires. But yeah, so it's, again in the east coast. It's sort of like, first time that we're dealing With the repercussions, I suppose so like, yeah, wildfires were like, you know, the West Coast is like, yeah. Oh, that's cute. Like, yeah,
Bushra Naqi 30:08
yeah. That's so wild, like living through a pandemic. And then all this, like climate crises, ongoing and stuff like that. I think that's also played a part in like our college experience. And our queer identity is just like finding other disabled people that we can lean back on. And like, you know, like, Can I run a bath for you those kinds of queer disabled, the joy moments, right? And like, how's your pain today? Like, what is it a good day, flareup day, those kinds of things are important as a disabled person myself, like, it's been hard, especially during the pandemic, to connect with people and like, maybe, like, we're more COVID cautious than the other people and like, we just take care of our health a little bit more. And what does that mean, when you're also queer? And like, you know, so it's, it's been difficult, but we've found the moments of our community that we found our make everything worth it, right. And there's others like us, you know, we're not like the only ones. And that's the point of life is that you're not alone. But it's sometimes it's just hard to find. Yeah. Yeah.
Rio Flores 31:09
Is there I think also with the joy, and I think, I think joy is very, like, sometimes it becomes very political in the sense of like, Oh, I'm gonna do this. So I could say, like, Oh, this is joyful, or, like, you know, like, I could say that people feel like happy here and like, like, do they like, are you actually doing it for a good reason. And I think that when you find those genuine spaces, very different, it's very, it's very warm. I think it's just a very, like, a safe feeling, knowing that like, okay, like, it's nice here. And I think also with, like, programs, or just like, experiences, maybe that you're part of helps you find those spaces, because even with even like, here, this slab, it was very nice. Like, yeah, when I was even in the basement, like, I was, like, Oh, this is like, it's actually really cool. Like, I remember, I used to just be like, the computer that the computer lab and like, go get homework, and like, if there was pizza, you get pizza. But um, I remember when it was first in the basement, like, for 804, right. And, and it was very, like, it was a very nice space. And the space is a got became so different now like, it's, it's decorated, there's lights when I was building up, but no, like, so many people that like use the space and like, are happy, like they have like this, like resource or like, there's this chance to like, maybe like, Boy something in a different way or like to use they're used Javis have this chance to like voice how they're feeling or voice their concerns, or just share, like, what they want to do with the world, with different people in the community as well. So it's very nice as
Bushra Naqi 32:52
Nick and Amy music even plays such a big role in queer and people of color storytelling, and all those kinds of things. So everything is just so connected. And we're just so grateful to like, be here and, like make use of the space. That's,
Jorge Castillo 33:07
that's one thing I was gonna say. So like, in a personal level, music, music brings me a lot of joy, especially like, again, POC artists and queer POC artists especially, but also being part of like programs or things that connect to its students at different levels, right. So like, when we're hosting a guest or having a program, and that's different students can kind of connect and find something for themselves. So like one of the things that we've been doing, actually, since the 2019. And again, as you protest, we started doing sort of like a, we call it net three spilled the tea, lovingly, called Stitch and bitch started as a way to, again, in Bird Library, we have a bunch of queer students just hanging out there and like knitting and talking and kind of decompressing from the protests. And then we continued that, and that's sort of becomes sort of something that just we do every Friday afternoon now. And that's really joyful to like, come in on Friday afternoons, and just see like 100 students just hanging out, like, luckily not having to decompress about a protest, but just talking about their week and the weekends and things like that. So that's always really joyful to me.
Rio Flores 34:11
I saw you had like the series and I actually picked up crochet because I was like, Oh, I actually want to know, I was like, that's actually so fresh. It's just, you know, like, gives us Expo, it doesn't, it's just so
Jorge Castillo 34:27
it's been worn off for years. And I still can crochet or knit like I can do one line and undo it and redo it and undo but yeah, but as part of that red meaning community and sort of and so it's become more of a crafty space now so like for World AIDS, for example, like our students. We talked about the AIDS quilt and the importance of remembering right each other and remembering our community and those that have passed. And so they've kind of created like a smaller like version of their quilt and so like again, they keep doing things crafty things which is amazing. So you don't even have to know how to craft or crochet or knit you can just come in be in community and learn a new skill or not. Do you know you can just the bitching part not
Bushra Naqi 35:07
so important, though all these like artistic programs to you know, reimagine really a future for all of us.
Nick Piato 35:15
I forgot a question real quick. In terms of like, community and you're talking about besides just like the SU community, like, Have you found any spaces like in the entire Syracuse community that bring you joy, whether they're queer spaces or not, or
Bushra Naqi 35:32
have you just heard of Sankofa heels? Yeah, Koi is over there. And that's like a really welcoming space for specifically like birth, doulas, and, you know, birthing people and like, people who are about to like be a parent or like trying to be a parent or just need to learn more skills about like birthing. They do like doula trainings, often they do like donations and things like that. So it's really community oriented. And also, we rise above the streets. There's also another community organization that does, like weekly sandwich Saturdays, and like those kinds of events, I think those are like, that's like the epitome of community and like, like going there to do something and contributing work and then leaving and meeting people. Those are, I think, two spaces in Syracuse that are bringing great joy and they're doing great work for people. And they should be highlighted more.
Rio Flores 36:23
I think also, even on like, smaller, like spaces, or just like, finding more locations for like folks to like, okay, like, I can use this space to, like, rent out because even with the community folk light sensor, if there's like a lot more of this, like emphasis of like, reaching out to the community, or like making sure that community is able to, like use the space and even students of color, like, a lot of students are able to feel more comfortable going there and knowing that like, okay, like, if I have if I need to use a space to like, organize, if I need to use space to just have an event for a community event, like a, like a giving back. I'm able to use those spaces or just like even when we talked about donations, like you know, like, I know how Hendricks has donations, but there's also like, local like constant, like local businesses that like do like drives. And they just need like, more, you know, like more of attention. And even like going downtown sometimes and like, you could just go downtown. And then you could just stumble into just like random like pop ups or even like random sales even like in it's just like very queer family. I know there's like even like this like, bar, but it's like an arcade. And downtown
Nick Piato 37:36
three lives. Yeah, is that though?
Rio Flores 37:38
I think that's.
Jorge Castillo 37:41
And I don't know if it's before two lights, but that used to be a soul food place owned by a black queer woman.
Rio Flores 37:48
I missed this awful place on my show. I really missed
all weenies. I'm gonna guess
Jorge Castillo 38:00
the love stories think of the loves.
Rio Flores 38:05
No, but um, I think it's just very nice to also like, Fine, just like random spaces even on on Selena, and how, like, there's so many like, even like Gavin's ice cream and how there's, like, so many times like to just random people that go there. And like, they just started talking conversations with you. And I'm like, That's so fresh. Like, you know, it's just random people like conversing with you. And it's like, yeah, and you know, sometimes it'd be weird. Changes. Maybe I'll be talking.
Amy Messersmith 38:38
Were to get one of those like mics for your cell phone and like,
Rio Flores 38:45
yeah, it's just like luck of
Amy Messersmith 38:47
recording these.
Jorge Castillo 38:49
Are you on the street? I mean, sometimes a challenge, right? Because we're at a university and sometimes like bridging those gaps with our community and the communities like right across the street, right. And sometimes we we don't people don't intentionally go to this outside rather Western right and have those conversations with people right? Because we are, for better or worse. We're impacting the community rather than the largest. Eric is community and we're sort of a big presence. Again, for better or worse. I can see the dome from my house and I don't nearby, right.
Bushra Naqi 39:19
Yeah, I can't put a wall between us. You know, like, you have to talk to people, especially people that are from here, like Yeah, like separate us.
Nick Piato 39:27
Yeah. Have you guys gone? No. Wellston it's like a it's like a really old gay bar up in like the North side kind of stripper district. Yeah, clearly, yeah.
Jorge Castillo 39:40
We there's a red light district.
Amy Messersmith 39:44
Like close to the mall. Yeah, it's like ever hood
Nick Piato 39:49
the Northside. But they do like a brunch. I think it's every week might be every other week. It's pretty. It's pretty good. Yeah. And there's like a lot like there's some history there. So if you're looking to maybe interview some people
Jorge Castillo 40:02
works then yeah, yes, I do. No
Rio Flores 40:08
wonder war?
Nick Piato 40:10
No. Have you been there? Yeah, I've
Rio Flores 40:13
been I think that's the place I was. I think a bar like it. Yeah, it's like very queer friendly, but it's also like I noticed even ice cream shops. i Oh, this guy just the one it has like Spirited Away merchandise. Oh.
Bushra Naqi 40:30
cake bar. cake bar. is cute. is precious.
Rio Flores 40:33
It's actually they have very nice desserts. Yeah, I mean, I go to the place for food. So I don't know. My buddy's very friendly. It's very also just boy,
Bushra Naqi 40:44
I would love to go to a gay bar though. Yeah, we should. Okay.
Jorge Castillo 40:48
place we go is a gay bar, right? Yeah.
Nick Piato 40:50
A bakery. A gay library or a gay ever? Yeah, I'll make
Jorge Castillo 40:53
it gay. We'll make it.
Bushra Naqi 40:55
So I think we can conclude the episode really. But thank you so much for joining us today on our first episode to kick off the podcast series, queer stories of Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
Transcribed by https://otter.ai