Lavender Leadership Honor Society

The Lavender Leadership Honor Society (LLHS) celebrates and develops leadership for LGBTQ+ social justice. Founded in 2015, the society has been acknowledged in the Washington Post and is believed to be the first collegiate honor society focusing on leadership for LGBTQ+ social justice. Every year, there is an induction ceremony to honor leaders.

The LGBTQ+ Equity Center is piloting a new structure for the 2024 cohort; this new structure will only apply to new inductees. This academic year-long structure is designed to cultivate community and well-being, and will give leaders attendance priority for specialized workshops to enhance their leadership skills. Applicants who fulfill the requirements will be inducted into the Lavender Leadership Honor Society in Spring 2025.

Applicants will be selected based on their leadership skills and commitment to LGBTQ+ communities. We define leadership beyond the heteronormative notion of always being in the forefront and having the loudest voice. Leadership is multifaceted, it is inclusive of those who are in the forefront, and those who are creatives, strategists, mobilizers, and thinkers who may not always be in the forefront. Our definition of leadership encompasses the multidimensional ways we work towards queer liberation. The LLHS application is open to all University of Maryland, College Park undergraduate and graduate students and the university's staff, faculty, and alumni. We especially encourage graduate students, faculty, and staff to apply.

The process to become a fully inducted member of the 2024-2025 cohort includes the following requirements:

• Participate in 3 of 4 to 5 designated workshops to network, enhance leadership skills, and develop a support system. There will be at least two workshops provided per semester. We will find alternatives for conflicting class schedules. A brief synopsis of each workshop is in the last section.
• Participate in one check-in session per semester. There will be four 45 minute sessions (two per semester) via Zoom to gather participants, check-in, and to provide LGBTQ+ Equity Center and LGBTQ+ related updates. Check in sessions will be made available based on participants’ availability.

• Network and build community with potential inductees.
• Attend curated workshops led by the LGBTQ+ Equity Center staff and social justice leaders to enhance your leadership skills.
• Attend a career exploration and networking workshop geared toward LGBTQ+ leaders and professionals.
• Build future collaborations with the LGBTQ+ Equity Center and UMD campus.
• Optional joining of campus-wide LGBTQ+ Equity Center affiliated projects.
• Potential to connect with former inductees.

Lavender Leadership Honor Society holds an induction ceremony every spring to honor undergrads, grad students, staff/faculty, and alumni who have been leaders within the LGBTQIA+ community on campus. Various awards are available to undergrads, grad students, staff/faculty, alumni, and friends of the university

In addition to inducting over 200 student, staff, faculty, and alumni members to the honor society since our founding in 2015, we have inducted several honorary members:

Mara Keisling, Founding Executive Director of the National Center Transgender Equality

Laverne Cox, Actress and advocate for trans women of color and human rights

Fanta Aw, international and higher education leader

Cathy Cohen, scholar and intersectional social justice champion

Urooj Arshad, international sexual and reproductive rights advocate and queer Muslim organizer

Chloe Schwenke, international development expert and transgender advocate

Eboné F. Bell, founder and Editor-in-Chief of Tagg Magazine ~ "Everything Lesbian, Queer, and Under the Rainbow"