Late last year, Century College opened an LGBT student center on its campus making it one of the first in the nation among community colleges.

The LGBTQ Center provides a safe space for students of all sexual orientations and gender identities, and provides resources to the campus’ LGBT community. The White Bear Lake-based college is part of the The Minnesota State Colleges and Universities System.

“Century is the only two-year institution in the state and one of the first in the nation,” said Justin Martin, Student Involvement Coordinator. “While there is a long tradition at four-year, and especially residential, institutions across the nation, the two-year institutions have generally been in a different boat when it comes to having LGBTQ Centers.”

Martin added, “I think it is fantastic that with the second-oldest LGBT Center in the nation being right here in Minnesota at Minnesota State University, Mankato, we are continuing that tradition of being on the forefront of LGBT equality issues with one of the first centers at a two-year institution in the nation right here at Century.”

The Center recently received a grant from the PFund Foundation to support LGBT programming on the campus through the year.

Century College will celebrate that accomplishment with a drag show, aptly named the Drag of the Century on May 2.

“Last year, our student group, the Queer and Straight Club, decided to organize the first annual “Drag of the Century” event,” Martin told TheColu.mn. “The event was well attended and the student group decided to organize the event again this year. I am incredibly proud to say that PFund is supporting our work here and this event which the students have poured so much effort into organizing.”

Martin says that attendees can look forward to a fantastic show.

“The attendees can expect a myriad of performers on the evening of May 2nd. We will have both drag queens from the Gay 90s, as well as amateur performers from our community. The event will be MC’ed by our very own Bad Karma, a current student at Century and also winner of the title of ‘Miss Gay 90s.'”

[sws_blue_box box_size=”100″] Event Details
Date: May 2 at 6pm
Location: 3300 Century Avenue North, White Bear Lake, Minnesota 55110
Admission: Free and open to the public
For more information, visit Facebook [/sws_blue_box]