On Monday, Oct. 20, the Utica University campus came together for the annual Unity Walk. The rain didn’t put a damper on campus spirits as the community celebrated their different walks of life with a lap around campus.

Zachary Gomolka, a senior adolescent education major, felt the walk was important as a member of the LGBTQ+ community.

“I want to walk for all groups that are represented in our community,” Gomolka said. “But where it hits close to home for me is for the members of the LGBTQ+ community because I am a member of that community myself.”

Gomolka expressed the importance of representation on campus, noting the many organizations that serve as safe spaces for marginalized groups.

“The Unity Walk brings awareness to the marginalized communities on campus,” Gomolka said. “We are not a one-size-fits-all campus. There are a lot of organizations on campus that represent these communities, like the Gender and Sexuality Alliance, the Black Student Union and Women In a New Direction, that are all walking unified today.”

Gomolka recognized there may be voices on campus not comfortable expressing their gender or sexuality and proudly walked with his sign, “I walk for the gays and theys.”

“I’m hoping to be present as a voice for maybe those who don’t feel confident enough to walk for their own identity,” Gomolka said.

As a member of Utica’s baseball team and the new student organization C.O.R.E., Jaynon Thompson said the walk meant bringing everyone together – athletes, clubs, students and staff – on campus to promote equality.

“This event is important because it’s fighting for equality so that the community is better for all students and people everywhere,” said Thompson, a first-year occupational therapy major.

Ane Caroline Rieberio Costa, assistant professor of English, acknowledged that the country is living through a time of increased hatred. This reality was reflected even in our own community with the racially motivated graffiti found on campus on Sept. 15.

“In times like these, when we’ve been showered with hate comments and our freedoms have been challenged—to use a very light word—I think it is very important to remember that we are a community and if we are strong enough as a community, we can persevere,” Costa said.

Unity is about support, especially when marginalized communities feel threatened.

“Right now, unity means we don’t turn our backs on each other just because it might be easier to do that,” Costa said. “When we face challenges, it is easy to think about ourselves and protecting ourselves, but when one person in a community is threatened, everyone is threatened.”

Senior criminal justice major Victoria Duverge, a member of Chi Beta Sigma, walked with her sisters for unity.

“I’m walking for domestic violence” Duverge said. “Our philanthropy stands against domestic violence and anything that pertains to our sisters.”

Even if you don’t share the same identity or experiences, showing up in support still matters.

“It’s just important to come together even if things don’t pertain to us personally,” Duverge said.

“We’re showing we care for each other and can show up for each other in any way possible.”

The Unity Walk is about putting aside our differences and finding an emotional understanding and connection as a community.

“Honestly, unity is being supportive even if you don’t know the other person. It’s just empathy,” Duverge said.