The Gay Straight Alliance (GSA) has been a safe place for students to go for the 10 years of its existence.

The club is open to any members, regardless of their sexuality, and address issues surrounding the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Questioning community and students’ personal connections to it.

The GSA was recently invited to North Hennepin Community College’s National Coming Out Day event Oct. 11. The keynote speaker at the event was state senator Scott Dibble. Dibble is an activist for same-sex marriage and gay rights in Minnesota and author of the bill passed in May, which allows same-sex marriage.

Kyle Sweeney, adviser of the club, was very supportive of the invitation.

“We could celebrate Coming Out Day here,” Sweeney said. “But we got invited to this event and it’s nice to be with college students and a community that is supportive and to meet Scott Dibble, who has been an activist for LGBTQ rights.”

Scott Dibble has been a Minnesota State Senator for 11 years. He is the senator for the majority of Southwest Minneapolis and was a leader in the fight against the suggested amendment against same sex marriage.

Dibble spoke about the importance of freedom and courage at the event.

“Government has a responsibility to protect us but we have to take matters into our own hands,” Dibble said. “National Coming Out Day is important because it gives people courage to do that.”

Senior member Nekita Newstrom, who has attended the meetings since her sophomore year and is openly out, said she appreciates GSA because it lets her know there are students in school who have common interests with her.

“It lets me know there are people out there that care about LGBTQ issues just like I do,” Newstrom said. “It is nice to know that other people are really supportive of the people who identify as LGBTQ.”

Meetings take place Thursday mornings and are filled with food and discussion according to Newstrom.

“We eat bagels, talk about personal ties, watch videos of coming out experiences and talk about current issues,” Newstrom said.

One of the issues Newstrom was referring to is the proposed amendment to ban same-sex marriage in Minnesota’s state Constitution. The proposed Constitutional Amendment was voted on this past election and did not pass. Newstrom said the club members were ecstatic when they found out.

“Everyone was smiling, laughing, having a good time,” she said. “We were happy to know that overall as a state we are supportive.”

Dibble said overcoming obstacles in same-sex rights takes courage.

“The only reason we are able to achieve anti-discrimination laws is because people were able to come out with authenticity,” Dibble said. “When you create a celebration around the idea of something that is considered a risk it shows that it is not just you, that there are other people taking risks and it gives people courage.”

Dibble said it makes him happy to know GSA clubs exist across the country.

“It means that kids who feel distanced or are trying to find who they are know that being gay isn’t bad and they have a support system,” Dibble said. “When I grew up I had to figure it out all by myself through many years of pain.”

Sweeney said she thinks the event impacted the students who attended in a very positive way.

“They got to have fun in a safe place to celebrate who they are and be themselves,” Sweeney said. “Everyone loved it and got to interact with Scott Dibble, they got an opportunity most young people don’t get.”