Oral History Program Avery Lytle Interviewed by Lorrie Rands 15 October 2024 Oral History Program Weber State University Stewart Library Ogden, Utah Avery Lytle Interviewed by Lorrie Rands 15 October 2024 Copyright © 2025 by Weber State University, Stewart Library Mission Statement The Oral History Program of the Stewart Library was created to preserve the institutional history of Weber State University and the Davis, Ogden and Weber County communities. By conducting carefully researched, recorded, and transcribed interviews, the Oral History Program creates archival oral histories intended for the widest possible use. Interviews are conducted with the goal of eliciting from each participant a full and accurate account of events. The interviews are transcribed, edited for accuracy and clarity, and reviewed by the interviewees (as available), who are encouraged to augment or correct their spoken words. The reviewed and corrected transcripts are indexed, printed, and bound with photographs and illustrative materials as available. The working files, original recording, and archival copies are housed in the University Archives. Project Description Connecting Weber: History of the Cultural Centers oral history project documents the memories and history of the various cultural centers that were open at Weber State University. These centers included the Multicultural Center (later called the Center for Belonging & Cultural Engagement), Women's Center, Native American Cultural Center, Asian American and Pacific Islander Cultural Center, Pan-Asian Cultural Center, Black Cultural Center, and the LGBTQ Resource Center. The centers were closed in July 2024 due to state legislation. ____________________________________ Oral history is a method of collecting historical information through recorded interviews between a narrator with firsthand knowledge of historically significant events and a well-informed interviewer, with the goal of preserving substantive additions to the historical record. Because it is primary material, oral history is not intended to present the final, verified, or complete narrative of events. It is a spoken account. It reflects personal opinion offered by the interviewee in response to questioning, and as such it is partisan, deeply involved, and irreplaceable. ____________________________________ Rights Management This work is the property of the Weber State University, Stewart Library Oral History Program. It may be used freely by individuals for research, teaching and personal use as long as this statement of availability is included in the text. It is recommended that this oral history be cited as follows: Lytle, Avery, an oral history by Lorrie Rands, 15 October 2024, WSU Stewart Library Oral History Program, Special Collections and University Archives, Stewart Library, Weber State University, Ogden, UT. iii Abstract: The following is an oral history interview with Avery Lytle conducted on October 15, 2024 over Zoom with Lorrie Rands. Avery talks about his time at Weber State University working in the Women’s Center and the impact it had on his life, and his feelings surrounding the closing of the cultural centers on campus. Also present is Raegan Baird. LR: Today is October 15, 2024. We are here with Avery Lytle doing an oral history interview about the cultural centers closing here at Weber State University. My name is Lorrie Rands conducting, and Ragan Baird is on the Zoom call as well. All right, thank you again, Avery, for your willingness to do this interview with us. If there's any question that I ask that you would rather not answer, just let me know and we'll move on. AL: Sounds good. LR: Let's go ahead and start with when and where you were born? AL: Okay, I was born in 1991 in Connecticut. LR: Okay. Were you raised in Connecticut? AL: No, I wasn't. My dad, he was in the Navy, so I was born in Connecticut, then moved around a little bit, but I ended up moving to southern Utah. I think I was like eight-ish, but before that, I was in Washington State. So, kind of like east coast, west coast, and then we moved here. I think I was like 11 maybe when we moved to northern Utah. I've lived here since then, mostly. LR: Okay. Do you remember any of the differences from Washington to southern Utah, or were you too little? 1 AL: I remember it, but I don't know if they were like super significant culturally. It was just like, “Oh my gosh, it's hot now.” It used to be just it rained like 90 days in a row I remember, when we were there. Then yeah, we moved to Saint George, Utah, and I was just like, turn the lights out. But other than that, no, I didn't really. I think I was too young. LR: Makes sense, and then kind of the same question, we know three years later you move up to northern Utah. What were some of the differences that you noticed in that? AL: That one was a lot bigger, because—so, I'm not LDS anymore, but I was growing up. In southern Utah, I don't know if it's the same today, but at least when I was living there, it was just very like, just heavily Mormon, I guess. How that affected me as a child was, like, the kids were nicer. I don't know how to say that other than just like, it seemed like the kids were nicer. I moved up here and I got like, instantly bullied. I don't really know what the difference was other than like, I don't know, maybe it could have been socioeconomic as well. You know, there seems to be like higher income. Yeah, I don't know, it just was a big shock for me to come from an environment where it's like nobody swears at each other. I mean, I still, like kids were kind of mean, because kids are just mean across the board. Then I moved up here and people just like calling me all sorts of words that I didn't even have in my vocabulary. Just like, “Oh my gosh.” So yeah, anyway, it was kind of rough. It was a rough transition. LR: Sounds like it. When you moved up here, that was like almost transitioning from elementary school to junior high. 2 AL: Exactly, yeah. That as well. LR: Okay. So, that was where a lot of that—? AL: Could have been. Yeah, ‘cause I was kind of like in junior high there and then did junior high here as well. So, it was like a little bit junior high there, and then yeah. But no, it's not fun. Junior high was not great. Just don't recommend. Anyhoo, yeah. LR: Agreed. Okay. Once you moved up here to northern Utah, where did you go to junior high? AL: I went to, what's it called? It's in Washington Terrace. I'd have to look it up. Just a junior high there. LR: Okay. Mostly that was just curiosity. Where did you go to high school? AL: I went to Ogden High. So, we lived in Washington Terrace, then we moved kind of toward central Ogden. LR: Okay. So, you kind of moved around Ogden as you were growing up? AL: Yeah. LR: Okay. Having moved around a lot in your kind of formative years, looking back on that now, how did that affect you in your just growing up? AL: I don't think this is like an experience that's like only my experience, but I think from a lot of like children of like military families have this. But I had a harder time like forming deeper connections with friends, just because I'd get friends, I'd move somewhere, I'd be there for like a year, and I’d be like, “All right, see you later.” So, it was really easy for me to like, cut off relationships. Then in my adult life, early adult life, I had to be like, “Okay, how do I like, maintain these now? I 3 can't just like—" I don't know, it's hard to explain. But yeah, it was hard initially, like forming longer, deeper, connections with people, I’d say. LR: And that makes sense. Okay. As you're in high school, were you encouraged to pursue a higher education? AL: I don't think I was super encouraged. Not necessarily. Maybe in school a little bit, but it wasn't like, it wasn't something really supportive, so I joined the military when I graduated. Yeah. LR: What branch did you join? AL: I was in the Army National Guard. So, the Utah National Guard. LR: Okay. Because you did National Guard, you're staying here. Did you think about going to school? AL: It was kind of like a weird—I had like a year of training for the National Guard where I was gone for a year, and then I came back, and that's when I started going to Weber. So, I can get into that. I was mostly, like, I did a semester I think full time at Weber, and then I did some more National Guard training stuff and I did some work for the National Guard, so then I stopped going to Weber. It was probably in 2012 when I first started. I know we’ll get on this a little later, but then I started again in 2014, just part time, because I was in the National Guard, but I was full time National Guard for a large majority of that time. So, I was a part time student at Weber. LR: Okay. Were you AGR then, or just…? AL: No, unfortunately, it was like, it's called—not Title X. I can't remember what it's called, but it's not AGR, so I didn't get any retirement. It's a really weird separate 4 form. It's weird. So, I wasn't considered AGR, so it didn't go towards like, any of my education benefits. I wasn't considered full time. Some of that time was, so I did get some education benefits that I used for my master's degree. But yeah, it's weird government stuff. LR: I totally agree. AL: Yeah, it was basically like, “You're full time, but we don't have to pay all the benefits.” That's kind of what it ended up being. LR: Okay. We won't get into that, ‘cause it’s not really relevant. So, you do one semester at Weber in 2012 and then come back in 2014. Was there any, like, difference in between those two years that you noticed? AL: Not really. I don't think so. It was a difference, I guess, in being like a traditional student versus nontraditional student. It's like when I started, I did my first semester like a traditional student, you know, you had classes during the day. I didn't live on campus or anything, or in any of the dorms. But then after that I was part time, so it was always like evening classes, sometimes during the day, but mostly evening and online. So, that was a little bit different. LR: Okay, because you were more doing the evening classes, online classes, were you involved in any other activities on campus during that time? AL: Very little. Just I didn't have time to from working full time, and then things where like they didn't have a lot of things going on in the evening, I guess. Yeah, not a ton. My last semester—well, I got out of the military ‘cause I was going to do a study abroad semester. So, I had a semester where I wasn't in the military and I did more on-campus things during that semester. That was fun. 5 LR: Okay. What were you—? I'm sorry. These jets keep flying by, and that's like, it's all I'm hearing. It's kind of annoying. Okay. What was your degree as you were going to Weber? AL: I got my degree in English, and then I had like a minor in French, because I did French interpreting when I was in the military. That was like my job. So, I got a lot of credits transferred from my military training to Weber for that. So yeah, I was in English because I was a report writer, intelligence analyst in the military. I was able to like use the English degree, because they would let you leave work sometimes if it was pertinent to your job. So, I used, you know, like English technical writing. Anyway. LR: Then you said you have a master's degree? AL: Yeah. So, I have a master's from the U in information systems. LR: Okay. Did you ever have an opportunity to work on campus? AL: Not as a student. I worked at the Women's Center when I worked as a professional staff. LR: Okay, when did that start? AL: That was 2019. I think that was like two years, so 2019 to 2021. LR: Okay. You said you worked at the Women's Center. What were some of your duties working there? AL: So, I was an administrative specialist. I did a lot of that stuff, like budgeting, you know, the P-cards, like P-card reconciliation, scheduling event—not necessarily event scheduling, but maybe like scheduling a room for an event. Yeah, so I did that, and then I also was like a supervisor for student staff. A lot of the staff 6 members were supervisors for certain things. So, I did like administrative tasks with student staff, like kind of try to help them learn some office skills. I also was like the intake person for just anyone visiting the Women's Center for like Safe@Weber services. Because I sat at the front of the office, so if anyone came in requesting services, you know, I was kind of like the first person that they saw. Same with on the phone, if anyone called in asking for resources or, you know, just resources. LR: What led you to that job specifically? AL: I got out of the military. I went and studied abroad for a semester in Norway. I moved back, and I basically was like, I want the opposite of what I did in the military. Like, I don't want that culture anymore; I want the complete opposite. I was just kind of like randomly looking at jobs on Indeed. I wasn't like specifically looking for this. I saw it was at the Women's Center, and it was three fourths time at the Women's Center, one fourth at the LGBT Resource Center. They were in the same like office building, or room, I guess. Anyhoo, I saw that I was just like, “Oh, this sounds great. This just sounds like I'll probably work with people that I want to work with,” instead of, you know, kind of being the odd one out my whole military career. So yeah, that was the first thing that made me want to apply. Plus, it was meaningful work. LR: Okay. What are some of your favorite memories working at the Women's Center? AL: I’ll say the best was just like working with the other staff members and student staff. I don't have like a background in women's studies or gender studies or anything like that. So, I felt like I got to learn a lot from the people I worked with, 7 and they're also just like really cool people. The students were awesome, I really liked getting to know all the students, kind of helping them navigate their first job. I think it’s a really good experience for student staff to be able to work on campus, especially in a office setting. So, that was cool, like helping out with the resumes. Yeah, I think it was just like the personal connections was biggest for me. LR: From your point of view, and that's entirely what I'm looking for here, how did those, the Women's Center and the LGBTQ Center, how did those impact the students who came in? From your point of view. AL: So, for the students who came into like the Women's Center, I think it was pretty similar. Well, okay, so there's a difference. If the students are coming in for like Safe@Weber services, like advocacy services, I think that was a really big impact for them to be able to have somewhere to go to kind of navigate whatever they were going through, whether it be like, you know, sexual assault or sexual harassment, anything like that. I think that's super important. I'm glad the Safe@Weber services are still available for students. But like the Women's Center side, which did a lot of like the events, they kind of did—it was like two parts. They had like peer support, or sorry, I don't know what you call them, peer specialists students. They would go and teach courses to their own peers. So, things on like consent, healthy relationships, things like that. Then there were other events that were more towards like feminism you know, like feminism in a workplace type event. I’m trying to remember some of the events they did. 8 But anyways, for those students that I worked with that worked at the Women's Center and that came to some Women's Center events, I think it was like really important for them to find community, and I think they did find it. Just being with people that are like you, I guess, and have similar beliefs, similar goals. A lot of the students who worked at the Women's Center were interested in either violence prevention or advocacy services, like as a future career. Not all of them were, but you know, just being around people that have similar beliefs I think is really important. LR: That work you did in the Women's Center, how did that impact what you went on to do later? AL: I don't know if it impacted what I'm doing now because I'm doing software development, but it's definitely impacted what I want in a career, I guess. It was hands down the best job I've ever had. I really liked the culture. We kind of did like this feminist workplace type environment, so even though there is a hierarchy, we tried to like, flatten it as much as possible. So, as an admin specialist, the director would take my input almost as, you know, just as if I was like a peer, I guess. Or not necessarily a peer, but you know what I’m saying? Like at the same level, where I was used to like a military where it's just like you just get told what to do. It doesn't matter what you think. So, that was great, and now as I'm in new work environments, I'm like, oh, that was really nice. Like, if I don't have that, it's really kind of disappointing. But yeah, I don't know if I'll ever have that again, but I definitely, you know, it was great. It makes me want to work at Weber again, just because I know a lot of it 9 was Weber, just the Weber culture on campus. I know there was like a part that was the Women's Center. I can get into that more. That part that was the Women’s Center can't be recreated, I know that, but I think Weber as a whole is great. I really liked my time on campus. LR: So, you said you'd get into that more. What do you mean? AL: Like the differences? LR: Yeah. AL: So, like I really enjoyed just being on campus, like there's Starbucks, campus is beautiful. You know, if you're hungry you can just go down, because I worked in the Shepherd Union. But even like, at the library, like, “Ah, I didn't bring lunch. I'll just run down, get some lunch.” But that's good. But mostly it was like the learning environment. So, you could take classes. I loved all the events I went to. I learned a lot in those two years. It was just great. I love learning, and it was just a really good environment. But then the Women's Center itself, it was like the staff I was working with, like I know that could be recreated, I guess. Just because, I mean, talking about like cultural centers, I know wherever I go, there's never going to be like that insulated. I'm not going to be working with people that share as many values and beliefs as I do, I guess, and identities. I don’t know if that makes sense, but you can ask more questions about it if you want. LR: Mostly it's just, well, let me ask you this. You're working in the Women's Center, and this is just from what I'm seeing, and if I'm making like an assumption I 10 apologize. But from outward appearance, you're a male working in a Women's Center. How was that? How did that interaction play out, and was it welcoming? AL: Yeah, I think it was really, it was great, because I think a lot of people's arguments for the Women's Center was like, “Is this just for women?” You know, it was just like that kind of bad faith argument. But then I'd have students come in to come ask that, you know, just to like, see what kind of reaction they'd get. They'd see me and just be like, “Oh. I guess it's not.” Because yeah, we’d always say that, like, “No, it's not just for women.” You know, that's the name of the center. There's a long history of women's centers, and I can't speak on that history because I don't know a lot about that. But I know that that's like kind of where that name comes from. But yeah, it was good. It just, I think it was really good to show other, maybe like students who wanted to use Safe@Weber services that maybe were a little bit intimidated, maybe they could see me and be like, “Okay.” You know, male-identifying students, I guess. That might make them a little bit more comfortable. Yeah, it was good. LR: So, even though it was housed within the Women's Center, Safe@Weber is a program that's not gender specific? AL: Not at all. Yeah. It's not gender specific, at all. LR: So, this is, and you might not be able to answer this, but how do you think that impacted? Like if there's not a male rep or male presenting student now in that position? Well, now that position’s gone. Do you think that would hinder other 11 students from coming in and seeking help? If you hadn't have been there, is what I'm saying. AL: I mean, it could have, because there's a lot of things that hinder students or just anyone from seeking help for, you know, domestic violence or sexual assault. So, it could have. I'm not sure, you know. I really can't speak on it, but it could, yeah. Because I mean, there's a lot of barriers. There's so many barriers. LR: Yeah. You kind of talked about this a little bit, but what were some of your feelings when you learned that the cultural centers would be closing? AL: I just, you know, it was kind of upsetting, but not surprising, I guess. I've kind of had to like, for my own mental health, kind of separate myself from things that are going on. There's a big political divide, and I don't like to speak about politics like in official settings, but I do believe this was political. You know, there's a big political split. I've had to kind of like separate myself from it, so when I heard about it happening, I was just like, “Yeah, that—"you know. I don't know how to describe that. It's bad, but it’s, I can literally do nothing about it. I did some more research on like, all the centers that were closing, and I didn't realize how many cultural centers there were at Weber. So, that's a lot. I'm a little bit—let me back up a little bit. Since I'm not on campus, I really don't know how it's playing out. I did a little bit of research, but yeah, it was… Definitely I think if I let myself go and feel my feelings about it, I probably would have been more upset. But I kind of just had to be like, ah, I'm putting that in the box of things that are overwhelming, I guess. Does that make sense? 12 LR: It absolutely does make sense. I know some of the questions that we had for this don't really apply to you, as you don't interact on campus with students. But let me ask you a hypothetical, and maybe it's not a fair question, but I'm going to ask it anyway. AL: Go ahead. LR: If you were a student and you had known about the centers, and now they’re closed, what would your reaction be? AL: I would have been so mad. I would've been really mad. You know, I have like issues with injustice, I guess. As I've gotten a little older, I've had to like, let go of some of that stuff because, you know, just for my own mental health, like I was saying. But yeah, I would have been really mad. Say it bluntly, I guess. LR: Kind of on the same line, I know you can only speak from your own experience, but how do you think them closing will hinder or is hindering students in general? AL: So, I don't know, because I know there's this new Student Support Center, which is cool, I guess. Yeah, like I don't know much about it, so I want to hope that students can receive support that they need there. But, when you take away like cultural aspects, I guess, or like the DEI aspect. I was thinking about it, like you remove that community, and I know there was questions about community, but I don't think you can fulfill students’ need for community in that way. So, you might be able to help them with like, I don't know. I don't know what other support services they have. So, back up a little bit again. As a student, I felt like I got a lot of support at Weber. You know, either through like mental health support or like, you know, 13 tutoring. I just felt like if I needed help, it was pretty easy to find it. My guess is that students are getting the support they need in that sense. But yeah, I don't know if that makes any sense. Could you repeat the question again just so I make sure I’m like on…? LR: The question was just how do you think it's impacting students? AL: All right. Yeah, so like I was saying, the community aspect like that. I think they're going to be responsible for creating their own community now, as far as I understand it. Am I allowed to ask questions too? LR: You? AL: Yeah, am I allowed to ask questions? LR: Yeah, absolutely, go ahead. AL: So, I'm assuming clubs are allowed. LR: Yes, with caveats. AL: Caveats. Okay. Because when I was reading, it didn't really say if those caveats were for student groups or clubs as well. I also thought like, okay, well, if there's a Student Support Center and there's no cultural centers, but maybe like the people that were working at those cultural centers can fulfill roles such as like, let's say the director of the LGBT Resource Center could be like a LGBT resource specialist, something coordinator. You know, something like that position. But the more I read into the law, I was like, oh, that's not allowed either. So, that's not good, I would say. Not really great. I'm trying to like practice radical acceptance, you know, and hope that something good can come out of this, because it wasn't—I know it wasn't 14 Weber's choice. It was Weber's choice to shut down, or like the president's choice to shut the centers down. But I think his hands were tied with the way the law was written. Like, you could have these cultural centers, but they couldn't offer any support to students, is what I understood from that. LR: Yeah, and we can talk more about it when we're not recording. I can share a little bit more about that. AL: Okay. LR: Because right now I just, I'm… AL: Yeah, more focused on… [Motions to himself] Yeah. LR: Right, exactly. I'm curious, you have this desire for justice, as you put it. This might be a little too personal, but where does that desire come from? AL: Could be just as a queer person, maybe it just like, you grow up being different all the time and like… I don't know, I also grew up really poor, and I think I saw a big difference in like what I experience and what people with more privilege experience. I kind of was like, “That's not fair.” I never really thought about like where it came from, but I just since like a young age, I've always been like, there are things that are fair and things that are not fair. This is kind of going deep, but like, I know anger is a secondary emotion, so like it would make me angry. Like the closing of the centers, that would make me angry. But really deep down, it would just make me sad and scared. Does that answer your question kind of? LR: Yeah, it does, and I appreciate the reminder that anger is a secondary emotion, and there's something underneath that. I know you said you did a lot of your schoolwork when you had online classes off campus, you know, or late at night. 15 When you were going to Weber, did you know about the culture centers? Were you aware of them? AL: I wasn't aware of all of them. I was aware of a few, but not super aware. However, this is somewhat relevant, but I just kind of, maybe it's relevant, but I could definitely tell there was a difference between campus versus like, my military experiences. Like I felt, even though I didn't really know about the culture centers, I knew that like a lot of my professors, we probably shared more, you know, more beliefs that, like—it's not just beliefs, but values. I felt really oppressed, I guess, in the military, and then when I go on campus, I’d be like “Ah, not oppressed.” Like, whew. Like, less oppressed, I guess. I don't know. But no, I wasn't super aware. I knew there was like the black students organizations, and I volunteered for some of those just trying to get a little bit more involved. Well, I guess I did know about the LGBT Resource Center, because like in 2012 there wasn't an LGBT Resource Center, and I knew some of the students that worked really hard to get the resource center and get the space. Just because they had like the GSA—just the Gender Sexuality Alliance, I think—they had that, but it was like always changing locations, you know, you always have to find a room. You didn't have any place like a base that you could go to have like, you know, these meeting places, I guess. Yeah, I was aware of that. LR: I know I’ve kind of gone backwards a little bit, so I apologize. AL: You're good. 16 LR: You said you saw how hard these students worked to get the LGBTQ Center open. Knowing how hard it was and how quickly and easily they were just shut down, I kind of have two questions. What do you think is the lesson being kind of taught in that regard? I'll ask my next question after you answer that one. AL: I guess just the lesson is that freedom is easy to lose. It's a lot easier to lose than you think, I guess. I know that's like, deeper, but it's just like, you know, you make these achievements that are for the betterment of society. Some people probably would question whether it's for the betterment of society, but from where I am, my belief is that it's better, we're improving, but it's really easy to lose it. I think maybe a few years ago, I would think it's not as easy. I thought like, you know, we got these things, and now it's always going to get better. But yeah, not the case, I guess. LR: The second part of that is, moving forward in the future, do you think that there'll be more caution in trying to organize and get these places of inclusion? I hope I can say that. AL: Yeah, I think in Utah, definitely. Because it's just, like the university can't lose its funding, right? That is so paramount. So, it's almost like, yeah, unless it's completely wiped out. But even if the law's wiped out, let's say, for example, hypothetically, this—it’s not a law, is it a law? It's like a, what do they call it, House Bill…? LR: House Bill 261. AL: Yeah, House Bill 261. Let's say, you know, this year some point legislature decides, “You know what? Just kidding.” I don't think Weber would be like, “All 17 right, well, welcome back all the culture centers. Woo-hoo!” It'd be like, “Whoa, we need to be really cautious for a while,” I would say, because this costs a lot of money too, to remove the centers and build a new center. Like that's, I don't know like how big the center will be, but I'm guessing that's going to be a lot of money to take the centers that were there and create one larger Student Success Center, I guess. I don't know. I'm guessing it's going to cost a lot of money. Does that kind of like answer your question a little bit? LR: Yeah, it actually does. AL: Yeah, and then another point though, is like, okay, that was a hypothetical. The law is really specific, but in some ways I'm sure it can be interpreted differently. But that's also like, if you interpret it wrong, you know, you could lose funding, or a fine. I'm not sure the legality of it, but I know that just universities kind of across the board are overly cautious, I would say, against litigation. Just because it's money, and Weber doesn't have a ton of money just as a public institution, you know. There's not like a big fund going around to protect against like, litigation, I guess. So, I could see being really overly cautious for sure. Like, maybe something that other universities maybe are doing, like the U, I could see Weber being like, “It's not worth the risk.” I don't know. LR: No, that actually makes sense, what you said. AL: I had another thought. I’m sorry. LR: Yeah, please go ahead. AL: I'm thinking of these student clubs, and a lot of times, if I remember correctly, you have to have like a staff member be the sponsor of this club. I can see that 18 maybe causing issues as well. Like, “Okay, I'm going to sponsor this,” let's say it's like a black students club. “What are my limitations as a sponsor? What can I do? What can I not do? Can I support certain events?” Like, I don't know. I think that'll be tricky, and I think most people are probably going to err on the side of caution. To a certain extent, I guess. LR: I've just really appreciated your point of view and what you've said. AL: Thank you. LR: But you keep referencing, and I know it's one of the questions, but you keep referencing community. Why is community important? AL: Well, even before I got the questions, I knew I was like, “Oh, I’m gonna talk about community.” It's really important for—so I looked up, let me see. There was a quote I found I really liked from the National Alliance on Mental Health, and this was regarding community. It considers belonging as part of community. So, it says, “A true sense of belonging includes the ability for you to feel you are a part of the community as your true self.” So, like that's really big for mental wellbeing. I kind of like did a little bit of research on that, you know, just… Sorry, I kind of lost my train of thought. But anyway, it's super important for just like mental health and just wellbeing. I think it might be hard for people to understand if they've always had community and it's just been like second nature to them. Like everywhere they go, you know, this is my community. That's kind of oversimplifying it, but like my experience in the military, like I was queer, most people weren't. Most people were also LDS; I wasn't LDS, and there was just such a big divide. I don't know, it was not great. I did not have a 19 good time. If you want to know more about that, I mean, you can ask later. But yeah, not having community for a long time and then finally having community— so like, working at the Women's Center—it was just like, whoa. It was night and day difference, I guess. It's hard to break down what it is. I mentioned a lot earlier the beliefs and values, but it's like sharing your interests, beliefs and values together. Like, just feeling like you can be entirely yourself, I guess. I was in a professional setting, so I mean that, it's like we weren't friends, I guess I would say. We were really friendly with each other, but, you know, it's colleagues. But that still was just really, I don't know, liberating in a way, to know that I am being my authentic self in my work environment, and that's great. Whereas I think a lot of people can be their authentic selves wherever they go. So, they might not get it, I guess. Yeah, I don't know. LR: I appreciate that answer a lot. As far as this specific interview goes, I just have one more question, but when we're done I would like to talk to you about something else, so don't leave when we're done. But before I ask the final question, is there anything else you'd like to add about the culture centers or your experience that you think is relevant? AL: Can I look over my notes real quick? I took some notes. LR: Absolutely. AL: Okay. I haven't really been looking at them, but let's see. Because you're going to ask the foster relationships question, correct? LR: Yep. 20 AL: Okay. Thank you for being patient. There was something that I wanted to add that I was thinking about. It’s not on here, but just thinking about like just the closing of all the centers. My guess, and I could be wrong, but the majority of students and staff either like didn't care that was the culture centers were there— like not in a bad way where just like, they don't bother me. Like, their existence does not bother me. Either they liked the centers, they supported them, or they were kind of ambivalent, like, “Doesn't bother me.” I think there was just a really small percentage of students, and staff maybe, who kind of didn't agree with having them, and like an even smaller percentage of government who thought that it was discriminatory. Which I think some of the things that they've listed in there, like—what was it? So, it was like the prohibited discriminatory practices, like some of those seem pretty discriminatory in themselves. Anyway, it's just like the very minority making decisions for the majority, I guess. Even though they're elected officials, it just kind of felt that way. The elected officials that brought this House bill and voted for it. It's kind of all over the place there, but just something I kind of missed. LR: I appreciate that. So, the final question then is what do you think we as individuals can do to foster relationships and meet the needs of the underserved communities at Weber, or wherever we may be? AL: I was thinking about that a little bit. I was like, “Well, can we not have events?” So, I looked up like the event calendar, because there was an event that the Women's Center used to do that I thought about, which is like the Clothesline Project. I saw that they were still able to do—or, a Clothesline Project did happen 21 earlier this month. That's like where shirts—students who either like experienced sexual assault or were survivors of sexual assault could like draw on these shirts their experience, and then displayed in the Shepherd Union. I don't know if you've seen those hanging. To answer that question, I thought like, okay, maybe like we can have more of like these types of… they're not really events, but you know, just displays of like support to students. I know there's a lot of—I saw a lot of events there that I kind of didn't expect would be allowed to take place. I'm still a little confused on that, like what's allowed, what's not allowed. I'm sure I'm not the only one. So, maybe doing something like that. Does that make sense? Like just having like, I wouldn’t say events, but like, I don't know what they're called, but like, presentations or like artworks. I'm not very eloquent with my words, but yeah. Doing that, and then… Oh, gee. I don't know what's allowed or not, because I was thinking like professors could maybe like put stickers on their wall. I know there's a thing, I can't remember exactly, but it was kind of like a triangle, like for LGBTQ students, just to be like, “I'm a safe person to come talk to if you need to talk to somebody.” Like, is that allowed? If that's allowed, then maybe things like that, kind of more silently supporting students that way. Kind of going back to that like radical acceptance of like radical happiness, like I want to believe that people will persevere and people will find community in ways, even though it's not officially through like official university channels, that they'll still find a way, you know, to find community and find support for one 22 another. I know it's going to be a lot harder. What I experienced too, as a student—So, earlier you asked if I knew about these culture centers. A lot of the times I didn’t, so I didn't know what I was missing either. Before I started working at the Women’s Center, and I was like, “Oh my gosh, this is great.” I'm trying to be positive, but it's kind of hard to stay positive with it. I don't know. But then I think, too, I did think about, and I think the U might be doing stuff like this, is maybe more referring students to outside of university… What do you call that? Resources, I guess. That maybe, “Okay, we can't have this at Weber, but in that larger Ogden community, there might be resources available.” And by resources, I mean like the community aspect because, you know, I don't think there'll be this, like, scholarships available. Certain, like, identity-based scholarships. I don't know about that. I know it's donor money, so I think that kind of—but donor money can't discriminate. This is saying a lot of things that are considered discriminatory. I know I’m kind of talking all over the place, but I'm just trying to figure it out. Like, I don't know. LR: Well, I just appreciate your thoughtful answers, your willingness to share. I just appreciate it. It's rather nice to have these conversations, so I appreciate your willingness. Did you have any questions, Reagan? Okay. Well, that was all of my questions. So again, thank you very much. 23 WEBER STATE UNIVERSITY Stewart Library ORAL HISTORY INTERVIEW AGREEMENT This Interview Agreement is made and entered into this _15______ day(s) of __October_ by and between the Weber State University, Stewart Library (WSUSLOHP) and. __AveryLytle_______, hereinafter called "Interviewee." Interviewee agrees to participate in a recorded interview, commencing on or about 2:30 PM/ 10/15/2024 time/date, with_LorrieRands_______________ This Interview Agreement relates to any and all materials originating from the interview, namely the recording of the interview and any written materials, including but not limited to the transcript or other finding aids prepared from the recording. In consideration of the mutual covenants, conditions, and terms set forth below, the parties hereby agree as follows: 1. 2. 3. 4. Interviewee irrevocably assigns to WSUSLOHP all his or her copyright, title and interest in and to the interview. WSUSLOHP will have the right to use and disseminate the interview for research, educational, and other purposes, including print, present and future technologies, and digitization to provide internet access. Interviewee acknowledges that he/she will receive no remuneration or compensation for either his/her participation in the interview or for the rights assigned hereunder. WSUSLOHP agrees to honor any and all reasonable interviewee restrictions on the use of the interview, if any, for the time specified below, as follows: Interviewer and Interviewee have executed this Interview Agreement on the date first written above. INTERVIEWEE INTERVIEWER Lorrie Rands (Signature) Avery Lytle (Printed Name) (Signature) Lorrie Rands (Printed Name) 3921 Central Campus Dr Dept 2901, Ogden, UT 84408-2901 I® 801-626-6403 I© 801-626-7045