Jessie Gilliam     Out Loud The National Day of Silence was a success. Not in mere numbers, although over 300 students at U.Va. and thousands of others at over 200 colleges, universities, and high schools around the world participated. Not even in the silent hours themselves, although they were effective as well. When National Day of Silence (NDOS) participants handed out cards declaring their support for lesbian/gay/bisexual/transgender (lgbt) rights instead of speaking, the only thing they "said"during the day (and said repeatedly) was a declaration of their opposition to homophobia. Instead of being silenced, participants made more statements in support of lgbt rights during the silence hours than most people make in a week or even a year. I consider the National Day of Silence a success because it initiated dialogue about queer activism and queer lives at U.Va. I applaud those who took the vow of silence, for their protests generated discussion and promoted awareness of lgbt issues. I also applaud people such as Sean Kennedy who didn't agree with the event, yet took the opportunity the event created to talk about queer issues. The NDOS was not the only success in queer activism this year. This fall's Proud To Be Out Week created networks between the black and gay community and the OAAA. Rainbow triangles have graced doors all over grounds. The Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Union (LGBTU) and the Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Affairs Committee (LGBTAC) finally added T's to their names. This year's B-GLAD week boasted not one, but two nationally known queer speakers: activist Urvashi Vaid and former Republican Congressman Steve Gunderson. The multitude and diversity of these events are unprecedented at the university. Yet much more work lies ahead. Queer people don't have a voice in the expansion of the OAAA -- in fact, we weren't even invited to the discussion. Education of first years about queer issues is still painfully inadequate. The Cavalier Daily has repeatedly excluded us from its pages or, at best, shuffled us off to the Life section. (That's why you don't hear about all the success the lgbt movement has had at U.Va.) Internally, the LGBTU suffers from sexism and racism. Worst of all, the university is still an environment where someone can walk past a lawn table and spit at another human being who is tabling for gay rights. I'm sure that many of you would agree with my laundry list of goals and concerns. I'm also sure I left some goals and concerns off of this list, and I know many of you have legitimate complaints about the events or lack of events being offered for queer people at the university because they don't reflect who you are. Which brings me to the purpose of this column: I am asking that you come to the table and start developing events and actions that are valid to your life and your goals. Make the LGBTU and the LGBTAC do what you think queer organization sat U.Va. should be doing. I know many of you have ideas and goals and projects that you have thought about carrying out but have never had the people power to carry out. I know your individual advocacy for queer issues is powerful. But I also know that together we can be even stronger. The core group of the LGBTU and LGBTAC is so small that when I say the phrase "we have accomplished ..." the "we" I'm referring to is the same five people every time. I'm tired of feeling like we are the only queers on grounds. Please, make us feel less alone! The Day of Silence was started by some people who were dissatisfied with what the LGBU was doing. Now it's your turn. If you want to make a day of screaming, come to the LGBTU with a flier and a willingness to work, and you will probably find your idea being a hot topic of debate in next semester's Declaration. Let's get a dialogue going about goals, strategies, methodologies, and the possibility of a real, vibrant, queer community at U.Va. Email me: jmg8r@virginia.edu. I'll be in Cocke Hall waiting for your messages.

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