Name: Giovanni Rocco
Year: Senior
Hometown: Hollywood, Florida
Major: Media/Communications and Political Science
Her Campus (HC): How does it feel to be the new director of PRIDE?
Giovanni Rocco (GR): Being director of PRIDE is a great responsibility. As director, I am responsible for providing programming and resources to a vibrant community on campus with a rich and long history. The PRIDE Student Union is responsible for serving the LGBTQ+ students on our campus. Working with PRIDE is both a beautiful challenge and an exciting privilege.
HC: What has been the best moment so far?
GR: The best moment so far has been our September general body meeting. We had over 160 students join us for a great meeting where we got to hear from different members of our community on how we can grow and learn from feeling disempowered. It was great seeing so many new faces join us for an exciting start to the 2015-2016 school year.
PRIDE Executive Board being flawless!
HC: What goals do you want to accomplish with PRIDE?
GR: We have so many goals we want to accomplish! This year we are diversifying our events even more, so that more students feel included as part of the LGBTQ+ community. We are also partnering up with different organizations across campus to expand the reach of PRIDE and bring more people into the work that we do. With that also comes the dissemination of the wide array of resources that are provided for our students across campus. In addition, we have a phenomenal year planned for our PRIDE U Fellows with engaging and powerful programs. All of this, of course, is in addition to the variety of events that our students expect from us each semester.
HC: Which pronouns do you use?
GR: I use he/him/his pronouns.
HC: How do you balance your academics with being director?
GR: Self-care is vital for anyone that has the challenge of juggling a social life, work and school. My juggling of the different parts of my life is not much different than what many students face every day. Personally, I take care of myself by trying my best to eat healthy, stay hydrated and disengage from the world for brief periods of time. Non-stop work takes a toll on anyone, so it’s very important to stop every now and then and do a self- evaluation and ask “How am I doing?”, “Am I happy?”, and “Am I healthy?”
HC: Are there any upcoming PRIDE events that you would like to share?
GR: We have a super exciting month coming ahead! We celebrate our rich history, eventful present and ever-brighter future during PRIDE Month, which takes place in October. Stay connected to PRIDE by liking our Facebook page or following us on Twitter and Tumblr. This is the best way to keep up to date with the long list of events we have planned for October!