Juliette Burns
Contributing Writer
This June, Willamette University welcomed a new staff member: Director of the Gender Resource and Advocacy Center (GRAC), Lisa Logan.
Logan comes to Willamette from Eastern Washington University, where they managed the Women’s and Gender Education Center (WAGE). They received their Bachelor of Art in Women’s and Gender Studies at Eastern before getting their Master’s Degree from the University of Arizona. Following their education, they held roles in various environmental, anti-racist and anti-violence nonprofit organizations. Starting in 2015, Logan spent seven years at Eastern Washington University at the WAGE Center and is now excited to expand their duties here at Willamette by branching into advocating.
When asked about their interest and passion for gender education and advocacy, Logan said: “I am [a] nonbinary trans person, and I have my master's in Gender and Women's Studies, so it's part of my expertise and I was really passionate about serving LGBTQ students. I found out before I came, Willamette is in the top 10 of religiously affiliated schools in the Pride Index, so that was exciting. It seems like a very LGBTQ-friendly place.” Logan is excited to lean into the advocacy work that is central to the GRAC.
Logan, along with the Chaplain, the Sexual Assault Response Advocates (SARAs) and the counselors at Bishop Wellness Center, are all confidential advocates—trained confidential responders to gender and sexual violence. They are given 40+ hours of training with the Oregon Sexual Assault Task Force, as well as training on campus. The training with the Task Force covers a range of topics on relevant issues that an advocate may encounter, and gives trainees access to debriefs and advice from those on the Task Force.
When it comes to the GRAC itself, Logan said that its greatest strength is in its workers. Within the center, student workers and resource specialists come together to provide education, resources, events and someone to talk to. Logan added, “All of the students who work here are by far our greatest strength. They're passionate and informed, educated, committed to really transforming not just Willamette, but the culture into a more friendly place for survivors. Their commitment is really, really high.”
Logan discussed GRAC’s plans to recognize Domestic Violence Awareness month in October. One planned iniative is Paint Campus Purple, to encourage students to decorate their spaces purple to bring awareness and solidarity to individuals who have experienced domestic violence.
Overall, during their time at Willamette, Logan hopes to teach students to refine their activism skills, help the student staff at the GRAC set work boundaries and foster an open, healthy work environment. The GRAC is a place for all students, a place of collaboration which Logan hopes to truly foster.