Linfield has always encouraged students to form clubs in order to create a strong, tight community with their fellow peers.

Fusion Gay Straight Aliance Club is a club that brings students of different identities together and pro- vides a place for students to be with peers and meet new people.

Fusion meetings are on Friday nights from 6-8 p.m. in Graf, room 100, for discussions and on Monday nights from 6-8 p.m. for board meetings as well as other events and activities.

The presidents are Grey Patterson and Alleta Maier, who plan upcoming events and lead the club meetings.

In the past, the club had a lot of members.

Sophomore Grey Patterson said, “Last year we had a lot of really good intentions and a whole lot of

people showed up. It was in TJ Day room 222 and we filled up the room almost and there was a lot of energy.”

“Then it never got directed in a constructed manner that everyone could contribute to.”

Patterson explained about the difficulty last year, then advised how to avoid situations like that, “We want to use all that productive energy in a constructive way … We are talking about having two meet- ings,” said Patterson.

Patterson and Maier are planning to have one meeting around planning club activities and another meeting to provide a place to have conversions.

It gives students a free, safe space to talk about experiences and past struggles.

The club is open to anyone and it is encouraged for anyone to come and participate.

Patterson said, “It’s just about acceptance. It’s letting people be who they are, comfortable with being who they want to be. I feel like there isn’t anybody who isn’t represented by that label.”

Patterson reinforced the concept of unity among all students, “Even in a Gay Straight Alliance, it isn’t just meant for the queer kids to hang out … anyone is welcome. Anyone can come and hang out and as long as you can be accepting of others, we’re going to welcome you.”

“That’s what I want people to get from it. It’s just of sense of acceptance,” says Patterson.

Fusion is a place for students to bond and accept each other for who they are.