After years of scattered affinity groups and a pandemic that forced community members apart, LGBTQ+ faculty and staff at Northwestern established Out Network Evanston in 2020.
Out Network Evanston has since amassed over 100 members. The organization recently submitted paperwork to the Office of Institutional Diversity and Inclusion seeking recognition as an official affinity group at the University. Like OUTLaw, an affinity group exclusively for Pritzker School of Law students, Out Network Evanston provides space for NU faculty and staff who identify as LGBTQ+ to build social and advocacy networks.
Matthew Abtahi, assistant director of Multicultural Student Affairs, is a founding member of the Out Network and currently sits on its leadership council. They said the council wants the organization to accommodate the diverse and varied experiences of LGBTQ+ staff at the University.