National Coming Out Day Conversation on “Creating from Chaos”

By Dave Maley, October 1, 2018
Director of Religious and Spiritual Life Hierald Osorto to lead dialogue.

In observance of National Coming Out Day, the director of religious and spiritual life at Ithaca College will lead a dialogue on “Creating Chaos” on Wednesday, Oct. 10. Free and open to the public, the conversation with Hierald Osorto will be held in the Campus Center’s Clark Lounge beginning at 6:30 p.m.

As a queer Latinx person of faith, Osorto notes that coming out is not a linear journey, and he invites the community to join him for a conversation about forging intersecting identities and finding belonging

Osorto joined the college on Sept. 4 in his newly created position, which is responsible for providing administrative leadership; developing and leading interfaith sponsored programming; providing counsel to students, faculty and staff; and working in collaboration and partnership with members of the campus and local communities.

Osorto’s deep and varied experiences include coordinating multicultural programming at Messiah College, co-moderating the young adult council for Religions for Peace, connecting students and sustainable farmers in El Salvador, and directing the national program for Lutheran Volunteer Corps, a faith-based service program for young adults of many religious and spiritual backgrounds pursuing justice.

He holds a master of divinity degree from Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary, a master of arts degree from Luther Seminary and a bachelor’s degree from Messiah.

National Coming Out Day is sponsored by the Human Rights Campaign and is intended to advance open and respectful dialogue about the lives of LGBTQ Americans and their family and friends. The Ithaca College Center for LGBT Education, Outreach, and Services each year hosts a speaker with ties to the campus or local community in commemoration of the day.

For more information, visit www.ithaca.edu/lgbt.