SafeZone training encourages allyship at Rider

By Cal Sutton and Alyssa Roberts

The Center for Community and Belonging hosted one of its SafeZone training sessions on Oct. 24, a voluntary program promoting allyship on Rider’s campus. Through group discussions, open dialogue and the sharing of resources, the program helps allies become better support systems for the LGBTQIA+ community.

SafeZone is an online curriculum available for anyone to utilize. According to SafeZone’s website, “The SafeZone Project is a free online resource for powerful, effective LGBTQ awareness and ally training workshops.”

Rider has held SafeZone training sessions each semester since 2021, allowing students, faculty and staff to have opportunities to create supportive environments for the LGBTQIA+ community on campus.

Director of Community Engagement and Belonging Jasmine Johnson oversees SafeZone training that happens in the CCB.

According to Johnson, SafeZone’s goal is “[creating] a level of understanding, learning that we can become inclusive, and making sure that people feel welcome at all times around campus.”

Recent government actions have affected the LGBTQIA+ community, such as Executive Order 14201, “Keeping Men Out of Women’s Sports,” which discriminates against transgender individuals on sports teams.

SafeZone training assists in teaching community members to be allies that are willing to understand, support and empathize with queer-identifying communities on college campuses when they are most vulnerable.

Faculty, staff and students are encouraged to sign up for SafeZone training, with student sessions separate from faculty and staff sessions — an action intended to promote a sense of comfort for the respective groups.

Attendees have the opportunity to attend a three-hour training session, in which they obtain valuable skills in being an ally to their community members.

During SafeZone training, participants learn about social identities, intersectionality, pronouns and other important factors to being a strong supporter of the LGBTQIA+ community.

Johnson describes a positive outcome of SafeZone training as “Understanding … the definitions behind [LGBTQIA+ identities].”

A SafeZone certification is displayed by placing a decal in an email signature or through stickers given to Rider community members who have successfully completed the training.

Heather Schaab, a senior political science major, got SafeZone trained in fall 2024. She was also trained to be a facilitator in the same semester.

Any person within the campus community who has been successfully SafeZone trained has the opportunity to become a facilitator, which gives them the ability to help their peers become SafeZone certified.

SafeZone training goes deeper than getting a sticker or an addition to an email signature. For many, being SafeZone-trained helps them become better leaders and friends to all.

“I wanted to educate myself even further, so I can be a better leader on campus, [better] ally … just to be a better person overall,” Schaab said.

As Equity and Inclusion chair in SGA, Schaab believes that SafeZone training is helpful in educating those who are not as knowledgeable about the LGBTQIA+ community, as well as making students feel safe and included at Rider.

Johnson said SafeZone training has not changed in response to the federal government’s attempts to dismantle diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives in higher education. “We’re still continuing and really trying to create a sense of belonging for our students here.”

Johnson recognizes that some members of the Rider community might be hesitant about SafeZone training, but encourages them to “take the leap.”

“You can learn so much from others’ experiences,” Johnson said. “It’ll only create a better environment here for all of us.”