LGBTQ+ Employee Group Fosters Connection and Community

Nothing brings a group of strangers together quite like a shared purpose, a welcoming smile, and a taco food truck. At the Medical College of Wisconsin (MCW), the LGBTQ+ Employee Engagement Group (EEG) taps into all three, providing a space for camaraderie and connection for the MCW community.

The group began in 2020, as the COVID-19 pandemic changed the nature of social interactions. Still, the group had a mission.

“We wanted to create a space for socialization, belonging, and resource sharing for LGBTQ+ employees and allies, even if virtual at first,” says Andrew Petroll, MD, RES ‘04, FEL ‘06, MS ‘08, professor in the Division of Infectious Diseases and co-founder of the LGBTQ+ EEG. “We also wanted to conduct advocacy work to ensure MCW’s policies and practices were fair for everyone, as well as improving educational opportunities around LGBTQ+ health.”

Over time, the group’s core mission shifted to outreach and relationship-building within and beyond MCW.

“I had worked at MCW for nearly 20 years but felt like I didn’t know many other members of the LGBTQ+ community,” says Haley Heaviland, clinical research manager in the Cancer Center Clinical Trials Office and LGBTQ+ EEG leadership committee member. “The group was a great way to meet like-minded individuals from different departments whom I may have not encountered otherwise.”

Pride Through Community-Building Events

Throughout the year, the group organizes several events and activities open to all MCW faculty, staff, and learners. Many events occur during Pride Month.

This June, the group represented MCW in the Milwaukee Pride Parade, marching alongside individuals from Froedtert Hospital and Children’s Wisconsin. Amid the summer heat, the group also crafted colorful bracelets that spelled out “love” and “pride.” These bracelets were handed out at their much-loved food truck event, where local Milwaukee restaurants served tacos, burgers, and shaved ice on the MCW-Milwaukee campus.

“The event is a great way to get our name out to a lot of people,” says Heaviland. “They come for the food trucks, have no idea what they’re for, but then see our table with resources, like a QR code for Milwaukee LGBTQ+ organizations, and a sign-up sheet to either join the group formally or simply hear about our events.”

Outside of June, the group enjoys casual hangouts. They’ve decorated winter-themed cookies, played strategy board games, and battled it out in trivia nights. Their trivia night questions are developed by Heaviland, who draws from pop culture and LGBTQ+ niches. One night, every player was victorious, receiving prizes donated from local businesses, such as Visit Milwaukee and Milwaukee Food and City Tours.

“It’s been meaningful to build connections with local businesses who want to help support us,” says Bailey Schamburek, education program coordinator in the Department of Surgery and LGBTQ+ EEG co-chair. “Without them, many of these events wouldn’t be possible.”

Fundraising, Brainstorming, and Representing

The group’s ties with Milwaukee organizations are also reciprocal. Last year, they raised more than $3,000 for Courage Plus Milwaukee and Milwaukee’s LGBT Community Center through dessert bake sales.

The group also hosted a Drag Bingo night fundraiser at the Milwaukee bar POP, where a Drag Queen runs a bingo game and attendees donate to the night’s chosen charity. In the group’s case, the donations went to the first-ever MCW Audaxity bike ride, which collectively raised over one million dollars for cancer research.

“The Drag Bingo night was a great event for people in the LGBTQ+ EEG, as it’s a lot of fun to attend,” says Heaviland. “On top of that, all the money that we raise from it goes to cancer research, so it’s truly a double benefit for MCW.”

The group is always on the lookout for new event ideas and welcomes any staff or faculty member to join and chime in. Each month, the group’s leadership committee meets to brainstorm ideas. General members, which number around 30, help shape them into reality. The group also credits the Office of Workforce Engagement for helping bring their ideas to life.

“Our group is very informal and volunteer-driven,” says Schamburek. “There is no pressure to attend every meeting or every event. We welcome any level of commitment."

In the future, the group hopes to increase membership to help achieve more of their goals, including participating in the Milwaukee Pride Parade with a truck and float and hosting resource tables at MCW events, similar to their presence at MCW’s fall Welcome Celebration.

“Representation matters,” says Schamburek. “Our group shows others on campus that there are people like them here. We can provide them with resources, recommend LGBTQ-friendly businesses, or simply be a listening ear, all of which help bring the community together.”