Students who attended the “LEGO: Your Safe Space” event were given a thought-provoking prompt: design your own safe space out of Lego bricks. 

Students’ creativity was on display, as builders created things like hearts, their living rooms, and dogs sitting on couches inside of Hawthorn Hall room 214 on Wednesday, Sept. 10. 

However, the Lego craftsmanship was not the main focus of the event. 

It’s On Us, a national organization that has existed since the Obama administration, focuses on educational sexual assault prevention. There exist many chapters across the United States, with over 250 college campuses participating. 

Rowan’s chapter of It’s On Us is specifically honed in on allowing for discussion of sexual assault to come up in an informal, relaxed way. This creates a judgment-free, open atmosphere of discussion, in which students can discuss whatever they have in mind. 

“I’m a victim of sexual assault, it happened to me during my first semester here in 2023,” said Erwin Wambi, president of the Rowan chapter, and a senior majoring in computing and informatics. “My experience inspired me to create a safe space for students and give them a chance to be themselves while also educating them on sexual harassment and assault in a campus setting.”

At this event, there were a plethora of friendly faces and ample Legos to be passed around. Students met new friends, hung out with old ones, and were offered snacks. It was an all-around inviting experience, with many students giving it a chance. 

“I came here for the Legos,” said Chase Witherspoon, a data science major.“But I appreciated the diverse and safe environment.”

About halfway through the event, there was a giveaway, in which individuals whose names were placed on a spinning wheel received gifts like mugs, teddy bears, and ID holders. 

The first meeting of the year for It’s On Us is a sign that there is more up the organization’s sleeve to come. It’s On Us prides itself on creating effective and safe sexual assault learning spaces, and the Rowan chapter did more than just succeed. It established a precedent of conversation open to all.

“[We] welcome [all,] it’s as simple as that,” said Liam Thompson, the event coordinator for It’s On Us. 

The staff running the event interacted with and guided the attendants, giving students plenty of opportunities to discuss their vision of a safe space. 

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