Senior Sahasawaddy Millenium Somsacksy saw a new way to impact the community by helping organize a Feminist Action Day when students created care packages for 2,500 inmates at the Central California Women’s Facility.
This type of community outreach mirrors the mission of the People Organized for Women’s Empowerment and Representation (POWER), a club for which Somsacksy serves as vice president. It is also aligned with LGBTQ2+ scholarships supporting Somsacksy and senior Cynthia Espinoza. The two students were honored at an Oct. 29 reception at the Smittcamp Alumni House.
Somsacksy received the first Allison Murphy and Chloe Anne Lacey Scholarship, while Espinoza became the third recipient of the LGBTQ2+ Minor Scholarship funded by community supporters and crowdfunding efforts. Both students will receive $1,000 scholarships.
“The LGBTQ2+ Studies Scholarship and the Allison Murphy and Chloe Anne Lacey Memorial Scholarship are the first scholarships in the CSU system dedicated to students pursuing a minor in LGBTQ2+ studies,” said Dr. Katherine Fobear, chair of the Department of Women’s, Gender and Sexuality Studies at Fresno State. “Receiving one of these scholarships sends a powerful message to our students that their education matters and that they deserve to be supported in pursuing their goals. Supporting these scholarships means investing in the next generation of leaders and changemakers who will work toward building a more inclusive, affirming and welcoming world for everyone.”
Murphy, the namesake of one of the scholarships, was a longtime supporter of Fresno State and LGBTQ2+ community efforts before her death from breast cancer in 2024. Her daughter, Chloe, had also hoped to attend college. But, at age 17, she succumbed to suicide.
Somsacksy, from Fresno and majoring in women’s, gender and sexuality studies, volunteered with the Fresno Economic Opportunities Commission LGBTQ+ Resource Center while previously attending Fresno City College. Somsacksy has volunteered with other community resource organizations and assisted with lobbying and canvassing for the Hmong Innovating Politics organization. At Fresno State, Somsacksy also serves as treasurer of United Student Pride.
“This is a meaningful scholarship to receive,” Somsacksy said. “It is centered on not only carrying on the legacy of Allison and Chloe Anne, but [also] paving the path to a future of queer/trans resilience and joy as a young adult navigating the ongoing social climate. As the first person to receive it, I am honored to be awarded this scholarship, but I will say that I do feel the weight of expectation that comes with the names behind it. Despite this, it’s given me more confidence in my own abilities and has reinforced the importance of my commitment to empowering communities and beyond.”
Espinoza, from Fresno and majoring in psychology, said the scholarship tied to the LGBTQ2+ minor complemented her academic and professional aspirations.
Espinoza has worked in the community with youth in foster care, on probation or in rehabilitation programs. Besides volunteering with the Poverello House as a street navigation specialist, Espinoza mentored others through the Chicano Youth Center and Dog Days: New Student Orientation.
As her family’s first prospective college graduate, Espinoza hopes to become a licensed clinician and work with transgender and LGBTQ2+ youth.
“The LGBTQ2+ minor has been such a welcoming environment,” Espinoza said. “I love how the classes foster a connection with others and help acclimate me to research methods and local history. I feel it’s really important to help others learn about the many resources around us, especially as students navigate toward adulthood.”
Fundraising for the department scholarship began in 2024 with small donations, followed by supporters who pushed it past the initial $25,000 goal.
Fobear, who joined Fresno State in 2017 after earning her doctorate from the University of British Columbia, spearheaded both scholarships. She was attracted to the Central Valley’s diversity and the opportunity to start the first LGBTQ2+ minor in the California State University system, which became official in fall 2024.
Since then, she has worked with campus development director Peter Robertson, community organizer Robin McGehee Johnson and others to connect the community to the minor.
Students, faculty and staff continue to archive LGBTQ2+ history through the Central Valley Rainbow Archives with materials donated by the Jeffery Robinson estate. Fobear also helped create the Qistory website to preserve the accounts of San Joaquin Valley elders and marginalized members of the community.
Dr. Gloria Negrete-Lopez, an assistant professor in women’s, gender and sexuality studies, has seen how students like Somsacksy can positively impact the community in other ways.
“These scholarships reward the effort and difference that students like Sahasawaddy and Cynthia make, not just in our classes,” Negrete-Lopez said. “Their efforts show what the LGBTQ2+ studies minor can mean for student outreach, especially working with Black, Indigenous and people of color. Students learn how much community matters when they’re engaged in the field, and they both walk into every space as themselves. It’s been so great to watch them flourish and see their leadership recognized.”
If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health concerns or thoughts of suicide, there are resources available. Call or text 988, call the Central Valley Suicide Prevention Hotline at 888.506.5991, or visit 988lifeline.org for an online chat.
