Tuesday, August 24, 2010, Equal's first meeting of the semester started off...with a venue change.  With the rainfall having putting a halt to the Multi-Cultural Student Center's "Taste of UCF" (formerly out on Memory Mall), Equal's reserved venue of the Cape Florida Ballroom was given to MCSC, leaving Equal officers and students alike with little more to do than stand around confused.  With reservation confirmation in hand, President Matthew Patterson, Treasurer Adam Conrad, and Advisor Michael Freeman descended upon the Student Union front desk assuring them that the 200 people estimated to attend could not fit in the atrium so a room had to be made available.

Once word was given, Vice President of Internal Affiars Abdul K paraded down four flights of stairs, pride flag held aloft as the crowd of Equal attendees were shepherded down to the Pegasus Ballroom, grudgingly given to Equal although it was partially set up for a morning event.  With confused members trickling in until twenty minutes into the meeting, no chance of an overhead projector and members already grumbling as they took their seats, Matt took center stage to call the meeting to order, explaining the "Safe Place" Policy that Equal has always held dear.

With brief introductions of all the officers, Michael Freeman came forward to start off with an excercise (literally) designed to show that everyone in attendance was different, whether it be in merely identification or in something as blatant as skin color, everyone is Equal.  With an empowering tear jerker of a life story, Michael was met with a standing ovation from all in attendance.

With everyone feeling more at home and much more comfortable, the officers then split the room into four quadrants, to play some icebreaker name games.  Starting with "Hot-Rod Heather", as it is affectionately termed in honor of a member, attendees clapped, snapped, yelled and laughed to drown out all the negativity and unfortunate events that could have left the meeting in shambles.

Without a doubt, although shaky in the beginning, Equal's first meeting of the semester definitely became the strong and sturdy first step to a new beginning.