A Q&A with Alayshja Bable '26, President of QSAC
June 28, 2024 | Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
PRINCETON, NJ - As Pride Month draws to a close, we wanted to highlight a meaningful student-athlete experience. We had the pleasure of speaking with Alayshja Bable '26, the president of the Queer Student-Athlete Collective (QSAC) and a dedicated member of the women's rugby team. Alayshja shared insights about her journey, the importance of creating inclusive spaces in athletics, and how QSAC is making a positive impact on the community.
How do you feel supported as a student-athlete leading Queer Student-Athlete Collective(QSAC) as the president?
"As President of QSAC, I have been fortunate this past semester to have been supported by several affinity groups within the athletics space, as well as other LGBTQIA+ student-lead groups on campus," said Alayshja Bable, President of QSAC and member of the women's rugby team. "From the athletics side, I have been in constant communication with ASAP and BSAC leadership to help coordinate events and gain inspiration for club events and meetings. On campus, I have also worked alongside leadership at the GSRC, who have also graciously allowed us to hold meetings and events there. Finally, there is a group of leadership, ranging from the several undergraduate queer groups to graduate communities, that meet regularly and discuss our respective clubs, as well as discussing ways to continuously advocate for queer students at Princeton. In all, I have felt incredibly supported as President from the entire Athletics staff, especially from Miles Smith, the Associate Director of Princeton Athletics Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. On campus there has been an overwhelming acceptance of the club and it has had a steady growing membership."
How does it feel to have a space for QSAC?
"Personally, having the space for QSAC has been very invaluable over the past semester. In the collective, other QSAC leaders, Mya Koffie, Vice President '27, Brooke Beers, Alumni Relations '25, and Celia Watson, Social Chair '27, and myself, Alayshja Bable '26, President, been able to foster a welcoming community for queer athletes to connect with one another and explore their identity in a safe environment. Additionally, the club has allowed us to see where there are opportunities for education about queer athletes and how we can use QSAC to inform other athletics teams about gender identity, sexuality, and transgender athletes in sports."