SMU students Oscar Cetina, from left, Samuel Partida, and Robert Hernandez sign letters written in favor of a bill to create a seat for LGBT community members in SMU’s Student Senate. (SARAH KRAMER/The Daily Campus)

As part of the Peruna Equality Campaign Spectrum, an SMU-charted organization for the LGBT community, kicked-off its rally for a LGBT seat in Student Senate Monday.

Turnout for the event was low.

Students were asked to sign pre-printed letters to Student Senate in favor of a LGBT seat.

“LGBT is a silent minority. There is a lot of homophobia—not traditional fear, but a lack of knowledge—at school,” Spectrum Secretary Samuel Partida said. “Having a seat in Senate would bring a presence and a voice to the LGBT community.”

Student Senate will vote on the approval of a seat after Spring Break once legislation is introduced.

Sitting in the Hughes-Trigg Commons, Katrina Leshan caught the attention of around 20 students while she played the guitar and sang songs about love.

Though Leshan is not a member of the LGBT community, she supports a LGBT seat in Senate.

After Leshan sang, film student Jakob Shwarz showed a preview of his film, “The Advocacy Campaign.”

In those 10-minutes, a handful of SMU students expressed their views on why LGBT deserves a seat in Senate.

Spectrum Treasurer and Sen. Harvey Luna (Dedman I) held this campaign in order to bring awareness to the issue as well as receive feedback from students.

Currently, Spectrum has 60 members, although Luna knows there are a lot more LGBT students at SMU.

“There needs to be a consistent and implicit representation for LGBT in Senate in order to create a level of comfort for LGBT members to communicate with one of their own,” Luna said.

Spectrum has been chartered and recognized by the Student Senate since 1991.