David Parra sets up his video camera and switches on his lighting equipment, which shines on a black backdrop surrounded by painted rainbow walls.
He, along with partners Albert Perera, a psychology junior at UF, and Austin Joseph, a psychology sophomore at Santa Fe Community College, started the video project "Making it Better, Love UF."
The UF advertising junior wants to let current and incoming UF lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, questioning and straight students know the university is an accepting support system of individuality.
Parra's inspiration for the project came from "The Trevor Project" and "It Gets Better" campaign, which consists of YouTube videos made after the increase in high school and college student suicides in fall 2010.
The student-made video is meant to send a proactive message, rather than one of just hope.
"We don't want people to just wait around for things to get better on their own," said Lauren Hannahs, assistant director of Multicultural and Diversity Affairs at UF and adviser for the project. "We want viewers to help themselves by advocating and giving a voice to those just like them. It's a more active message."
Roughly 22 graduate and undergraduate students at UF have shared their stories on camera.
Parra will edit these interviews for the Human Rights Council of North Central Florida film screening on Thursday, which will take place at the Pride Center at 3131 NW 13th St.
The event is part of Gainesville's Pride Days, which started Friday.
Parra and Hannahs hope to show the video clip at Gator Growl in a large university context in addition to posting it on YouTube on Thursday.
