People Respecting Individuality & Diversity in Education, or simply PRIDE, is an RSO at Emporia State University committed to making campus a safe space for queer, questioning, and allied individuals. April is Campus Pride Month, and members of the organization have been hard at work planning and hosting events every single week. Last week’s event was a Drag Bingo & Potluck featuring drag queen Summer Sausage, a Wichita native.
“[ESU PRIDE] is supposed to be a safe space for queers and queer allies and we’re here to celebrate our differences together,” said Kylie Zieber, PRIDE Secretary.The group is open to students of all identities and backgrounds. PRIDE is meant to be a place on campus that LGBTQ+ members and allies can go to be comfortable and meet others who might have similar identities and experiences.
“We wanna make sure we’re providing a safe space for identities that are maybe not as appreciated and recognized especially in small town areas,” added Fay Newell, one of the organization’s co-presidents.
The members of PRIDE are incredibly involved on campus holding weekly meetings, various events, celebrating LGBT holidays, and volunteering for the community at organizations like S.O.S. and Bloom House. Some meetings are “education nights,” where they may have speakers to teach and discuss various topics related to the LGBTQ+ community- this school year, they hosted one of these for Transgener Remembrance Day in November. Other meetings might be social nights where anyone can go to hang out, get to know each other, and participate in fun activities.
“You just show up and be there and hang out,” said Zieber. “Sometimes we listen to a lecture and on social nights we just play games or do whatever we want.”
The group also uses their meetings to plan their campus events. ESU PRIDE celebrates many LGBT holidays, commonly hosting tabling events or inviting guest speakers. A new event they hold each semester is the Lavender Ceremony, an event intended to “celebrate queer friends and allies” who are graduating.
“PRIDE is my home on campus,” shared Newell, and that statement is true for many individuals. Students have shared that being a part of PRIDE has led to them meeting people they never would have met elsewhere, and being, well, proud of their identity and comfortable to express themselves.
Sophia Rodriguez, a Social Media Rep for PRIDE, revealed, “Before coming here, I wasn’t really comfortable showing who I was to other people. But since joining PRIDE, I am able to express and share that side of myself.”
Pride month is officially celebrated in June, but since school is largely not in session during this time, PRIDE hosts Campus Pride Month in April. They hold free events every week, such as the Drag Bingo last week, Pride Prom this Saturday, a Drag Show at Casa Ramos on the 19th, an End of the Year celebration with the Black Student Union on the 25th, and rounding out the month with the Lavender Ceremony on the 30th. More information for these events can be found on posters around campus, Hornet TV, or on the ESU Pride social media pages.
