Members and allies of the LGBTQIA+ community at Emporia State celebrated the achievements of graduating seniors in the community April 5 in the Skyline room. This marked the second time the community has come together to celebrate seniors in this manner, the first was in December 2022.
“I’m overjoyed that we all have the opportunity to come together as a community,” said Mike Torres, the director of Diversity Student Programs. “(This) is an opportunity for us to recognize and celebrate the achievements of the LGBTQIA+ students who have overcome a unique set of challenges and obstacles in their journey to graduation.”
Ana Snell, senior psychology major, spoke at the event. Snell grew into their identity as a member of the LGBTQIA+ community during their time at ESU. Being able to introduce themself as the person they are, not the person society wanted them to be, has allowed them to experience a lot of ‘firsts.’
“I went to my first drag show and (first) pride here,” Snell said. “Being able to take part in those things filled me with such queer joy, it’s hard to describe if you’ve never felt it. I’ve also been able to meet faculty and professors who are like me and accept me for who I am, which is truly an amazing and remarkable experience.”
Percy Holt, senior interdisciplinary studies major, also spoke at the event. Holt found acceptance at ESU, allowing them to express themselves as the person they are.
“I lived in the dorms my freshman year and I lived on an all-female floor,” Holt said. “They made my stay comforting; I was able to feel comfortable around them expressing my gender identity which helped me move forward. Coming from a home that wasn’t as accepting of who I wanted to be, ESU and Emporia really felt like a different world. Like a place where I really found my home, in a way.”
Torres, who came to ESU in 2011 to begin his undergraduate degree, has noticed a positive change in the LGBTQIA+ community since he arrived at ESU.
“We didn’t have drag shows or other stuff like that,” Torres said. “It has changed quite a bit. Also, I think the way we treat people and talk about gender identity, gender expression and sexuality is all different. That’s probably attributed a lot to PRIDE and the work that’s happening there. Also the Gay-Straight alliance at Emporia High School has started amping up pride in the community.”
