SEU Pride hosted its first event of the semester on Sept. 26. Students gathered in the Mabee Ballroom to play board games and card games, socializing with other queer and trans students on campus. This event, like many others to come, is meant to facilitate community and connections for LGBTQIA+ identifying students on the hilltop.
SEU Pride is a club that was founded for and by students to comfortably express their queer identity with others who share similar experiences. At the meeting before the event began, attendees were introduced to the Pride Board Members: president Penelope Escamilla, vice president Nico Alvalos, secretary Joe Benson, treasurer Tommy Linn, historian Kam Fletcher and social media manager Louie Moore.
The SEU Pride club makes it evident that it provides an essential support system for students. Escamilla expressed that the club serves as a way to connect with others.
“It is a space that allows you to fully be yourself in front of others,” Escamilla said. “It will help you become more confident and respected as a queer person.”
There were many new faces to SEU Pride. Amongst new freshmen simply attending the club’s opening event, there were also freshmen that choose to be more involved in the club and its future projects.
Fletcher is a freshman and is a new board member for Pride. Being the founder and president of her high school’s Gay-Straight Alliance, Fletcher said that she joined the board because she had past experience with leading LGBTQIA+ clubs. She appreciates how there are opportunities for her to continue her efforts here at St. Edward’s.
Fletcher also expresses how she believes that SEU Pride celebrates the diversity and inclusivity we have on campus. For her, this club is a way for students to form connections with the other members.
“I love the people, and any person that comes in, I always say hi and get to know them,” Fletcher said. “There is already one common thing that connects us, our queerness, and it’s so exciting.”
Though SEU Pride serves as a community for queer and transgender students on campus, it is not limited to only students within the LGBTQIA+ community. The board members stress that the club’s events and socials are always welcoming to any and all students, queer or not. They encourage all students to attend because it could serve as a good opportunity to learn how to become a better ally to queer students on campus and in the real world.
SEU Pride will be hosting various activities later this fall semester, including hosting speakers to talk to students about various queer topics. They would also like to hold a “queer elders” mentoring session. Be on the lookout for future events, as reminders will be posted both virtually and in-person.
