“Existence is resistance.”

That’s how Pride Prom coordinator Evestella Hanson responded when she was asked about the growing challenges facing the LGBTQ+ community. In recent months, the Trump administration’s policies — such as the rollback of protections for transgender students and proposed bans on transgender military service — have sent out a message of exclusion. For junior TJ Serefiddin, who attended Pride Prom this year, events that celebrate the LGBTQ+ youth take on an even greater importance in light of these challenges.

“I feel like this is more important now than ever. ‘We’re here and we’re queer,’ as everyone says. I feel like that support is needed for our community now more than ever, especially because we’re being discriminated against on a federal level. So something like this, where we can just take our minds off that and have fun and be with our people, is very important,” Serefiddin said.

This year, the San Mateo Union High School District hosted its third annual Pride Prom at the College of San Mateo on Friday, April 18. Over 200 students from schools across the district attended, dressed in everything from formal wear to fun, expressive outfits. The event featured colorful lights, upbeat pop music, and standout attractions like a chocolate fountain bar, Mario Kart Racing, and poker tables.

While previous Pride Proms were organized by volunteers in the district, this year’s event was led by Hanson, the new Pride Prom coordinator. Currently serving as the College and Financial Aid Advisor at San Mateo High School, Hanson has extensive experience working closely with students on career development and tutoring. Now, as the Pride Prom coordinator, she said this role is an exciting step in a new direction.

“I saw the listing for the position and applied because I wanted to help out. As someone who is also in the LGBTQ+ community, I’m excited to take on this role,” Hanson said. “When I got here, most of the logistics were already planned. I was mainly here to organize marketing, get student input, facilitate meetings, and check in with subcommittees.”

During the planning process, the district prioritized student voices to ensure the event met their expectations. In the weeks leading up to Pride Prom, organizers held student-led meetings to gather feedback on everything from music choices to decorations and activities.

“This event is mainly planned by volunteers, the district, and local community members, such as volunteers from the local San Mateo Pride Center and other school districts. We wanted student input, so we coordinated student-run meetings.” Hanson said.

Following weeks of preparation, students across the district came together for the event. Among them was junior Carina Ongpin, who said that she found this dance to be more inclusive and enjoyable than her regular school dances.

“It’s a more affordable option for dances for sure, and I feel like it’s more accepting too,” Ongpin said.

For Serefiddin, the event was also a meaningful experience, especially during a challenging period last year when he was able to gain a sense of support.

“When I first learned about it, it was last year. To be frank, I wasn’t doing very well so I found that this was a good place to get my moods up, and it helped me a lot. Substantially, it turned my life around, I’d say, almost.” Serefiddin said. “And so I wanted to come back this year, because it is so fun, because there are people who get me.”

Like many others at the event, sophomore Nick Koomey, a member of the Gender Sexuality Alliance club, views Pride Prom as both a celebration and a form of resistance. They point to historic movements like the Stonewall riots — when demonstrators stood up to a violent routine police raid in a New York City gay bar in 1969 — as defining moments in queer history. Koomey said the LGBTQ+ community has often thrived in underground spaces, and events like Pride Prom bring that sense of solidarity into the open.

“Pride prom is something that is really needed and something that’s really important for building community, because queer culture has always been kind of shared and celebrated in the underground,” Koomey said.