On Friday, April 17, students celebrated the fourth annual Pride Prom at College of San Mateo’s (CSM) college center. Over the past four years, students and district community members have collaborated to plan events for the LGBTQ+ community, such as the annual Pride Prom, which saw record attendance this year.
Students were welcomed into a vibrant atmosphere featuring food and a DJ, with many taking to the dance floor to celebrate together, making the Macarena one of the most memorable moments of the night.
Health services manager Sarah Devaney helped organize the event and said it is important for students to get representation and feel safe to express themselves.
“What’s magical about this event is seeing these kids get to come and be exactly who they are and dress exactly how they want to, be themselves and feel safe and secure doing that,” Devaney said.
Similarly, Vice President of the Gender Sexuality Alliance (GSA) Savannah Legos said the night was a space to connect with a welcoming community and celebrate inclusivity.
“I feel like a lot of people just assume that we’re all out, almost too energetic, but we really aren’t. We’re all our own people,” Legos said.
Legos also said it is important that events such as Pride Prom continue to be hosted in the future.
“I feel like GSA is starting to get a lot better with coordinating events with leadership, having made stage events like Day of Silence, National Coming Out Day,” Legos said. “I feel like we kind of try to just emphasize those things that are really important for people in the community.”
Sophomore Jackson McClure, who attends Design Tech High School, noted the diversity within the LGBTQ+ community itself.
“It’s not just being gay or being a lesbian or being bisexual,” McClure said. “There’s so many things. That’s what’s just so amazing about LGBTQ+ is that it’s not just limited to a sexuality, just how you identify as a person.”
As events like Pride Prom continue to expand, they provide a safe space where individuals can express themselves freely, without fear of rejection or judgment. For McClure and many students in attendance, it was a clear reminder that community and acceptance are worth celebrating.
*An earlier version of this article misspelled Sara Devaney’s name. We apologize for the error.
