Pride by the Pond kicks off Pride month at Grand Valley with celebration and education

Lakers kicked off Pride month this year at Pride by the Pond on the Valley Campus. Students, faculty and staff gathered on the lawn near Zumberge Pond for a community celebration and educational advocacy on June 3. 

“Pride is a celebration, but it’s also a reminder of the courage, resilience and activism of those who came before us and fought for visibility, dignity and equal rights,” said Robert Shorty, vice president for People, Equity, and Culture, in opening remarks. “It reminds us that progress is made when people come together, build community and create spaces where everyone can be seen, heard and valued for who they are.” 

The event featured local drag queens Alex Suarez and Grand Valley staff member and alum Xella ‘20. Suraez and Xella performed drag numbers for the crowd and hosted bingo trivia, which featured questions about LGBTQ+ terms, historical figures and events. This combining of fun activity and education about the LGBTQ+ community showcased what Pride is about, said Kel Nemetz, ‘18 & ‘25, LGBTQ+ Faculty/Staff Association (FSA) chair. 

“I truly think Pride is about being your absolute best self,” said Nemetz. “It's also about advocacy of our 2SLGBTQIA community. So, we really wanted this balance of fun, be yourself, meet-other-people energy with all the reality of advocacy needs and resources.”

The FSA co-hosted the event with the Division of People, Equity, and Culture and the Milt Ford Legacy Collective: The Rainbow Resource Center, which recently changed its name to better reflect its current mission, vision and values.

In addition to drag performances and bingo, attendees enjoyed treats from local vendors Neko Taiyaki and Kona Ice, made friendship bracelets, collected Pride swag and learned about resources available for the LGBTQ+ community at Grand Valley and in West Michigan. 

The FSA will also be celebrating 20 years of advocacy and community on October 16, said Nemetz, who is in her second year of working with the group. 

“I wasn't involved in the queer community in college and I wasn't out yet,” said Nemetz. “Coming back as a staff member and knowing that I wanted to be out and completely myself, and also helping create those spaces, has just been so cool.”

In addition to this celebration, Grand Valley will have a presence at Pride events across West Michigan this summer. Sponsored by the Division of People, Equity, and Culture and the Rainbow Resource Center, Grand Valley will be at Grand Rapids Pride on June 20 & 21, Holland Pride on June 27 and Hudsonville Area Pride on July 11. 

The Rainbow Resource Center is also hosting weekly Queer & Trans meetups throughout the summer, and will resume its regularly scheduled programming in August. Find more information about these events and other resources from the Rainbow Resource Center.