UO LGBTESS and LGBTQA3, two student-led organizations on campus, started their Pride celebration in May. The May celebration, as opposed to the traditional June, was scheduled with acknowledgment of students’ schedules and graduations.
“Something we wanted to focus on this year was balancing fun and educational events so that students are both educated and feeling empowered in their identities, so we have tried to plan our activities accordingly,” Cora Canning, education and outreach student coordinator at LGBTESS, said.
From May through June, LGBTESS collaborated with the organization HIV Alliance, thrift stores Rebel Youth, Books with Pictures, and other on- and off-campus organizations. Over 20 organizations tabled at Pride Fest this year.
“We definitely want to highlight other organizations and their activities as well as amplify our own,” Canning said. “And we don’t want to have to overwhelm folks by having too many events on one day, so it’s definitely a bit of a balancing act in planning.”
LGBTESS and LGBTQA3 receive their funding in large part from ASUO and the University of Oregon’s incidental fee that students pay. According to Canning, a large portion of that money goes to funding events such as Pride Fest and Lavender Graduation, which is slated for June 15.
According to Simon Scannell, treasurer and trans and nonbinary subgroup leader for LGBTQA3, LGBTQA3 utilizes roughly a $30,000 annual budget for events and other uses.
One of the most notable changes to this year’s Pride celebration was the move from the amphitheater to the Erb Memorial Union Green lawn. The reason for this change is to expand the event for more organizations, spotlight resources for LGBTQ students, and encourage participation in activities.
“It seems like there has been a lot less engagement this year,” Scannell said.
The responsibility to advertise the events falls on the shoulders of student organizers like Scannell.
“Advertising for events is miles more difficult than it seems like it should be,” Scannell said. “Having that in addition to classes can be very overwhelming.”
There will be no fundraisers held at this year’s Pride Fest, in contrast to some of the events that have been held in the past.
Drag show fundraisers held this year have raised money designated for the HIV Alliance but are currently holding onto funds because of regulations coming from ASUO.
Pride Fest events like Lavender graduation garner a “wave of support” from the UO community, including faculty, Canning said. And, the UO community appears to be largely in support of the LGBTQ community on campus.
“We hope that this Pride Fest empowers folks to become more engaged and knowledgeable about the resources available to them,” Canning said. “I’m a graduating senior this year, and I know that I would have benefited from learning about support systems and organizations on campus and in the community that are tailored around my identities.”
