By Lea Abito | Contributing Writer
The Pride Student Union welcomed new and returning members with their Spring Welcome Reception, creating a safe space for students to find community, engage with PSU initiatives and learn about campus resources.
“We are creating a safe space by getting people together and making friends in the community and [doing] fun events to get people to know each other,” Helen Capote, president of PSU, said.
The Spring Welcome Reception was one of those fun events and was more than an information session to start the semester.
Students learning about resources offered by Planned Parenthood | Lea Abito, PantherNOW
“We try to do events to bring the community together,” Melany Varela, the communications director, said. “Our overall mission is to be able to be this safe space for everybody, both part of the LGBTQ+ community or allies as well.”
With conversation, free food and tabling, students connected and expressed excitement for the semester with PSU. PSU also encouraged students to engage and learn about resources available on campus.
“Not only is it a space where you can feel like you belong, but it’s also a space where you get to learn something,” Kai McKenzie, treasurer of PSU and leader of the Blaqout affinity group, said.
Representatives from the Sexual Education Club, Latin Student Union, Disabled Student Union, Women in Cybersecurity and Planned Parenthood also tabled at the reception.
“We always try to partner with them so we can find those intersectionalities between being queer and being Hispanic or Black or Asian or disabled and to try and find and make spaces for all those intersectionalities,” Varela said.
With various collaborations and events, PSU offers a lot to the student body, including various committees open to student involvement. Students can participate in the Advocacy Committee, the Signature Events Committee, the Drag Show Committee and the Trans+ Resource Committee, which is organizing a virtual TGNCI+ resource fair and maintains the TGNCI+ Resource Directory.
PSU also has the affinity group, Blaqout, which creates a safe and supportive space for the Black LGBTQIA+ and questioning community.
Throughout the evening, there was also buzzing excitement for PSU’s most anticipated event: the annual drag show.
Varela explained there would be around 500 attendees this year, along with food and performers from houses around Miami. Capote added that there would be new performers and a new theme this year.
“This is a great opportunity to teach, not only queer folks, but allies and people that are interested in ballroom culture, which is a big part of queer culture,” Varela said.
Through their events like the drag show and welcome reception, PSU aims to create a sense of belonging, inclusivity, empowerment and pride for students and the queer community, enriching campus life.
“I love Pride Student Union so much,” Varela said. “It’s been an amazing experience growing up in leadership, learning about social media communication and how important it is to bring such a community together.”
Kai McKenzie at the welcome desk for the PSU Spring Welcome Reception | Lea Abito, PantherNOW
The Spring Welcome Reception was only the beginning for PSU.
Students have several events to look forward to throughout the semester, including game nights, arts & crafts, poetry and art shows highlighting the trans community and the drag show, along with other events they’ll be tabling at.
“These events really do help build a community,” McKenzie said. “One of the things with being a part of the queer community is that sometimes we’re not really visible, so having that visibility on campus can help students feel like they belong here.”
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