The community event, themed to starry night, underscored the importance of queer joy on campus
By ROBIN FRANKLIN — campus@theaggie.org
As the sun set, students in formal wear filed into the Asian and Pacific Islander Queers (APIQ) annual Queer Prom on Friday, May 9 at the UC Davis Conference Center, where they enjoyed music, dancing, drag, games and even complimentary catered dinner.
The free event, open to students of all backgrounds, was attended by around 250 people, according to organizers. The non-profit student organization has put on the event for over 10 years; It is the sole queer prom organized on campus and required some four months of planning.
Funding for the event, according to APIQ, was derived from the LGBTQ+ Center and a Club Finance Council grant. The dinner catering was funded by Wendy Moore, a parent to an APIQ member.
For many of those who couldn’t attend their high school prom, were unable to afford a ticket or just felt too unsafe to go, APIQ’s Queer Prom became a safe haven. That has been the longtime goal of Senior APIQ Advisor and Head of the Queer Prom board Nid Lefkoff, a third-year anthropology major, who has been organizing community events like this for years.
“I hope people who didn’t get to go to their high school prom because they are queer felt seen and felt valued going to an event that’s made for them,” Lefkoff said.
The glittering navy and silver decorations proudly displayed this year’s theme, “A Transcendent Celebration: To the Moon and Back.” Additionally, drag performances from artists Smokey, Ellis Dee, Lotus and Srobin took center stage with their elegant moves and costumes.
Repeat attendee Olivia Guerrero, a fourth-year English major, said that it has been incredibly rewarding to see the prom evolve over time.
“This has been my second time coming to this event,” Guerrero said. “It was really beautiful to see how far [it] has come.”
Another attendee, Keira Swihart, a third-year international relations major, felt free to fully express themselves in the hosted space and among other dance-goers. Even though she enjoyed her high school prom, she believes even the best of what regular proms offer can’t cater to the queer community in quite the same way.
“With queer friends and peers around, you can authentically dress how you want,” Swihart said.
Lefkoff felt a similar way and described the necessity of holding welcoming, inclusive events.
“Queer community is everywhere, but it especially thrives when there is a space where we can be unapologetically ourselves,” Lefkoff said. “That’s why having events like this is so important.”
The Asian & Pacific Islander Queers meet every other Monday in the LGBTIA Resource Center in the Student Community Center at 6:30 p.m. More information about the organization can be found on their Instagram page, @apiq.at.ucd, and website. Access to a membership form, an events list and an option to submit art and poetry to their newsletter are available, as well as LGBTQIA+ crisis resources.
Written by: Robin Franklin — campus@theaggie.org
