On Friday, Oct. 1, EMU held the Proud Together Dance Party where students had the opportunity to be who they are and enjoy themselves in a safe environment. The event was hosted by Safe Space and the Campus Activities Council (CAC) and it allowed students to start the LGBTQ+ history month by celebrating through dance. 

Flyers and emails were sent to advertise the event and to provide students with more information about its location. In order to attend the event, students had to scan a QR code that took them to a Google form where they needed to sign up in order to know the location of the event and request songs that they wanted to listen to at the dance. 

When asked about the event, Tyler Goss, assistant director of student programs, said, “In talking with Safe Space, we wanted the dance to be a welcoming, safe, and celebratory environment for everyone. Basically, you could come to the dance, be your awesome self, and not worry about being judged because you dressed in a way that breaks some gender stereotype.” 

 The organizers of the dance also collaborated with Common Grounds and were able to provide a free drink to each attendee of their choosing. Goss highlighted the huge contribution that Common Grounds provided to this event: “Common Grounds was a huge lifesaver. I neglected to communicate to the managers ahead of time that CAC would be paying for free drinks and Common Grounds was not ready to take on the extra load. Nevertheless, the Common Grounds staff, including many baristas who were not signed up to work, and even a barista from a past year, all jumped in to help make drinks. So many great people pitched in to make this dance a success.” 

The event also provided students with makeup, makeup removing wipes, and bathrooms nearby where they could wear whatever they wanted and break gender stereotypes without fearing judgment. The goal of the event was to show students at EMU that this is a place where they can feel safe and comfortable being themselves. 

Event organizers were also cautious enough to ask students if it was okay with them to be photographed at the event, prioritizing their sense of safety and comfortability. 

This collaborative effort allowed students to have an enjoyable Friday dancing, chatting with friends, and, most importantly, being themselves.