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A curated playlist of David Bowie, Tyler, the Creator, Miley Cyrus and other iconic LGBTQ+ artists played as the room filled with students holding plates piled high with chicken and decorated waffles. Pride Union President Abby Traska and the union’s executive board greeted everyone with welcoming smiles and hellos, setting the stage for an event rooted in pride and community.

“Events like ‘Chicken and Waffles Evening Brunch’ are for students. This is our way of getting people in the same space to start building connections,” Traska said. “The goal is to get familiar with each other; knowing others like you makes it easier to be on campus and in the world.”

Pride Union, a student-run organization established at Syracuse University in 2002, strives to transform adversity into opportunity. By embracing the diversity of the LGBTQ+ community at SU and SUNY ESF through social and informational events, Pride Union fosters an inclusive and affirming campus environment for everyone — not just the LGBTQ+ community.

Multiple studies have confirmed the importance of LGBTQ+ outlets. On campuses, LGBTQ+ college students report higher rates of negative experiences and mental health struggles. According to The Trevor Project, a nonprofit suicide prevention organization focused on LGBTQ+ youth, these outcomes included victimization, lower sense of belonging, discrimination, depression and higher risk of suicide compared to their heterosexual and cisgender peers.

“We are giving students, mostly from homes who may not be loving or accepting, a place where they can truly be themselves, laugh and step out of the struggle, even if it’s for an hour or two,” Jack Williams, Pride Union’s secretary, said.

According to The Rainbow Project, fitting in is a main concern for many college students and it’s exacerbated for LGBTQ+ students due to discrimination. Those with LGBTQ+ identities may internalize a sense of unbelonging, which member Maddy De Vera said she knows all too well.

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“I sometimes find myself pushing my sexuality further down because being straight has been ingrained in my brain as the accepted norm,” De Vera said. “Especially in this new environment, I’m surrounded by people I don’t know yet. I want to be liked and blend in. I don’t want to be seen as the gay person in class.”

Pride Union serves as a safe haven on campus for LGBTQ+ students who may have struggled with this mindset. Many students may come from home environments that weren’t supportive of their identities.

“As someone who grew up in the Deep South, obviously that’s not a place where you can be waving gay flags around. You gotta keep that on lock,” Williams said. “Being on this campus and a part of an accepting union is so freeing. I’ve unlocked parts of myself I never thought I could. Pride Union is a necessity for me and many.”

Within the atmosphere of Pride Union, students can explore the possibilities of unlearning harmful societal standards and live as authentically themselves.

“With Pride Union’s support, I am slowly coming to terms with myself. I have realized that being openly gay isn’t a weakness, it’s a strength,” De Vera said.

By connecting with the community in Pride Union, De Vera said she was able to see that she wasn’t alone in her feelings. Now, she feels like she can blend in on campus while remaining true to herself, she said.

Pride Union’s sole mission is to emphasize inclusivity. From paint nights to movie showings, to drag shows and study halls, the organization hosts events that cater to all students, regardless of identity.

“We often slip through the cracks because many think we’re only for a certain demographic, but at the end of the day, all we want is good vibes,” Landon Nance, Pride Union’s social media chair, said. “Like tonight, it’s just a bunch of students, queer and not, eating chicken and waffles.”

Looking toward the future, Pride Union aims to become a more notable and action-oriented organization on campus. Hoping for more support from the university, the organization also aims to engage with more students by increasing the visibility of its wide range of events.

Traska said she’s seen significant growth in the organization during her time as president. She said it’s been gratifying to see people return to different events.

“It really proves to me that this organization is making a difference for those who keep coming back,” she said.

For De Vera and many other members, Pride Union has become a “judgment-free zone.”

“I feel very free to be me,” De Vera said. “The openness to the LGBTQ+ and allies is comforting. It’s such a relief to feel accepted, surrounded by those like me and those I once feared would not accept me.”

Pride Union members are committed to guiding the LGBTQ+ community at SU, whether it’s offering information on safe sex practices, helping people find comfort in their identity or helping students access gender-affirming items. Pride is visible in all the organization’s efforts.

“First and foremost, we’re here as a resource to help people feel like they’re not alone,” Traska said.

Published on January 14, 2025 at 10:02 pm