Gallery images by Zey Hajjaj
Union’s annual Community Pride Walk began after a congregation of cheering groups and individuals wearing and waving flags, pins and other symbols of the Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Queer Intersex Asexual/Ally (LGBTQIA) community arrived, ready to roll.
The Walk occurred on Saturday, April 21 at noon and consisted of both Union and other Schenectady community members in the LGBTQIA community.
Volunteers showed up in front of Memorial Chapel early to help set up.
Before the walk began, people were gathered around a table with pins and flags representing the wide variety of queer identities. This was a way for participants to be open about their identities.
Jason Benitez, Director of the Office of Multicultural Affairs, welcomed attendees and thanked the many sponsors of the Walk.
“We want to feel included, we want to know that we matter. We want to be able to love and feel loved. So what if that love looks a little different for some of us? However you chose to identify, whichever flag you chose to carry today, we stand here today in solidarity to support everyone in being unapologetically who you are,” Benitez said.
He continued his remarks, “Regardless of who you are, which socioeconomic background you come from, which gender identity or sexual orientation you claim, everyone should be able to be their complete and entire selves on this campus and in this community. Nobody should have to feel the need to closet an aspect of who they are just to make others feel comfortable or because others aren’t accepting,” he said.
Benitez also spoke to the progress made by the College in increasing acceptance of queer identities at Union, as shown by the exhibit of LGBTQIA-focused art on display in the Nott and by plans to convert a room in a Minerva house into a LGBTQIA resource center.
“Today, as it should be every day, we are sending a strong message that we honor and celebrate our whole selves. Many members of the Union community are proud to say that we are working hard to build stronger bridges, not walls. Bridges that work to foster engagement and advocacy among members of both our campus and wider community,” Benitez said.
Sam Fogarty ’20, president of Union Pride, followed with a speech about the purpose of the Walk.
“It is easier than ever before to focus on the negatives that seem so pervasive in daily life. Whether it be the current administration’s rollback of LGBTQ rights, the outward transphobia of the media or simply the use of the word gay as a derogatory term, the world seems to be against us. But today we’re here to stand up for who we are as who we are and focus on the positives. Focus on making the world that we are in better rather than allowing the past to fester like a wound,” Fogarty said.
Fogarty praised both the expansion and actions of Union Pride and the efforts made by Union.
He stated, “Union has made tremendous strides for becoming a better place for LGBTQ folks.”
Fogarty said to look beyond Union to the larger context of the fight for the safety of the global queer community. “
Today, we march for the Union and Capital Region LGBTQ folks, but also for the trans people of color struggling to survive, and for those murdered across the globe due to their sexuality or gender identity. We march to reveal our pride in our identities to the world, to rejoice in the rights we have here in the U.S. and fight for the growth of these rights.”
Fogarty drew attention to this growth, claiming that “on a macro level, the nation is responding to our voices and LGBTQ movements are being mobilized across the globe… Organizations like the Human Rights Campaign continue to work for full equality of all LGBTQ folks in all aspects of life.”
Then, with a countdown led by Union Pride members, the Walk began. A line of peoplwho were shouting, laughing and in other ways celebrating their pride walked two miles around the campus and surrounding neighborhood.
There were honks and kind words from passersby, in addition to some bystanders who joined the Walk.
Once everyone returned to Memorial Chapel, there was food and entertainment. Bhangra Union and the African Dance Club both gave performances. All three Union acapella groups performed songs about love and attraction.
Yasmine Van Wilt, Dean of Academic Departments and Programs, led the audience to
sing “rise up” in a song about overcoming adversity.
Jess Gilbert ’18 read a monologue from an anonymous writer meant to highlight the harsh reality of queer relationships.
All performances were presented with the help of WRUC, who ran the sound equipment,
as well as MCs Annika Eberle ’20 and Tai Eddington ’21.
In addition to the performers, many organizations such as Planned Parenthood and Schenectady Pride were represented at the Walk.
After the Walk, there was a performance of the Queer Monologues. This event was a celebration of the vibrancy and diversity of Union.