Sara Trcka, contributor

On Saturday, April 12, Augsburg’s Queer Indigenous People of Color (QIPOC) hosted their annual Queer Prom. Students gathered in the East Commons of Christensen Center, decorated for the prom’s Renaissance Revival theme. Queer proms allow for students, who may not have been able to present as themselves at their high school prom, to have a redo exactly as they are. 

Students came dressed in their best Renaissance Revival wares, wearing loose blouses, flowy dresses, chainmail and masks.Throughout the event, LGBTQ+ students were celebrated through music and dance, with several local artists providing the entertainment. The prom also featured drag performances by two local drag artists, Cia Vanity and Oliver Yew. Both drag artists performed to music during several parts of the prom, dancing for the cheering students. QIPOC also appointed Prom Royalty, with a court of five people voted for by their peers. Two members of the court, QIPOC President Luís Millan and myself, were crowned as Prom Royalty.

Music was provided by DJ Jinx and DJ Trinket, two emerging queer Minneapolis DJs. They played a wide variety of music, and even made sure to include the classics such as the Cupid Shuffle. In an interview with the Echo, DJ Trinket said that they were “excited to play music that young people would instantly recognize as queer anthems, or songs by their favorite queer artists. I also played songs that were fun or that I would want to dance to at an event like this one.” 

When asked about their favorite part of being a DJ, Trinket said “creating spaces for people to express themselves through dance is one of my favorite parts of being a DJ. There’s something really special about dancing with a group of other people! When people respond positively to the songs I pick, it’s that much more fun. [It’s] always an honor to be able to facilitate the memories people make by sharing music that I’m into.” 

They also mentioned that it meant a lot to be able to perform for a group of queer students, stating, “Playing music for a fellow group of fellow queer people is exactly what I love to do. It’s so important for us as a community to have moments of celebration and joy together. It was moving to see a group of students who have created intentional spaces on campus for queer expression.” Students danced all night to DJs Jinx and Trinket’s music selections, giving it high praise. 

Overall, QIPOC’s Queer Prom was a fun-filled night that celebrated Augsburg’s queer community as the semester and school year come to a close. Students enjoyed a night of food, dance and company with other queer Augsburg students. As LGBTQ+ rights remain in jeopardy, it is important to gather and celebrate the connections and resilience of queer people.