Quick Take
A student-led LGBTQ+ prom at Cabrillo College, born during the pandemic, has evolved into an annual tradition, offering students a safe space to celebrate the end of the school year.
What was initially a one-off prom is now entering its third year as one of Cabrillo College’s biggest annual events for LGBTQ+ students. In 2022, Cabrillo celebrated students who had missed in-person school dances due to social distancing with a night of music, dancing, and fancy dress. Support for the event was overwhelming, particularly among LGBTQ+ students, who had often felt unsafe bringing dates or wearing gender-affirming clothes to prior school dances.
“At the end of the night, everyone’s like, ‘Hey, this was an amazing event. We want this next year.’ We heard that both years in a row, and that’s why we kept it going,” said Kaitlyn Johnson, a Biology student in her final year at Cabrillo and spokesperson of Cabrillo’s Honors Transfer Club.
Cabrillo’s Gay Straight Alliance (GSA) collaborates with the Honors Transfer Club every year to plan and throw the dance. In response to consistently high demand and student attendance, the event now receives permanent funding from the Rainbow Council, an LGBTQ+ faculty board. Even with official funding and faculty support, the prom remains student-led.
For queer Cabrillo students who may have felt unsafe or uncomfortable at their high school dances, the student prom represents a chance to relive that special event in an intimate, supportive environment.
“At my high school prom, I felt much less comfortable dressing and acting how I like to. I didn’t feel like there were many other people like me there,” said Cabrillo student and GSA vice president Mars Redmon. As a trans student, Redmon enjoyed the chance to wear a dress in public with her community. “I looked out on the back lawn and I realized just how much fun people were having and how many people were there. They were dancing, talking, eating, playing games, making crafts – all having a great time.”
In prior years, prom has been held at the Sesnon House, a historic mansion on Cabrillo’s campus. Past prom themes embraced the venue with themes like “Enchanted Garden” and “The Great Gatsby.”
This year’s theme, “Underwater Disco,” puts a Santa Cruzian spin on the “LA disco club vibe” of popular Queer musician Chappell Roan’s song, ‘Pink Pony Club.’ The dance is taking its beachy theme to Cabrillo College’s Horticulture building, which recently unveiled a new student-designed native garden.
With LGBTQ+ students at the helm, participants say the event responds directly to the interests and needs of Cabrillo’s queer student body. Students decide on everything from ticketing to decorations. Excitement for this year’s dance, which emphasizes Queer culture even more through its marketing and involvement with the GSA and Rainbow Council, is high among organizers and attendees alike.
“I felt included in the process,” said Grayson Hutchinson, a Cabrillo student and president of the GSA. Hutchinson, an Anthropology major, will be transferring to San Jose State University later this year. Inclusion in the planning process allowed him to make the prom more LGBTQ+ friendly, marketing it as a designated Queer prom and attracting Queer attendees through his involvement with the GSA.
“It ended up being a really spiritual experience for me, seeing so much love and queer joy in one room,” he said. “I got to see people heal part of themselves by attending the event and just living authentically with their chosen family.”
As a graduating student who has helped organize the prom since its first year, Johnson is delighted by the prom’s enduring success. In an era of online communication and digital resources, she’s excited to bring more in-person events to campus. “This is a really important event for the Cabrillo campus. Especially right now – it’s great to see community events when things are kind of crazy in the world.”
Lindsey Schiro, a past president of the Honors Transfer Club who organized the first prom, said the event has brought Cabrillo students together “to celebrate life, love ourselves and each other for who we are, and find strength in community. I sincerely hope to see it continue for years to come.”
The Underwater Disco Dance will be held on the evening of April 27th in Cabrillo’s Horticulture building. Attendance is limited to current Cabrillo students over the age of 18. Dual enrollment students are not allowed. Attendees are required to show their school IDs for entry. Interested students can RSVP at this link.