At Pride Prom, LGBTQ+ youth in Pueblo find safety, support: 'Have pride to be out, be alive'

Traditionally, prom is considered a rite of passage for American teenagers. But for people who don’t identify as heterosexual or cisgender, they might not feel comfortable participating in the pomp and circumstance of the school dance.

At Pueblo’s Pride Prom on Friday night, LGBTQ+ people — and allies from all generations — gathered to dance, create art, converse and celebrate queer joy.

Pride Prom was organized by the Southern Colorado Equality Alliance and hosted at The Ethos, a non-alcoholic bar, community space and venue in Pueblo’s Eilers Heights.

Attendees could grab a non-alcoholic drink at the bar, take photos in front of the rainbow balloon arch, munch on a grilled cheese sandwich from Papa Mario’s food truck, craft their own zine — and of course, get down to some funky music.

Why the prom is for all ages

The prom’s purpose is to provide a space where everyone can live their authentic selves in a judgement-free space, said Tommy Farrell, the president of SCEA.

“We want to make sure that teenagers, young adults (and) adults have an opportunity to experience Prom in a way that they'd like to,” Farrell said.

Emily Gradisar, a co-owner of The Ethos, said that some LBGTQ+ parents brought their children — and LGBTQ+ youth brought their supportive parents.

Kim Sewell is a local artist who hosted a zine-making station at the event. Sewell said that the multigenerational character of the Pride Prom helps youth connect with elders in the community.

“We want the youngest generations to see the oldest generations — that that future is possible, that you can have pride to be out and be alive,” Sewell said, adding that the HIV/AIDS epidemic killed many LGBTQ+ people who would be today's older generation.

“We don't have many elders in our community, so opportunities like this, where we can get together and share experiences, is really important and unique,” Sewell said.

The prom’s first year at the Ethos

Farrell said that this prom has been held in advance of the Pueblo Pride festival in previous years, but this is the first year that it’s being held at The Ethos.

Farrell said that Ethos was an ideal venue for the event to support businesses that create “queer-friendly space.”

“It's important to have a space where someone can come and be themselves and not worry about being judged by others, refused service or any of those things that they can experience other places,” Farrell said.

The Ethos opened in May. The venue also hosted a LGBTQ+ art show recently and some of the artists also attended the prom.

A fundraiser last week was postponed at The Ethos after Pueblo Police told the business about a threat against the business and the LGBTQ+ community.

“People who make threats like that and want to shut us down, who want to scare us into submission, their happiest day is when we isolate ourselves and we become individuals, just sitting scared and alone,” Gradisar said.

Gradisar said that the turnout for the prom was indicative of how they would not be silenced.

“We need this all the more — this is exactly why pride exists, because we have to fight that — because we don't have anyone but each other to feel safe with,” Sewell said.

The Pueblo Pride parade is scheduled for Sunday, Aug. 20 at 10:30 a.m. at Mineral Palace Park. The parade’s grand marshals are Pueblo County Commissioner Daneya Esgar and her family. The free event will continue with entertainment, vendors and food until 4 p.m.

Anna Lynn Winfrey is a reporter at the Pueblo Chieftain. She can be reached at awinfrey@gannett.com or on Twitter, @annalynnfrey. Please support local news at subscribe.chieftain.com.

This article originally appeared on The Pueblo Chieftain: Pueblo’s LGBTQ+ community celebrates at Pride Prom