WSU Pride Week
April 1 to 5, 2024
Wayne State University Pride Week is filled with events and programming to show support and showcase the WSU LGBTQ+ student and employee populations. These programs are not only educational but also create space to connect and network with queer and ally individuals across the campus community.
These events are planned by various student organizations: the Office of Multicultural Student Engagement (OMSE), the Gender, Sexuality and Women's Studies (GSW) program, the Dean of Students Office (DOSO), the Queer Faculty and Staff Organization (QWSU), the Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (ODEI), and the Center for Gender and Sexuality (CGS).
Events are continuously being added to the calendar. Please check back for updates.
Monday, April 1
10 a.m. to 1 p.m.: Grow Your Pride: a seed-starting Pride Week Social
With spring in the air, join us for a seed-starting Pride Week social. We will supply some seeds (and some Burgundy Shamrock (Oxalis triangularis) corms), dirt, and starter containers. Feel free to bring your own seeds to plant and share.
CGS/GSW Office, 5057 Woodward, 9th floor, room 9204
1 to 2 p.m.: #PlanA Reproductive Health Seminar
Lambda Kappa Sigma, Students for Reproductive Justice, and WSU Student Pharmacists will be educating attendees about critical reproductive health information, promoting essential safe sex practices, and empowering attendees to advocate for pharmacist-prescribed birth control and affordable reproductive healthcare on campus.
Attendees will receive a FREE goody bag with condoms, pregnancy tests, and more. They will also have the chance to receive a $5 AMAZON GIFT CARD for completing brief pre and post surveys!
Student Center Building, Hilberry D
4 to 6 p.m.: GSW Learning Community Open Mic
Join us for a Pride Week Open Mic!! Bring your music, poetry, memoirs, essays, and fiction. Or just bring yourself to support and enjoy the performances.
Whether performing or listening, all are welcome! We hope to see you there.
This event is hosted by the Learning Community for the Gender, Sexuality, and Women's Studies Program.
Student Center Building, Hilberry A
Tuesday, April 2
10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.: Fostering deep self-awareness: Exploring our biases
Implicit biases affect our unconscious thinking and decision-making, and it's an individual's responsibility to unearth and mitigate biases before they affect others. This interactive, two-hour workshop, designed for faculty and staff, provides an opportunity for deep self-exploration as well as tools to mitigate biases.
RSVP required for this workshop.
This workshop is part of the Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion Learning & Development Series (DEI L&D Series) put on by the Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion.
Zoom link will be provided upon completion of the RSVP form.
12:30 to 2:30 p.m.: Rainbow Graduation Decoration Craft-a-thon with Nolyn
Help make decorations for Rainbow Graduation.
Join the Office of Multicultural Student Engagement, the GSW Learning Community, and Nolyn Pieprzyk as we create decorations and gifts for the Rainbow Graduation, Awards Ceremony, and Homecoming. The ceremony will be held April 30. (You can RSVP to attend the ceremony with this link.)
All crafting materials will be supplied. Just bring yourself (and some friends) and the warmest and fuzziest well-wishes for all graduating students and award winners.
CGS/GSW Office, 5057 Woodward, 9th floor, room 9204
5 to 8 p.m.: Throwback Tuesday: The Birdcage Screening and Crafting with CAT
Join Campus Activities Team (CAT) for Throwback Tuesday in the Ballroom of the Student Center. We'll be bringing back some of our most popular craft events from the semester, including candle making, clay art, WSU memorabilia making, and more! We'll be screening the classic film The Birdcage in celebration of April being WSU's Pride Month. Make sure to bring your friends for a fun and relaxing night!
Student Center Building, Ballroom
5:30 to 7 p.m.: Nikki Lane talk: The Age of Black Pleasure: Blackness, Sexuality, and the Politics of Pleasure
Dr. Nikki Lane will explore queer black feminisms among women in popular music, especially focusing on Janelle Monae.
Nikki Lane is an Assistant Professor in Gender, Sexuality & Feminist Studies at Duke University. Trained as a Cultural and Linguistic Anthropologist, Dr. Lane is an Interdisciplinary Scholar. In her writing, classrooms, and public lectures, she explores the connections between popular culture and critical theories of race, gender, class, and sexuality. She works along the edges of academia, making contemporary critical theory accessible. She brings what folks do in Ivory Towers down-to-earth, putting complex ideas in common sense, everyday language anyone can understand and specializes in using popular culture as an entry point for discussing theoretical concepts. Hosted by the Center for Gender and Sexuality and the Department of English.
5057 Woodward, 10th floor conference room, #10302
Wednesday, April 3
3 to 4 p.m.: Office of Teaching and Learning: Amplifying LGBTQ+ Student Voices
Our students' identities impact the way they experience our campus, and it is our responsibility to create an inclusive community with special attention to the classroom experience. In partnership with the Offices of Multicultural Student Engagement and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, the OTL is hosting a panel on the experiences of LGBTQ+ students at Wayne State. Moderated by Dr. Simone Chess and Dr. Michael Schmidt from the Center for Gender and Sexuality.
For faculty and staff.
This panel, which is a part of the Winter '24 Amplifying Voices series, will provide a space in which instructors and staff can listen to our student body, ask questions, and learn from each other to cultivate a campus environment in which all students can thrive.
Purdy/Kresge Library Teaching Commons Room 150 or Zoom (Register for Zoom link)
4 to 5 p.m.: S.O.F.T. Reading Group
Join S.O.F.T. (Super Open Friendly + Transparent) Reading Group for their next meeting. We are reading the zine "Radical Softness as a Form of Boundless Resistance" to discuss during the meeting. If you have any questions or need to request access to the zine before the meeting, please e-mail Peter Marra (thepetermarra@wayne.edu).
5057 Woodward, 10th floor, room 10206
4 to 6 p.m.: QWSU Social
Join QWSU for an employee social hour to enjoy and celebrate Pride Week! For faculty and staff
Shield's Pizza, 5057 Woodward
5 to 8 p.m.: I’ll Be Your Mirror: An evening preview for MR/QD’s city-wide June Biennial Exhibition of Contemporary Queer Art
Join us for an evening preview of Might Real / Queer Detroit's city-wide June Biennial Exhibition of Contemporary Queer Art. I’ll Be Your Mirror: Reflections of the Contemporary Queer highlights the role of art in achieving personal visibility and social connection, which are especially relevant in the current political atmosphere when the freedom to express visibility is under mounting assault. The preview will include viewings of works in the exhibition, a performance excerpt from Marc Arthur's contribution to the show, Memories of a Supernatural AIDS Crisis, an introduction to the show by the curators, and a roundtable discussion with artists from the show.
I'll Be Your Mirror: Reflections of the Contemporary Queer will run from Friday, May 31, to Sunday, June 30, in various Detroit galleries.
Bernath Auditorium, Undergraduate Library
6:30 to 9:30 p.m.: The Duffy Speaker Series presents visual artist Kayla Mattes
Join Kayla Mattes, a visual artist whose practice blends together a combination of textiles and new media. Influenced by kitsch aesthetics and popular culture she utilizes hand weaving, knitting machines, digital painting, and material experimentations to craft a world of playful vibrancy.
The Duffy Speaker Series is a lecture series presented by the James Pearson Duffy Department of Art, Art History, and Design at Wayne State University. The series invites distinguished artists and designers to campus to address students and the art community for lectures, reviews, and studio visits. The Duffy Speaker Series is free and open to the public. Seating is first come, first serve.
Purdy/Kresge Library, room 110
Thursday, April 4
10 a.m to 11 a.m.: Cartoons & Cereal: Pride Week Edition
Join the Center for Gender and Sexuality for our monthly fun and fabulous new series: Cartoons & Cereal.
CGS/GSW Office, 5057 Woodward, 9th floor, room 9204
11 a.m. to 2 p.m.: Beyond Barriers: Conversations on Equity in Information Conference
The School of Information Sciences will host its first Beyond Barriers: Conversations on Equity in Information Conference from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. ET on Thursday, April 4.
The topic of this virtual mini conference is Diverse Youth Literature and will feature guest speakers, student presentations and a faculty panel discussion.
Featured Speakers:
Desiree Cooper
A 2015 Kresge Artist Fellow, Desiree Cooper is a former attorney, Pulitzer Prize-nominated journalist and community activist. She is an evocative speaker on the themes of racial and gender equality, reproductive freedom, family-positive public policy and the welfare of women and girls.
Sarah Park Dahlen
Sarah Park Dahlen joined the School of Information Sciences at the University of Illinois as an associate professor in August 2021. She previously served as an associate professor of library and information science at St. Catherine University in St. Paul, Minnesota.
Mimi Olson
Melissa "Mimi" Olson is an award-winning writer recognized as a Highlights Author of the Month. Olson’s debut novel Middle School is No Place for Magic, published by Fifth Avenue Press, was listed as an Amazon Hot New Release, #1 in the Teen and YA Fiction Category: Being a Teen.
Sonia Alejandra Rodriguez
Sonia Alejandra Rodríguez (she/they) is a Professor in the English Department at LaGuardia Community College, CUNY, where they teach composition, literature, and creative writing.
11 a.m. to 12 p.m.: CAMP Meeting
Welcome to our weekly Creating and Magnifying Pride (CAMP) meetings! We gather and spend time together as queer students - whether it be discussing queer topics & issues, or just existing together between classes as a little pick-me-up!
Student Center, Room 289
11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.: Fraser Lecture Series: Dr. Margot Canaday's Queer Career: Sexuality and Work in Modern America
Titled Queer Career: Sexuality and Work in Modern America, Dr. Margot Canaday's talk will be paired with light refreshments and a discussion of Canaday's work, which explores the history of America's LGBTQ workforce. This event is open to the public.
Dr. Margot Canaday, of the University of Princeton, is also the author of The Straight State: Sexuality and Citizenship in Twentieth-Century America.
Event sponsored by Labor@Wayne, the Fraser Center for Workplace Issues, the Center for Gender and Sexuality, and the Department of History.
Student Center, Hilberry A
1 p.m. to 2:15 p.m.: Untucking the Past: 100 Years of Drag History with Dr. Lady J
Dr. Lady J presents 100 years of drag history.
Originally hailing from just outside of Dollywood in rural East Tennessee, Dr. Lady J (known outside of drag as J Davenport, dissertation published under dead name) is a non-binary trans woman who holds a doctorate in Musicology from Case Western Reserve University and is the world’s first drag queen with a PhD dissertation on drag history, a working drag queen whose research and educational outreach focus on obliterating the erasures of queer performance from history and bringing forward the contributions drag performers have made to politics, music, film, fashion, and popular culture.
The Armenian Room, Manoogian Building 226
3 to 5 p.m.: Pride-Up Your Military Service Social
Join military-affiliated students, their guests, and Allies for a "Pride-Up Your Military Service" social.
Enjoy snacks, a game of pool or chess, and meet some new friends.
Student Center Building, Student Veteran Resource Center, 6th floor
3:30 to 5 p.m.: Legislative Milestones: Understanding LBGTQ+ inclusive policies and anti-discrimination laws
The 2023-2024 Wayne State University School of Social Work series theme, "Promoting Social Justice and Equity for Sexual and Gender Diverse Communities" is designed to help social workers, students, faculty, staff, and community members develop a critically conscious awareness regarding the lived experiences of transgender and gender diverse individuals. We encourage all to join us for this three-part series of open, respectful, and enlightening conversations.
All are welcome to join us in the third event of this series, "Legislative Milestones: Understanding LBGTQ+ inclusive policies, exploring anti-discrimination laws, and empowering LBGTQ+ communities", as we explore how state policies related to sexual orientation and gender identity can impact the health and wellbeing of sexual and gender diverse communities.
PANELISTS:
- Dallas Ducar, MSN, APRN, CEO at Transhealth
- Logan Casey, PhD, Director of Policy Research at The Movement Advancement Project
- Jey’nce Poindexter, Case Manager at the Ruth Ellis Center
This event will be moderated by Jerron Totten, Social Justice Engineer at LGBT Detroit
The Zoom link will be provided upon completion of the RSVP form.
5 to 8 p.m.: QTPOC Game Night
Join the Office of Multicultural Student Engagement as we have a night of fun for our QTPOC game night. Come out as we create a safe space for our queer and trans folks of color and play some fun games! There will be music, games, vibes, etc.
Student Center Building, Multipurpose room (775), 7th floor
8 to 10 p.m.: Avant-Gothic Drag Show
Join Creating and Magnifying Pride (CAMP) for a drag student performance and professional showcase starring Dr. Lady J.
Student Center Building, room 285
Friday, April 5
6 to 8 p.m.: LGBTQ+ Zumba social
Celebrate Wayne State University's Pride week and join us for a Zumba social at the Mort Harris Fitness and Recreation Center. Faculty, students, and alumni are all welcome. Zumba will take place from 6-7 p.m., and complimentary drinks and snacks will be available after class for all attendees.
Morton Harris Recreation and Fitness Center
SAVE THE DATES!
Monday, April 8, 5:30 to 8:30 p.m.: S.A.F.E-T Net: Sexual Assault Awareness Seminar
Join Omega Sigma Delta Auxiliary Fraternity, Inc. for a survivor-led student discussion of sexual assault awareness
Student Center Building, Hilberry AB
Friday, April 19, 5 to 8 p.m.: Take Back The Night Detroit
Take Back the Night Detroit is a celebration of survivorship held annually to raise awareness about sexual violence issues and acknowledges April as Sexual Assault Awareness Month. This event gives survivors and supporters the opportunity to come together in a safe environment and share their experiences, including trials and triumphs. The event is free and open to the community.
St. Andrew, 918 Ludington Mall
Tuesday, April 30, 5:30 to 8 p.m.: Rainbow Graduation, Awards Ceremony, and Homecoming
Rainbow Graduation, Awards Ceremony, and Homecoming is a time for Wayne State University to honor our graduating LGBTQ+ and ally students. The ceremony recognizes undergraduate, graduate, and professional school students who have completed their studies over the last year. This ceremony also celebrates those who have earned scholarships and those whose advocacy supports and uplifts LGBTQ+ life on campus.
Please use this link to RSVP for this year's ceremony.
This will be an IN-PERSON event. The ceremony will run from 5:30 to 7 p.m., followed by a reception from 7 to 8 p.m.
Rainbow Graduation is not an alternative graduation, but rather a celebration of success and is open to people from all backgrounds and identities.
Student Center Building, Ballroom C
Please RSVP to these events using the Get Involved or the events calendar platforms where information will be regularly updated. If you have any questions please reach out to Dr. Michael Schmidt, m.schmidt@wayne.edu or Jin Gwak, mxjgwak@wayne.edu.