Every Thursday, members of both the LGBTQ+ community and allies meet for Pride Club. Created in 2015, Pride Club has grown in numbers since then and is attempting to create a designated space for students at Northwood.
“I think that pride club gives students an important safe space, especially for those who are unable to have such a space in their homes or other areas of their lives,” co-President Oliver Ewy said. “I think that it also allows students to learn about LGBT history and current issues affecting the community while also creating a space for them to connect with other students who share similar experiences to them.”
During Pride Club meetings, Presidents Oliver Ewy and Alison Burger focus on education regarding LGBTQ+ issues and history. They choose topics that they think the members would want to see discussed in club meetings. Each meeting tends to follow a general formula.
“Most meetings begin with us showing a presentation or video with an activity related to what was shown afterward,” Ewy said. “Activities often include crafts and art projects, discussions about what we watched or read, and sometimes members give short presentations of their own.”
Junior Spencer Crouch has been attending Pride Club since his freshman year and is especially excited to see its growth this year.
“[Pride Club] has definitely changed a lot in the past three years,” Crouch said. “There’s been more people attending as of recent. It’s nice to see that it’s becoming more well known. [It] shows that the community we have is larger than we think.”
This year, Pride Club has several projects already planned.
“Within the club, we constantly have projects going on such as making informational posters and group presentations,” Ewy said. “School-wide, we are trying to organize a donation drive for a youth center organization that aims to help youth experiencing homelessness or other difficulties within their lives.”
Both Ewy and Crouch encourage more of the student body to get involved with Pride Club.
“Pride Club isn’t only for LGBT students, and allies and friends are always welcome to come to meetings,” Ewy said. “The club in general is quite flexible, and we always welcome new members throughout the year.”
For students like Crouch, Pride Club offers something special: a support system.
“Pride club gives people a place to feel accepted,” Crouch said. “Not only do you have a caring community of people like you, but you’re also being educated on your community. I feel like it gives you a home outside what may be an uncaring situation. It helps people know they aren’t alone, that they have people like them. It’s a great place to find unconditional love and support.”
