SUU’s Pride and Equality Club hosted a Queer Indoor Market in the Student Center Ballroom on Thursday, Nov. 9.
This one-day market provided a space where vendors could sell their wares without worrying about paying a commission to anyone overseeing. They could also have an opportunity to associate there with other crafters and with attendees of the same and similar identities to themselves.
Sixteen artists and crafting enthusiasts from the LGBTQIA+ community had booths to sell their creations, which included ink prints, crocheted animals, hand-beaded jewelry, cartoons and hand-sewn bags and accessories. Equality Utah also had a booth to disseminate information and resources.
“Queer art is a very niche section in terms of the entire art world,” said Issy De Las Casas, executive council president of PAEC and who was in charge of planning and facilitating the event. “Having the Indoor Market was kind of our idea for capturing that artsy audience within the LGBTQ community and those who either make it or are purchasers of it or just appreciators of that art.”
The PAEC club, one of the SUU clubs associated with the Center for Diversity and Inclusion and the Q Center on campus, holds events such as this to foster a sense of connection and community among students in the LGBTQIA+ community and to improve relationships with the rest of the students at SUU.
“Essentially, our goal this semester is to spark and spread queer joy,” said De Las Casas enthusiastically in describing the club. “Our goal in PAEC is to make sure that students who fall within the umbrella of LGBTQ, whether they’re queer or questioning, that they have a place to go to. We really capitalize on our club being a safe place for social gathering and just for connection.”
Story: Emily Walters
Photos: Emily Walters
Editor: Audrey Gee
life@suunews.net
