On Feb. 21, the Queer Student Alliance hosted its second annual Love is Love Dinner to remind the DU community that love is love.
The event took place in the Craig Hall Community Room where attendees were treated to a festive night filled with friends, music and food. “Our goal with events like these is to bring love as a celebration,” said Christian Anton, president of the Queer Student Alliance.
And a celebration it was. With a colorful display of LGBTQ flags and Love is Love signs adorning the walls, the venue provided a positive and inclusive environment, where guests were encouraged to be themselves and have fun with their community.
The night began at 7 p.m. when guests began to file into the Craig Hall Community Room where upon entering, they were greeted by a sign-in table that displayed the flags of the LGBTQ spectrum. Upon checking in to the event, guests were treated to a buffet style dinner, with options that included making your own salad and spaghetti. And for dessert, tiramisu was served. After guests grabbed their dinner, they were then free to sit at one of the many tables that could seat up to eight people, in which casual and playful banter was exchanged between guests. Additionally, throughout the course of the event, the atmosphere of the room continued to encourage guests to dance and have fun with their friends and overall community.
Hannah Bumgarner, a sophomore at DU said the dinner made her feel included in the queer community. “Just looking around right now, there is such a good community, and even being my first time coming to one of these, I don’t feel out of place at all,” she said, adding that it would be nice to see more participation from students of all backgrounds.
Apart from being an event to honor love in all of its forms, Brynn Domimice, event coordinator for the alliance said it was also a way to show the broader DU campus that the LGBTQ “community is alive on campus.”
In upcoming months, the alliance will host other social soirees including a Second Chance Prom at the university’s Tuscan Ballroom in the Fritz Knoebel School of Hospitality Management. The Second Chance Prom is meant to provide guests with the opportunity to redo their prom, and as Brynn Domimice said “have the prom experience they never got to have.” The event, which will take place on April 6, is open to all, and attendees are encouraged to dress formally, in cosplay or an any outfit of their choosing. To stay updated on the Second Chance Prom and on future QSA events, follow them on Facebook.
