TOBY REEVES
GRAPHIC DESIGNER
JACK JONES
STAFF WRITER
10/20/2025
October is LGBTQ+ history month and the Alma campus is celebrating its queer community with Lavender week from October 19–25. This week has daily events highlighting and celebrating the college’s LGBTQ+ students and forming deeper community connections on campus.
“Lavender week is a lovely celebration of queer life on campus, showing students that they have support from faculty and other students,” said Theo Fein (27), President of Alma’s Gender and Sexuality Diversity club (GSD).
The week’s events are put on primarily by Queer Spiritual Life (QSL). GSD and Sigma Alpha Iota (SAI) to uplift the campus’s queer community. The events are targeted toward queer students, but students of all backgrounds are welcome to attend the week’s activities.
Lavender week began with the weekly chapel service at 7 p.m. October 19th with guest speaker Professor Kelli Crump. Who spoke on queer joy, living authentically and finding strength in community especially during challenging times.
On October 20th at 6 pm in the multicultural lounge, there is “Crafting our realities”. This event will focus on outlet through creation and trans resilience and joy through self-expression.
“This event is open to everyone and asks questions about just that: how do we craft images that make us euphoric? How do we build our support systems?” said Kay Keller (26), a leader in QSL.
On Tuesday, October 21 at 6:30 p.m., Reverend Katrina and Hooks and Needles will be crocheting lavender and discussing the historical significance lavender has had as a symbol of the LGBTQ+ rights movement, its place in hateful language, and representing pride and resistance.
The following day, from 6-7:30 p.m., the campus is hosting a panel of guests at Ballyhoo Books, including Alma College alum Emme Zanotti, who is currently working for Equality Michigan. The organization is an advocate for LGBTQ+ rights in Michigan and provides resources to the Michigan queer community at large.
The other guests at the panel will be members of the Mt. Pleasant Pride Center, which in a similar vein, works to provide community and resources to Mid-Michigan LGBTQ+ people, providing support groups and community events. All are encouraged to attend the panel.
On Thursday, QSL is hosting a healing service for all faiths, focusing on those with negative religious experiences who are seeking a comforting space in which to deal with them. This event is being held at 6 pm in the multicultural lounge.
On the 24th, GSD and the DI office are hosting their annual Masqueerade. This event is held at 7 p.m. in the Opera House. The event’s first half will be an opportunity to chat with faculty and students in formal wear while enjoying music and food. The second half will be an original murder mystery, written by Alma students Audrey Hester (‘27) and Koen Davies (‘27).
Finally, on Saturday, Sigma Alpha Iota is putting on a special performance at 7 p.m. in the Chapel. The performance will focus on highlighting music written by queer authors and provide a capstone to Lavender Week.
Students are encouraged to attend the events they can to experience the opportunities they provide.
The Almanian: News 
Leave a Reply