Nearly 650 Trojans flock to McCarthy Quad for PrideFest

Standing with friends in the middle of McCarthy Quad on Friday night, sophomore Donal Buckley of the USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences remarked that he was “really liking the vibe” of PrideFest, the kickoff event for LGBTQ+ History Month at USC.

“I feel comfortable here where they are fostering a really accepting environment,” Buckley said. “In high school, I never came out to people because it was such a big thing. But here, there are so many people who are LGBT, as evidenced by this event.”

Buckley was among the nearly 650 Trojans who attended PrideFest. For the first time, the event for LGBTQ+ students and their allies was in the evening. Organized by QuASA (Queer and Ally Student Assembly), the 3½-hour celebration featured live performers, DJs, food trucks and student vendors selling and displaying handmade items.

The festivities got off to a rollicking start in the early evening with student drag performances by Daisy Darling, Willconique, Ella Mayo and emcee Rae Oblivion.

“Scream if you think I’m pretty!” Oblivion demanded as the emcee and performer took to the outdoor stage.

Rae Oblivion is the drag persona of Saneel Sharma, a junior at the USC Roski School of Art and Design. They agreed to be PrideFest’s onstage host after having so much fun performing at last year’s event.

“Being able to do drag on campus just feels rewarding,” said Sharma, who was also one of the stars of last spring’s USC Drag Show.

“I initially started doing drag before stepping foot on USC ,” Sharma said. “When I found out there was a drag scene here, it was just so rewarding. I never thought I could incorporate my college life into my drag lifestyle.”

The plethora of anti-LGBTQ+ laws — including some bans on drag performers — being proposed or passed in parts of the United States in recent years has only strengthened Sharma’s resolve to dazzle onstage as Rae Oblivion.

“Instead of being afraid, I’m more angry,” they said. “That anger is fueling my drive and is making me want to express my drag more.”

LGBTQ+ allies show public support at USC PrideFest

After sunset, the crowd grew larger. The event evolved into a dance party, with band Moray and singer Meghan Chen providing entertainment. DJs Slatterose, Zainab and Mina, and Will Domke kept the dancing going by spinning tunes between live performances.

“I have lots of great friends who are in the queer community who are performing tonight, and I wanted to support them,” said Jo MacKenzie, a sophomore at the USC Thornton School of Music. “I wanted to show up for them because we love them so much.”

Fellow USC Thornton sophomore Kody Okamura was at PrideFest as a staunch LGBTQ+ ally excited to see some of his classmates perform in front of a large crowd.

“I think it’s important to come out and support your fellow musicians whenever you can — especially when it’s in a setting promoting diversity and inclusion,” Okamura said.

Student vendors set up shop during USC PrideFest

PrideFest wasn’t all about entertainment. The festival also provided an opportunity for campus and community organizations to distribute information and for student vendors to sell their artistic creations.

USC Dornsife senior Gi Alcala used the event to publicly unveil their crochet business called Scorpio Venus Designs. The environmental studies major learned to crochet just two years ago after knitting for many years.

“I find secondhand yarn, usually through thrift stores — things that would otherwise go to the landfill — and crochet tops out of them,” Alcala said as they sat at a table covered with their garments. “It’s part of my interest in sustainable fashion, and this is how I’ve taken that into my art.”

Another vendor, USC Dornsife sophomore Charlie Ravesloot, had spent the past year making tops, coasters, bags, bandanas and other items, and was excited to be able to show them to their peers.

“I’m just happy about having my own booth, which is really awesome,” said Ravesloot, a psychology major. “I’ve thought about it when I’ve gone to different conventions, but this opportunity is just amazing. If I sell even one thing, I will be super grateful.”

While a majority of the crowd seemed most interested in dancing and grabbing dinner from the food trucks, USC Dornsife sophomore Maya Lin-Stevens spent time visiting the vendors.

“I really like the art they have set up and supporting student-run businesses for artists,” she said.

Lin-Stevens also praised the efforts of QuASA and of the LGBTQ+ Student Center on campus.

“I’ve been to a few of the groups at the center where there is a more intimate setting and you get to meet with people,” she said. “I feel like that helps foster community — along with the larger events like this. There’s a balance.”