An annual program that offers an inclusive option for prom is coming up in just a few weeks. The Equality Crew is a nonprofit organization based in Springdale that provides safe spaces to gather and programs for LGBTQ+ young people in Northwest Arkansas. Part of their annual programming includes their inclusive prom, taking place on Saturday, April 11. Ozarks at Large's Sophia Nourani spoke with Jess Clair, president of the Equality Crew, about this year's prom and the significance of their programming to young queer people in the region. Clair says they typically hold inclusive prom during the normal prom season.
Jess Clair: Really, for the purpose of making LGBTQ+ kids feel included in the prom season.
Sophia Nourani: How many of these have you had in the past? What's it been like?
Clair: We have had, I think, four or five of these proms. We do it every year. Every year we choose a theme, or we let the kids choose a theme. This year our theme is Neon Masquerade, which is very exciting. I think neon is a very fun theme to choose. We do it every year. We try and let the youth in our programs kind of determine the direction that it goes and how we plan for it and all those fun details. I think that the reason why prom started with our organization is because LGBTQ+ kids in the local high schools were feeling like going to prom wasn't where they were going to fit in. Or maybe they felt nervous about bringing their partner, or maybe someone wearing a dress felt uncomfortable doing that at their regular prom. The goal is to provide a space where they can just be whoever they want to be, rather than this kind of expectation that tends to go along with proms in the regular high schools.
Nourani: Can you tell me about some of the details about this year's event?
Clair: This year's inclusive prom will be on Saturday, April 11, from 6 to 9 p.m. at Gather Bentonville. It is again Neon Masquerade, so everything there will be neon-themed. There will be crafts, there will be a DJ. Kids can actually request songs ahead of time for the DJ, which is also exciting. We'll have kind of a closed event, but it'll be really accepting. We also have a sensory room, which is something that's really important for us to include every year. A lot of the youth in our programs might need some space to cool down after dancing for 30 minutes, an hour straight. So we offer a space that's a little bit more sensory-friendly. We offer things like fidget toys, weighted blankets, quiet music, headphones — things to really make anyone and everyone feel safe in the environment. We'll have performers this year as well, which is also super cool. We have mocktails. Pink House Alchemy is helping us with those. We really try and go all out for the kids.
Nourani: What does your outreach look like? How do you typically get in touch with these kids and get the word out about this event?
Clair: Typically, it's peer-to-peer. We really try and ensure that youth are communicating with each other and telling their friends all about it. But it can be really challenging because LGBTQ+ concerns are not super popular in public schools, specifically right now. We've also been rejected by a local newsletter who would not advertise for us because it's a divisive issue. So we've really been struggling a little bit with outreach because it is really difficult in this political environment to be open and honest about what we do for LGBTQ+ youth. What we've been doing is partnering with affirming teachers and school staff to ensure that the people who are already kind of designated as safe within schools know where to refer youth to if they want to have an inclusive prom. We also have a network of affirming therapists who are therapists for LGBTQ+ youth, and they're able to work with us and refer youth to our programs.
Nourani: How do you think that has affected the kids themselves that are going through these particular events and having to navigate those channels?
Clair: I think it's challenging. I can't speak on behalf of LGBTQ+ youth, but as someone who was an LGBTQ+ youth, it's really difficult to feel as though you don't fit in. That's just a core experience that teenagers feel. But the added layer of a political framework that is labeling you as someone who's different, someone who's undeserving, someone who is just being different for the sake of being different, rather than just choosing to be yourself — I think it can be really challenging. And I also think that it's scary. Even coming to our prom for some kids can be really scary. So I think that offering kindness and authenticity and really encouraging folks to show up as they are is a really important way to meet those needs. It's hard to feel like your identity is controversial. It's hard to be told that you can't be advertised for because it's a controversial subject. So I think being open and being clear about what we're doing is really the best thing that we can do.
Nourani: How do people sign up for this event and find more information about the work you do?
Clair: Folks can go to theEqualityCrew.org. We have a pop-up to register for prom, but there's also a prom tab on there where you can navigate and register. Registration is free. The whole event is totally free. We do require parent permission, but you'll be able to provide your preferred pronouns and preferred name. All of that can be done on our website.
Nourani: How are parents involved — not just in this event, but in your program in general?
Clair: We partner pretty closely with parents. I think parents are huge allies for the youth that are in our programs. We have parents who volunteer as chaperones at this event. A lot of times parents don't fully know how to support LGBTQ+ youth. So I think providing those resources and knowing that there's a place in the community that does know how to support LGBTQ+ youth is how we try to partner with parents. Not all parents are accepting, and we understand that, which is kind of why we're doing inclusive prom — to make sure that youth have access to the affirming spaces they need without having to out themselves to their families. I really want to emphasize that we prioritize safety. We have protocols in place for handling situations that might make people feel unsafe. We really make an effort to ensure that youth who are coming in are taken care of, that there's nothing to be afraid of, that they're accepted and affirmed. I like to think of prom as a space where we're actually creating this intentional physical location and event where it's OK to be yourself. We just want it to be open to everybody who needs a safe space to be themselves.
That was Jess Clair with the Equality Crew, speaking with Ozarks at Large's Sophia Nourani. Inclusive prom is taking place April 11. You can find out more about the event and the Equality Crew at theEqualityCrew.org.
Ozarks at Large transcripts are created on a rush deadline and edited for length and clarity. Copy editors utilize AI tools to review wok. KUAF does not publish content created by AI. Please reach out to kuafinfo@uark.edu to report an issue. The audio version is the authoritative record of KUAF programming.
