Celebrating 30 Years of Queer Prom

In keeping with the theme of ‘Starry Night’, students will dance the night away beneath the stars in the Grand Ballroom, overlooking the cityscape and beautiful Bushnell Memorial Park. Angel Rivers, one of Hartford’s favorite drag queens and a frequent collaborator of the Health Collective, alongside DJ Reefa, another Hartford native and queer community staple, will ensure students have a great time throughout the night. The prom will also feature performances from talented CT drag queens Dro-Lopez Fierce and Dolling!”

Students will enjoy hors d’oeuvres and refreshments throughout the evening, with space to mix and mingle, take photos, and even have their tarot cards read if they choose. Q-Plus, a grassroots organization for queer youth, will also join us by providing a safe and supportive space in the form of a Sensory Room, with tools to help youth self-regulate and decompress while at the prom. Additionally, students have a chance to win two tickets each to see ‘The Prom’, a hilarious and heartfelt musical comedy performed by West Hartford’s Playhouse on Park.

“The Health Collective is proud to offer our Queer Prom as a means to affirm, empower, and heal queer youth within Connecticut,” says David Grant, Executive Director of the Health Collective. “This experience provides a safe space free of the cisgender and heteronormative barriers which often deter LGBTQIA+ students from attending those within their own schools.”

Mayor Arunan Arulampalam also acknowledged the significance of the event. “As a City, Hartford is committed to continuing the work necessary to ensure we are an inclusive City,” said Mayor Arulampalam. “It’s crucial that all of our residents feel safe, feel like they belong, and grow up feeling embraced by our community and those around them.”

In addition to Health Collective staff, this event is also being supported and chaperoned by a range of dedicated volunteers, including members from Empower, Our Piece of the Pie and Liberty Bank. The Health Collective, founded in 1983, provides medical and dental services alongside support groups and health education tailored to the LGBTQIA+ community. The Health Collective also advocates for LGBTQIA+ issues through a wide range of community outreach initiatives. For more information about the Health Collective’s services and ongoing programming, please visit www.linktr.ee/thehealthcollectivect.