Multicolored strobe lights swept across the dance floor as the DJ crossfaded tracks seamlessly from synth-pop to electronic to rap. Students dolled up in formal outfits danced shoulder to shoulder. Outside, couples and friend groups lined up to snap photos inside a Volkswagen van straight out of the 1970s.

Outside, attendees took keepsake photographs in a retro Volkswagen van photo booth from Shutter Bus Co. Nicholas Truong / Daily Nexus

This was the scene at the Associated Students Trans & Queer Commission’s (TQC) second annual Queer Prom at the Isla Vista Community Center on April 11, hosted as part of TQC’s UC Santa Barbara Pride Week. The event aimed to give attendees a special night that celebrated queer identities.

The celebration spanned from 9 p.m. to midnight and drew around 60 students. A live DJ played music by artists including Saweetie, Peggy Gou and Soft Cell as attendees danced beneath the strobe lights. Outside, attendees took keepsake photographs in a retro Volkswagen van photo booth from Shutter Bus Co. Event freebies included UCSB Pride Week T-shirts and various mini LGBTQ+ pride flags.

Third-year computer engineering major and the lead organizer of the event Nikhil Kapasi said the planning process for the event was smooth and was facilitated by relationships built from hosting previous events. Kapasi and the group of organizers that he managed focused on securing the space, booking a DJ and enhancing the atmosphere with lighting and decor.

Kapasi said that his goal was to create a special and inclusive night in which UCSB’s queer community could enjoy a prom of their own.

“I think that a lot of queer people feel like they didn’t get a normal prom,” Kapasi said. “As a community, it’s cool to host an event like this where a lot of people can come together, feel comfortable and safe and know they’re going to be welcomed into that environment.”

Attendees appreciated that the event was designed specifically as a queer prom, because it filled a gap left by past experiences with high school prom.

“It’s nice to have something specifically for queer people,” attendee Kit Reasoner-Fellows, a first-year pre-biology major, said. “I remember in high school, I went to prom, but it wasn’t always fun. There is kind of like a separation between the normative culture of high school and queer folks. So it is nice to have something specifically great for us.”

Olivia Vasquez, a second-year chemistry major, shared a similar sentiment, saying that it’s sometimes hard to feel included at other events.

“I never really had a community at home, so it is really nice to have these events,” Vasquez said. “It’s honestly a little uncomfortable being at normal parties sometimes, because people do stare [at me] and my girlfriend, which is a little awkward. But at these parties, people don’t even look twice.”

Some event attendees said the event was a more comfortable experience for them than going out in Isla Vista.

“It’s not like going to [Del Playa Drive] and having to worry about your safety,” Daegan Bowers, a second-year theater major, said. “I’ve been seeing a lot of girls bringing their girlfriends and just hanging out having so much fun. I feel like they wouldn’t feel as safe if they were doing that on [Del Playa Drive], where they could be sexualized or anything where it’s not just pure love and community.”

Kapasi emphasized that beyond creating fun and inclusive spaces, UCSB Pride Week events carry a deeper significance in today’s broader social and political climate. According to the American Civil Liberties Union, the Trump administration has worked to roll back LGBTQ+ protections, including recent executive orders targeting transgender students and banning transgender people from military service.

“In the current political state of our country, I think a lot of people feel under attack and kind of unsafe,” Kapasi said. “Especially in academic settings, where [inclusivity] is already one of those things you have to fight for. I think events like these make people realize they’re less alone and can find their support systems.”

A live DJ played music by artists including Saweetie, Peggy Gou and Soft Cell. Nicholas Truong / Daily Nexus

For many attendees, the event was a reminder of queer unity and joy.

“It’s a sense of celebration for me. I feel like our community suffers together — we should celebrate together,” second-year theater major Gia Harris said. “It’s about having queer events where people can come together just to have fun and not worry about fighting for the right to be themselves. I think more stuff like this is really important for the community.”

A version of this article appeared on p. 4 of the Apr. 17, 2025 edition of the Daily Nexus.