Events

Formerly hour-long live discussions, these are student-led video shorts posted to the Pride Center's Instagram account (@fiupridecenter). Various topics are covered that highlight specific populations within our community (e.g., nonbinary people), relevant topics (e.g., cancel culture), and community engagement topics (e.g., queer representation in the media).

The Pride Center holds an awareness raising program each November around the time of International Transgender Day of Remembrance (November 20). The goal is to engage the campus community in a conversation that brings attention to the discrimination and violence faced by trans and nonbinary folks and to create space for celebrating and stimulating joy within our trans and nonbinary communities.

We often will have a combination of resources available to students, activities for students to express themselves and/or their support for trans and nonbinary communities, student and community guest speakers who share their personal experiences and discuss discrimination in their communities, as well as a candlelight vigil.

For two years running, we celebrate Trans Awareness through the culiminating GenderChill: Gender Justice Fashion Show program, hosted by the Pride Student Union, in November.

We are committed to the holistic health and wellness of all LGBTQIA+ communities with special attention to our queer and/or trans Black students, Indigenous students, and students who identify as People of Color (QTBIPOC). Each semester, we host at least one major "Holistically Queer" event centering at least one QTBIPOC wellness educator or practitioner who facilitates an expressive space that guides students' journey of wellness, self-discovery, and cultural connection. The goals of these programs are to celebrate and promote wellness through any or all of the following in a supportive environment: movement, meditation, dance, nutrition, spiritual connectivity, self-expression, joy, and/or dialogue.

We celebrate the unique spirit and culture of the LGBTQIA+ community at the Miami Beach Pride Parade every April. FIU has the largest contingent on an annual basis, and our overall involvement exemplifies FIU's continued support of the LGBTQIA+ community. Each year, we host our Alumni & Friends Breakfast at the FIU Wolfsonian Museum, followed by the parade in the afternoon. We also have a booth at Lummus Park all day on Saturday the day before the parade.

We hold two Lavender Graduation ceremonies each year: (1) Winter Lavender Graduation; and (2) Spring Lavender Graduation. During the Lavender Graduation we bring our LGBTQIA+ community together to honor those who will be graduating as well as the recipients of our annual leadership awards. At the ceremonies, we recognize LGBTQIA+ students who are graduating as well as those with academic achievements and leadership contributions.

In the Spring, the ceremony is open to all LGBTQIA+ graduating seniors, including those graduating in Spring and Summer. All graduates receive a Lavender Medallion for their own graduation ceremony.

If you are a graduating senior, please fill out this form so you can be recognized at the event.

Every June, we honor and bring awareness to the 49 lives lost in the attack on Orlando Pulse Nightclub on June 12, 2015. The day marks a time to grieve members of our own FIU community who were lost and/or affected by this tragedy. The event also focuses on healing and spreading love and acceptance to all people regardless of their gender or orientation.

The Pride Leaders Program develops student's leadership skills that they will apply to their roles as students, as future professionals in their various careers, and as civically engaged members of our democracy. This multi-day, overnight program is open to all FIU students who wish to learn more about how to support LGBTQIA+ communities. As part of the program, they develop and propose a project or event that is administered during the upcoming year either on or off campus with funding from the Pride Center.

The program includes panels and workshops with Florida-based and national leaders who work to support LGBTQIA+ communities through their public service or community organizing. Exposure to off-campus leaders through this program helps the students hear a non-monolithic message that include multiple, diverse perspectives from across communities. The students also build from these interactions a network of role models and mentors to look to for guidance and support in their future endeavors.

Overall, the Pride Leaders Program builds practical leadership skills and strengthens practices related to time management, communication, collaboration, self-care, and conflict resolution while also developing students' natural bonds to their peers, their community, FIU, Florida, and leaders across the nation.

The Creating Change Conference is an annual conference led by the National LGBTQ Task Force. Students apply to join the Pride Center delegation to attend the conference with hotel, flights, fees, and most meals paid as well as some activities to explore the host city. The conference provides workshops, caucuses, panels, and more on LGBTQIA+ support and leadership with networking opportunities throughout.

Students can submit a proposal to facilitate a workshop or caucus at the conference. If planning to submit, and especially if selected, students should apply and notify the Pride Center to gain support to travel with the delegation.

The conference occurs in January or February every year and students who apply are interviewed and selected in the Fall. We announce the selected group publicly at Winter Lavender Graduation in December. The conference typically lasts 3 days with 2 days prior for day-long institutes and additional days for sight-seeing and travel.