Safe Space Cape and Red Door Jubilee Center presented its first Over the Rainbow prom open to the public on April 5 at Christ Episcopal Church.
The event was conceived and organized by Amber Moyers, the administrator of Red Door Jubilee Center, Red Door Jubilee Center is the parent organization of Safe Space Cape.
“This prom is for Safe Space Cape, which is an LGBT youth program that we run through Red Door Jubilee Center,” Moyers said.
Moyer said this is something she’s been wanting to do for a long time and the idea of having a fundraiser for their safe space program was a plus and the reason for the prom.
Red Door Jubilee Center has only been open and public for the past 6 months and this is their first major fundraiser for the Safe Space program.
Moyer said the money being raised will go towards utility costs, supply cost and helping feed teenagers that come to the program to make sure the program keeps going.
Moyers said there are a lot of people who are in the LGBTQ+ community who did not attend their own proms because of acceptance issues.
“We do not get to do prom and things like the way that we want to, whether it's we can't come to dress the way we want to or can't bring the partner of our choice,” Moyer said.
She said she did not attend her own prom because of some of those reasons.
“I was very much still in the closet and just completely disengaged from high school life by that time,” Moyers said.
She said this event is an opportunity for LGBTQ+ people to come as they are without judgment. The event was meant to be inclusive as well as a fun, open experience.
“It's really important on a personal level because I think that a lot of our LGBTQ+ people, we don't get to express ourselves the way that we want to,” Moyer said. “If you want to come in a dress and typically you wear guys clothes, that's fine. If you want to come with your girlfriend or boyfriend, that's fine.”
Moyer said she just wanted everyone to come and have a good time and let loose.
“A lot of LGBTQ+ people, we carry a lot of stress. So something like this is just a really good way to let some of that stress out,” Moyers said.
Southeast student Samantha Kleinschrodt, president of SEMO PRIDE, was a coordinator for the prom.
Kleinschrodt said there is still a lot of hesitancy in the Cape community, and this event was an opportunity for students to be in their comfort zone.
“People on campus and people in general, the feeling of comfort being themselves kind of stops when they leave campus,” Kleinschrodt said. “I think we needed a community event where a lot of people got to come to be themselves and feel like they didn't have to hide or they didn't have to be worried about what people are going to think about them.”
Kleinschrodt said she hoped the event helped people realize they are not alone and there are people who want to help and support them.
"There are more people like you than you think there are. There's a lot of power in numbers and others people that support you in that there are safe like spaces, like Safe Space that are coming up that want to support you in the community,” Kleinschrodt said.
Seihu Ghes attends Cape Girardeau Central High School and found out about the event through its gay-straight alliance.
Ghes, who attended with classmate Russell Allen, said he enjoyed being able to hang out with people he wouldn’t normally.
“I like seeing people of all ages and all sexualities and people of color come out and join together and have fun,” Ghes said.
Ghes said he would attend the event again in the future if it was made available.
“It's nice to attend something that raises awareness in a place that's known for sort of shutting people down for who they are, whether it's a person of color or someone who's trans or gay,” Ghes said.
Allen said the event was eye-opening for him to see that there are more people who are just like him.
“The connection we all just get to bond and be friends even though I've never met some of these people. I thought even about maybe starting going to church here,” Allen said.
Moyers plans to make this a yearly event as the program continues to grow and mature.
