Affirmations Prom ReDeux 2024: Celebrating Love in Every Color of the Rainbow
Check out our photo gallery!
Affirmations, Ferndale’s LGBTQ+ community center, welcomed guests to its annual Prom ReDeux on May 18. Promgoers relished the opportunity to get a prom “do-over” in a fully queer-affirming, loving space while dancing the night away and contributing to Affirmations’ mission to enrich the lives of the local LGBTQ+ community in myriad ways.
Affirmations Marketing and Communications Manager Marisol Dorantes-Silva told Pride Source the event is her favorite of the year. “The focus is celebration, queer joy and community,” she said. “We are intentional about the event feeling like a party that centers our guests. That means no program nor speakers.” Dorantes-Silva said the event included food, drinks, DJs, a tarot reader, selfie stations, a photobooth and a caricaturist, activities selected to help attendees capture and create memories with “the people who make us feel safe and loved enough to be our full selves,” she said.
The main highlight of the event for Dorantes-Silva, though, is guest feedback. “Listening to people speak about how the event gives them the opportunity to heal from past experiences is a beautiful reminder of how much Prom ReDeux matters,” she said.
Affirmations Board of Directors Co-Chair Demetrike Wells-O’Brien posted about the event on Facebook. “Fear, insecurity and uncertainty prevented me from going to my high school prom,” he wrote. “Last night, thanks to Affirmations, I was able to finally experience something I never thought would be possible — my first PROM!”
“Even now, as a board member, this amazing organization is still serving as a resource and safe space for people like me to live our dreams as our truest most authentic selves,” the post continued. “It was so much fun, and I am incredibly appreciative to the staff and volunteers who made this night possible. Special shoutout to my incredibly handsome husband and prom date Patrick! There is no one else in the world I would have rather have had this moment with than you. I love you!”
Read More
Why the Upcoming Michigan Supreme Court Race Is Vital to the LGBTQ+ Community
If anyone doubts the importance of Michigan’s Supreme Court race this November, and the massive impact it can have on our state’s LGBTQ+ residents, [...]
Meet Your Gaming Neighbor: Angela Washko Joins University of Michigan Arts Scene
Somewhere, a track coach is barking something — maybe motivational, definitely deafening — into the ear of a college freshman. If she listens [...]
Summer Books That’ll Have You Feeling a Sense of Pride
Embrace the vibrant spectrum of LGBTQ+ experiences this Pride Month with our curated list of enlightening reads for readers of all ages. From stirring memoirs [...]
Supreme Court to Consider Challenge to Tenn. Law Challenging Gender-Affirming Case for Minors
Washington Blade, Courtesy of the National LGBT Media AssociationThe U.S. Supreme Court on Monday agreed to consider a challenge to a Tennessee law that bans [...]
The Case for Queer Summer Camps
In the summer of 2015, I worked as a camp counselor in northern Michigan. It was one of the most enriching summers of my life. Despite the overriding [...]
Gov. Whitmer Honors Pride at Governor's Mansion with Michigan Leaders — and a Drag Queen! — in Attendance
On June 20 in Lansing, Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer hosted a momentous Pride celebration at the Governor's Mansion, bringing together legislators, activists [...]
