Preparing students at Grand Valley State University for the Thanksgiving break, the Milton E. Ford LGBT Resource Center will be hosting “Queersgiving,” where students can enjoy being with friends while growing the community. The event will be held on Monday, November 25, at 12 p.m. in Kirkhof at the center itself, room 1161. Students will have the opportunity to celebrate a successful semester together. 

“Queeersgiving is organized to build community and engage in healthy self-care practices in preparation for break,” said LGBT Resource Center Assistant Mark Saint Amour. “These breaks can be hard for LGBTQIA plus students for a variety of reasons. So we want to give folks both a good time to carry them through and some self-care tips to take along the way.”

There will be plenty of food to go around. The menu will feature vegan pad thai, snacks and desserts. Attendees are invited (but not required) to bring a dessert to pass that lists what ingredients are in the dessert and share the story behind it as well.

“Whether it’s a family tradition, a specialty or even just a trip to the grocery store, we want this to be an opportunity to share those stories,” Amour said.

This isn’t the first time the LGBTQ Resource Center has hosted “Queersgiving.” They have held this and several other events like it before.

“We’ve hosted similar events for many years. Every year we try to do something new and exciting,” Amour said.  

Food won’t be the only thing students can share at “Queersgiving” — students can also engage in art activities, games and even make zines together. 

The LGBTQ Resource Center welcomes students while making them feel comfortable, confident and accepted. It also helps build relationships along with the community through its events like this.

“Folks of the LGBTQIA+ community can feel safe, authentically and holistically themselves,” Amour said. “The Center always tries to celebrate everyone for who they truly are, so I believe our hope is that it could be just that, a celebration.”

The Thanksgiving feast will be free of charge. Any student at GVSU is welcomed to join in and have some fun before the semester ends.