LAVC Hosts Unique ‘Quinceañera’ for Queer and Undocumented Students
LAVC Hosts Unique ‘Quinceañera’ for Queer and Undocumented Students
The pulsating rhythms of old-school cumbias filled the Unity Center at Los Angeles Valley College (LAVC) for a festive afternoon event: the school’s inaugural “Undocuqueer Quinceañera.”
The goal, organizers said, was to give queer and undocumented individuals an opportunity to belatedly enjoy the cultural rite of passage or redo a past quinceañera as their true gender.
Open to campus staff, faculty and current and prospective students, the gathering offered food, a DJ spinning music, and dancing – including drag king Johnny Gentleman leading a lesson and demonstration of a traditional quinceañera vals (waltz). Approximately 100 people were on hand for the May 2 event, wearing everything from sparkly dresses and ties with jackets, to jeans, T-shirts and hoodies.
“The purpose of this event is to celebrate milestones and transitions for our ‘undocuqueer’ students, which may include academic success, immigration status change or anything related to LGBTQ identity,” said Nat Guerrero, M.S., counselor for the Rainbow Pride Center at LAVC.
“It’s also an opportunity for our students that didn’t have a quinceañera to be able to participate.”
The event was a collaboration between four programs in LAVC’s Mosaic Village Community Center: Puente, a transfer-support program for Latinx students; Rainbow Pride, which serves LGBTQ+ students; the Dream Resource Center for undocumented students; and the Basic Needs Center, which offers services for students with basic needs insecurities.
When organizers initially started discussing the idea of planning an intersectional coming-of-age event on campus, the first suggestion was a prom, “which was quickly vetoed,” recalled Javier Carbajal-Ramos, M.A., counselor for the Dream Resource Center.
“I said, ‘No, a prom isn’t sufficient for us – we need to amp it up.’ We needed to have a quinceañera,” said Carbajal-Ramos, noting its cultural significance, especially for students who grew up in Latino households.
“I love what they’re doing here,” said LAVC student Zoe Nguyen, who wore a baby blue-colored ball gown made of tulle and lace. “I love that they brought together, for one quinceañera, queer students that didn’t have one that matched their identity, and also undocumented students, who maybe were in the moving process and weren’t able to have one when they [were younger].
“I just think it’s a great thing,” Nguyen continued. “I have a lot of friends that are undocumented, and a lot of friends that are queer, so I’m here to be here to support them.”
“What we’re trying to do at LA Valley College is create community and a family-like feeling on campus,” added Guerrero. “We want our students to feel supported, to feel seen and to feel empowered.”