Cirque: Queer Soul, Art & Activism

An event called Cirque: Queer Soul, Art & Activism, a celebration of community and diversity for national lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender pride month, will be held from 5 to 8:30 p.m., Saturday, June 2 at UW Tacoma.

The event, presented by UW Seattle and UW Tacoma lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender student groups, includes speeches by public officials, live music, slam poetry, speakers, games, food and refreshments.

Featured speakers include Lt. Governor Brad Owen, Tacoma Mayor Marilyn Strickland, City Councilmember Ryan Mello, Pierce County Councilmember Tim Farrell, UW Tacoma Chancellor Debra Friedman, UW Provost Ana Mari Cauce, and Director of UW Tacoma’s Interdisciplinary Arts and Sciences Larry Knopp. The elected officials featured will also be recognized with awards for their support of National Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Pride Month and Gay Rights.

Entertainment includes two bands, Wishbeard and The Glasses, and spoken word performances by UW students. The event features carnival games, food and roving entertainers. The MC for the evening will be UW Tacoma alum Forrest Stepenowski in his persona as “Miss Victoria Eyesli.” Stepenowski earned a UW Tacoma Gift of Service Award when he graduated in 2007 in recognition of his extensive service activities on campus and in the community and was named Miss Gay Tacoma in 2009. 

As part of NLGBT Pride Month, event organizers encourage celebrants to visit the Tacoma Art Museum’s exhibit Hide/Seek from 3 to 5 p.m. when the museum offers discounted admission.

Cirque is sponsored by the Q Center at the University of Washington along with UW Tacoma’s Office of Equity & Diversity, Diversity Resource Center and the Interdisciplinary Arts and Sciences fund Arts and Lectures.

For more information or to register for the event, go to www.tacoma.wu.edu/cirque.