Equality Clarksville, a local organization formed to support the LGBT+ community and its allies in Clarksville, Montgomery County, and the surrounding areas, will be partnering once again with other local resources including the Austin Peay State University’s Gay Straight Alliance to host a Pride Picnic and Rainbow Graduation event on Sunday, April 29, 2018 at Austin Peay State University’s Morgan University Center Plaza from 11:00 am to 4:00 pm. This event will be free and open to both students and the community in the hopes of connecting the student community with the surrounding area to celebrate their 2018 graduates.
Gay Straight Alliance spokesperson Emily Rendleman said, “GSA has focused on creating lasting, meaningful partnerships with community support this year, and with Equality Clarksville’s help we have been able to carry on a traditional event on a much greater scale! Everything GSA does is to further APSU’s awareness that we are here, queer, and not going away.” Graduates recognized at the event will also be presented with a rainbow tassel as a keepsake honoring their hard work and dedication to earning their degree.
A light meal of hot dogs, sides, and drinks will be served for free to everyone. Those attending are encouraged to bring a dish to share with old and new friends alike at this pot-luck style event. There will be fun and games for the whole family including corn-hole along with card and board games. A large number of local and regional resources gathered including My House (providing free on-site HIV screenings), GLSEN, PFLAG, Focus Middle Tennessee Magazine, and ImpactHIV will be there as well.
“Equality Clarksville is dedicated to bring together the LGBT+ resources in the Clarksville area and we are proud to share with APSU in congratulating graduating seniors with this community picnic. We’ve been working with community resources for the last few months to put together this event focused on equality for all and which is open to the public,” said Drew Kreuser, Events Committee Chair for Equality Clarksville.
For more information about the organization or this event, visit their website at EqualityClarksvilleTN.org or on Facebook at facebook.com/EqualityClarksville.
