June is LGBTQ+ Pride Month

In June, we celebrate LGBTQ+ Pride Month, dedicating this time to affirming the identities that create our strong and diverse district. During this month, we focus on the importance of creating space for our scholars, staff, and community to show up as their authentic selves. Scholars feel most empowered to do their best learning when they are comfortable being themselves.

Our district emphasizes maintaining safe and welcoming environments that cultivate sense of belonging throughout our schools. We are proud to share LGBTQ+ resources, contributions made by LGBTQ+ individuals, and progress made for equal rights and acceptance in our community and the world.

The work to create inclusive spaces takes much more than a month. FWPS is committed to including representation of all scholars as part of daily instruction, including LGBTQ+ history and human rights. It is important for all scholars to see themselves in their learning.

Follow our District social media and subscribe to our newsletter to learn more about how we support our LGBTQ+ community.

View additional recognitions in the FWPS Cultural & Religious Calendar here: https://www.fwps.org/culturalcalendar

TBHS Celebrates Pride Month with a Pride Prom

As Pride Month kicked off, students in Todd Beamer High School’s Pride Club looked to see how they wanted to celebrate. Collaborating with their advisor Ms. Saldaña, the club members decided to put on a Pride Prom, in addition to the annual high school prom. In the spirit of the month and wanting to be inclusive, they went beyond the Todd Beamer campus and sent out invitations to the other FWPS high schools’ GSA clubs and Pride clubs. Ms. Saldaña commented, “it was the scholar’s idea to reach out to the other campuses – and it’s a genius idea! It was an idea to build more camaraderie and community among our students.”

Pulling off the event was a group effort, and the Pride Club dedicated the time necessary to make it a fantastic event. With a curated playlist, photo props, table activities, catered food, and all-around good vibes, the club members created a remarkable dance filled with joy. Everyone who showed up also agreed. It was an enjoyable time for LGBTQIA2S+ scholars from FWPS high schools to be in a safe space where they could be themselves, hang out, make new friends, and create great memories.

TBHS scholar and Pride Club President Liam said, “I’m really glad that we have the opportunity to have a Pride Prom for all the queer students… we just get to be ourselves with friends.”

FWPS staff and scholars celebrate the diversity in our community and encourage communities to find room to be themselves. TBHS’ Pride Club created an authentic and affirming environment, supported and encouraged by Todd Beamer staff.

Decatur QIC Club works to foster inclusion in the school and community

Decatur’s Queer Inclusion Community (QIC) is a student-led club dedicated to creating a safe space for LGBTQ+ scholars and allies alike to show up as their authentic selves. Their mission is to foster allyship through education and understanding. In recognition of Pride month, scholars in the QIC club participated in a variety of activities, including speaking at a panel discussion about inclusive communities at a Federal Way Education Association (FWEA) event, hosting a booth at the annual Decatur Leadership Multicultural Carnival, and creating displays and a presentation about prominent LGBTQ+ individuals and the importance of representation in pop culture.

The presentation, offered during advisory class, highlighted people such as Elton John, Lil Nas X, Raven-Symone, and Noah Schnapp, as well as fictional characters who have played an important role in representation, like Ethan from Disney’s Strange World and America Chavez from the Marvel Cinematic Universe. QIC scholars shared, “Everyone should have a place in their community, and one way to help LGBTQ+ people feel accepted in theirs is to have positive role models in all forms of media.”

School hallway displays showcases prominent public figures and activists for LGBTQ+ rights such as Bayard Rustin, George Takei, and Tan France. These individuals along with many others are important not only as positive intersectional role models for youth but also for the work they have and are doing as public advocates to advance human rights, civic equality, and social justice.

 “We made a book display case featuring queer books, a display case with flags, [and gathered] fun facts for the announcements,” QIC Student President Lyd shared. “It's been a lot of work, a lot of planning, [and] a lot of communicating with teachers.”

Despite the amount of work required to pull off all the events, Lyd felt accomplished in fulfilling the club’s mission and celebrating the varied identities that exist among their peers and the world. “Pride month is a time for us to be able to educate those who may not understand our community and our culture, [and] also a way to celebrate who we are and how we show it.”

TJHS SAGA Club and Woodmont K-8 promote inclusion and history during Pride Month

During the final weeks of school, in recognition of Pride Month, FWPS scholars led activities to promote inclusivity and educate peers about important events and people that are part of LGBTQ2+ history.

Woodmont K-8 scholars created a display wall filled with messages of understanding and affirmation to highlight the value of diversity among scholars and celebrate them for who they are. Scholars first spent time writing down their thoughts on colorful pieces of paper, then came together to weave the encouraging notes into the form of a Pride flag, representing a unified acceptance of all scholars and staff.

At Thomas Jefferson High School, the SAGA club participated in the school’s Red and Gold Carnival where they shared club information and helped build community. They also led a presentation that provided details into significant milestones in LGBTQ2+ history, such as the Stonewall Riots, creation of the first Pride flag by American artist and activist Gilbert Baker, and other contemporary events.

FWPS is proud to celebrate the diversity within our district, and is particularly proud of the leadership displayed by our scholar-activists who are enriching our school communities by creating a safe space to learn, thrive, and succeed. and empower them with the strength to continue to enrich our school community to be a safe space to learn, thrive, and succeed.