Every year, students and faculty throughout AISD celebrate Pride Week to create safety and visibility across the district. Pride Week this year was held the week of March 20-25, and included daily themes, stories of LGBT history over the announcements, free posters, stickers, and flags, and community FIT sessions. 

AISD Pride Week was made possible by the Sexuality and Gender Acceptance Club, or SAGA. Members of SAGA spent time after school decorating the Bowie entrance with colorful chalk of positive affirmations such as: ‘Love one another’ or ‘perfect just the way you are’. Sophomore SAGA member Han Wood worked to create these drawings.

“We met after school on Wednesday and made a whole bunch of rainbow affirmations out there,” Wood said. “It’s nice to see all sorts of colors when you walk in.”

The drawings provide everyone who walks into campus with affirmations of love and acceptance.

“It kind of makes me think, some things probably couldn’t happen in other places around Texas,” Wood said. “I’m so glad that the Bowie community is a safe community.”

One of the most notable parts of Pride Week is the daily announcements read by the students and teachers of SAGA. English Teacher and SAGA club sponsor, Jacob Morgan, worked to create this opportunity.

“I just wanted to make sure that we spoke on that important issue,” Morgan said. “I think it’s really important that every student at Bowie feels like they’re welcome here, and not just welcome but that they’re a part of the culture itself.” 

Junior member Natalie Grassian used the morning announcements to shed light on queer scientist and first queer person to go to space, Sally Ride.

“A lot of people don’t know about her,” Grassian said. “It really spoke to me to have someone well recognized, but not a lot of people know that they’re part of the LGBTQ community, I really wanted to share that. It’s so nice to show that the school I go to is accepting, which is always nice to know.”

For students like seniors Caroline Cullinane and Rosie Lisa, Pride Week FIT sessions are a safe community to enjoy each other’s company in an inclusive space.

“It’s a community of people all supporting pride, which is very helpful for people who are insecure in themselves and their identity in their identity,” Cullinane said. “It’s just a happy, supportive place and it’s a lot of fun.”

These activities also foster students of every identity.

“The activities encourage cisgender or straight students who might not normally participate in pride activity to involve themselves in support of the LGBT community,” Lisa said. “Seeing the representation of support go outside of the community creates a safe environment for others who may be closeted to feel like they too can show pride.”

Although Pride Week only lasts for five days, SAGA continues to bring support to students.

“There’s a lot of negative messaging around LGBTQ people right now coming from across the country, and I think it’s especially important to match that with positivity and with love,” Morgan said. “SAGA is also doing that; providing a place where people can come and be themselves and know that they’re free of judgment based on their gender or their sexuality.”