The IU LGBTQ+ Alumni Association celebrated IU Day on Thursday at The Inkwell Bakery and Café with a coffee -happy hour. The event featured a drink bar, prize raffle and space for members of the LGBTQ+ community to mingle.
This year, IU Day falls on April 23.
IU Foundation communication specialist Terri McGaffney said in an email to the IDS that IU Day is an annual worldwide event honoring IU and the people who make IU possible.
“The primary call to action for IU Day is, ‘Come together for the IU causes that are meaningful to you,’” McGaffney said. “Additionally, we encourage people to ‘share your IU pride and passion.’ The LGBTQ+AA event at Inkwell on Thursday is intended to do exactly that.”
Leah McRath-Hinton, director of affinity engagement at the IU Alumni Association, greeted attendees at the entrance to Inkwell. She signed guests in, handed them raffle tickets and offered complimentary IU merch, which included IU alumni stickers and IU pride lanyards.
At 6 p.m. McRath-Hinton called out four winners of the raffle and joked the association had a drawing for “four expensive-ish things,” which prompted chuckles from the dozen attendees. Applause and cheers broke out as each winner was chosen to select the available prizes: two IU T-shirts, a reusable cup and an IU notebook.
After the raffle, McRath-Hinton directed everyone’s attention to the president of the IU LGBTQ+ Alumni Assocation, Sarah Perfetti. Perfetti was accompanied by her wife and 11-month-old daughter, who sported a cream and crimson themed outfit.
“I think that in a time where queer people are kind of marginalized, this gives us a chance to come together and celebrate, celebrating who we are and just being normal people, getting out and chatting and connecting is really important,” Perfetti said.
The IU LGBTQ+ Alumni Association awards scholarships and grants to IU students, advocates LGBTQ+ issues to IU administration and sponsors educational activities, according to its website.
While it is primarily an association for IU alumni, Perfetti said current students are future alumni, so two board positions are filled by current students, one from IU Bloomington and one from IU Indianapolis.
“They’re the students who are on the ground, who know what students want, what students care about, what they need,” she said. “I love connecting with students, so my advice is to get involved and serve on the board, serve a year term.”
Former association President Cindy Stone also attended the event. Stone, who is also a retired faculty member of the Kelley School of Business, was the IU LGTBQ+ Alumni Association president for six years and served as vice president prior to that.
Stone said she joined the association because she wanted to make a difference.
“I wanted to see that we’re putting out the rainbow welcome mat for alumni as well as employees, grad students, everybody, to feel like they have a place they can connect with people from their community,” Stone said.
Stone said it’s important for LGBTQ+ students studying at a large university like IU is to find a community and connect with others.
“You need to be able to find your people,” she said. “Breaking that university down into smaller groups is a way to not feel lost. I think that’s so important, especially for someone who comes from a marginalized community.”
On April 19 the IU Alumni Association is hosting an IU Day celebration at Tiny’s Coffee Bar sponsored by the Neal-Marshall Alumni Club. For more information on upcoming events, visit the IU Alumni Association website.
