The College Street Taphouse was vibrant and bright Feb. 27 as students lined the walls, walked the stage, cheered on friends, and competed.
Late Night Elon collaborated with the Gender & LGBTQIA Center to host the annual Kiki Ball celebration. Inspired by LGBTQIA ballroom culture, the event is historically centered around queer and trans people of color and serves as a way to honor diversity in expression within LGBTQIA communities. The evening featured music, a stage, and a panel of judges, including an Elon alum, David Carter, who was excited to see the event come together.
David Carter, a judge at the ball, said he previously judged the event a couple of years ago and was honored to be invited back. The event holds special meaning for Carter and reflects his commitment to supporting students as an alumnus.
“It is certainly different from when I was at Elon. I graduated in 92, so we had nothing like this, so it's really wonderful to see,” Carter said.
Though the theme was ‘Diamond Dust,’ participants brought their own flair to the celebration, as a wide variety of outfits and expressions filled the room. The competition was organized into multiple categories, including best dressed, dynamic duo, vogue, and hand performances. The floor was led by featured drag performers of the night.
The event impacted many attendees, including first-year student Alex Maier, who said a positive experience helped her navigate the Elon community.
“It definitely helps build community,” Maier said. “It can be hard to go out and talk to people, and these events are a wonderful space, wonderful energy, and really easy to talk to people and make friends.”
Additionally, first-year Reese Kimball emphasized the difference Elon has made for queer-identifying individuals in North Carolina. As a North Carolina native, Kimball spoke about the broader cultural impact.
“No matter how safe a school or campus is and affirming, the culture of the state is always going to infiltrate,” Kimball said. “I am from North Carolina, and this is not a particularly safe state for queer people, andhaving spaces like this where you can feel like you're really safe is important.”
The event was created at Elon in 2021 by two graduate students, Jamie Wire and Marjae Jackson, and the annual Kiki Ball celebration has continued each year since. The GLC devoted significant thought and preparation to organizing the evening, as well as events team member and Elon sophomore Peyten Gray, who ensured the atmosphere reflected the energy and purpose of the celebration.
“I feel like they give a deeper and wider understanding of different communities and why certain things are very important for certain communities here at Elon,” Gray Said.
As the night came to a close, the vibrancy of the event lingered. Students remained, dancing to the music long after the performances ended.