Color Me Warrior Review

By Taylor Kent

You could faintly hear music as you walked through campus. Passing the Science and Technology Center, continuing to walk up Normal Street the music got louder and the song became evident as you reached the University Center. The music lard students in. From all sides of campus students were headed to the back of the quad, intrigued by the vivid arrangement of flashing lights and the mob of people crowded in front of the stage. Laughter and excitement filled the air as everyone in the area anticipated the night’s event.

On Wednesday, October 7, Student Activity Association  (SAA) and LGBTQA joined together to celebrate National coming out Day, hosting a paint party entitled Color Me Warrior from 8pm-10pm on ESU’s quad.  Color Me Warrior, was a high energy dance, paint party. Held at the back of the quad, alongside of the Keystone building, where SAA fenced off a large section for the event. SAA and LGBTQA members handed out free white T-shirts that displayed the Color Me Warrior logo on the front and a list of campus events on the back with “GET INVOLVED” in bold letters at the bottom. The T-shirt was given to students to allow them to get messy but also have a colorful tie-dyed T-shirt after the paint party.

DJ Lady J was the events DJ. Playing the top artists and songs, from Fetty Wap, Rihanna, Kyle Edwards, and Jersey Club music. There was not a single student who was not dancing and interacting with their peers. Paint canyons were placed on the stage alongside of the DJ equipment, blasting off at random times throughout the event. As the party continued water guns were dispersed as well as water balloons and sponges soaked in an assortment of paint. Students were ducking and driving as sponges flew in the air; it was a paint war zone. Games such as limbo and even dance crazed workout Zumba were incorporated. The event was also recoded and streamed live on a screen that was set up next to the stage, making the party bigger than life.

Half way through the event, National coming out Day was addressed, as well as Latino Heritage Month. Encouraging students to be aware and come out to campus events that are celebrating great causes.

This year marks the 27th anniversary of National coming out Day. This annual day celebrates the coming out of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and allied individuals. This day was established during the National March on Washington for lesbian and gay rights, realizing that the greatest power is the power to coming out. Emphasizing that coming out still matter and every story is powerful and can empower someone else to share their story.

Poster of Warrior Startup Challenge with details and QR code