Lehigh’s Spectrum Club hosted its annual fall semester Pumpkin Pride Halloween Bash on Oct. 26 as a way of giving back to the community and getting into the Halloween spirit.
Spectrum is Lehigh’s student-organized LGBTQ+ cultural club. Its mission is to foster an inclusive and welcoming environment for all students and faculty at Lehigh.
Cam Ulm, ‘24, secretary of Spectrum, emphasized the importance that socializing has in achieving the club’s mission.
“Socializing and creating a safe space for people to be who they are is what Spectrum is all about,” Ulm said. “Our events are meant to keep members active and let them meet others who are a part of the LGBTQ+ community.”
Out of all of Spectrum’s interactive events, Pumpkin Pride is one of the club’s largest gatherings. Previously referred to as Rainbow Halloween, this event consists of three fun Halloween-themed activities: Pumpkin painting, a costume contest and donation bag decorating.
Ulm said the Pumpkin Pride Halloween Bash is a fun way to celebrate the holiday, but providing for the community is what the event is really about.
Ulm said the goal of the bash is to expand the welcoming and inclusive feeling Spectrum fosters on Lehigh’s campus to the greater community, by donating supplies such as crayons, colored pencils and markers to local queer children in need.
He said Spectrum usually works through the Bradbury-Sullivan LGBT Community Center to send out donations, but this year the club chose to create donation bags to give out at Broughal Middle School and Fountain Hill Elementary School instead.
In other events, Spectrum plans to hold a Transgender Day of Remembrance ceremony near the end of November to honor the memory of transgender individuals whose lives were lost in acts of anti-transgender violence and agression.
“This event is probably the third biggest Spectrum event,” Ulm said. “But just as important, if not more important than the other ones.”
Coming up in the spring, Ulm said Spectrum is hoping to host the club’s annual drag show. The event encourages students, faculty, staff and professionals to perform in drag. Ulm said all the money Spectrum gathers in tips goes towards charity and non-profit organizations.
John Blake, ‘23, a member of Spectrum, said a lot of Spectrum’s more interactive events have been restricted by COVID-19 protocols. Activities like eating and socializing together indoors are often not permitted — these are two activities that Blake believed united members the most.
“Planning future events is kind of difficult,” Blake said. “It’s hard to look ahead a week or even a month and see what it’s going to be like.”
Difficulties with planning and marketing have greatly influenced event turn-out, Blake and Ulm said. In previous years, Pumpkin Pride has seen almost 100 people attend, however, this year only about 25 people attended.
Though she did not attend the Pumpkin Pride Halloween Bash, Daniella Stokic, ‘25, said she saw advertising for the event after it had been held.
“I wish there would have been more notice about the event,” Stokic said. “It seemed like an evening of fun activities for a great cause.”
Ulm said membership of the club has varied each year. Although he hopes to see more people become involved as the year progresses, he said turnout is not what Spectrum is focused on. Their main goals are representation and inclusion in a prideful manner.
“Anyone is welcome at any time,” Ulm said. “Even if they are not queer themselves.”
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