By Alexandra Berrocal and Mia Costales

Pink, white, and blue streamers, pride flags, and the familiar sound of students and community members mingling filled the Great Hall this past Saturday, thanks to the Trans Resource Expo (TREXPO) put on by the Eric Rofes Multicultural Queer Resource Center (ERC). TREXPO is one of the biggest events put on by the ERC and aims to provide queer resources and a safe and inclusive space for trans and queer people.  

According to the Cal Poly Humboldt website, the ERC’s mission is to, “shift public opinion of the queer community on campus and in the local area from tolerance to acceptance.”

They also provide services such as their Queer Library and Gender Affirming Clothing Closet, both located in the Nelson Hall West, and the Queer Community Garden located at CCAT. 

At the event, there were several tables representing organizations such as Queer Humboldt, Planned Parenthood, and Open Door, where attendees could learn about local resources and other events being held by these groups. There were also activities like button making, Dungeons and Dragons, and queer trivia. Most importantly, TREXPO provided a safe space for trans, queer, and closeted people to connect with each other and learn more about how the community serves them. 

Isabelle Dushane, the ERC Events Director, shared their intent with putting on this event.

“The overall goal of the event is to connect the trans community in Humboldt/the university to local resources, information about transitioning, and information about gender affirming care,” DuShane said. “We also hold events for people within the LGBTQ community to connect over shared experiences and meet new people.”

While the goal of the event was to provide students and community members with trans and queer resources, TREXPO also fostered an inclusive hangout for everyone who attended. Organizers provided food and drinks while music by queer artists blasted through the speakers throughout the night. People could be found perusing stations showcasing queer-made zines and pamphlets, the raffle with prizes including albums by artists like Mitski, and the rack filled with gender affirming clothing.

The turnout for the night was solid, resources and activities were plentiful, and above all people of all types of backgrounds were able to come together for a night of comradery and connection. 

Sky Smith, a Cal Poly student who attended the event, was content with how the TREXPO turned out.

“I wasn’t exactly sure what to expect, but I can’t really think about what more I could ask for in terms of resources,” Smith said. “This kind of thing could be turned into a progressively bigger and bigger event for people who already have a lot of their resources lined up, but are just looking for a community.”