Ash Jewett, a junior this year, is the new vice president of Pride Club.

Jewett says,”I joined Pride Club probably in November of my freshman year. I wanted to feel like I had a community, because like, it was my freshman year and I didn’t know anybody. The few people that knew I wasn’t straight, were rude about it. I wanted to feel like I had a community and the Pride Club gave me that.” Jewett continued by explaining, “I went from being scared to like, I’ll literally wear rainbow suspenders. I went from being a part of my life to a part of my life that I wanted to show.”

“So the co-presidents of Pride Club, they asked me to be their vice president. Basically, I’ll help them run this year. I want the club to just be like a safe space, that it doesn’t matter because we have each other. I want to create that safe space, I want to be there for people and if they need to talk to me, they can talk,” Jewett finished by saying, “I want to make it clear that if you need to talk, I’m here.”

Jewett explained how they want to get more involved and provide more structure to the club.“We already have meetings, it’s us just talking to everyone about what’s going on. I want to bring a little bit more structure, maybe set up days where we educate the school on things like preferred names and pronouns, we got a gender neutral bathroom, but no one knows it exists. You have to get a pass to use it, which I believe you have to get a parents permission for, which means you need to be out to use it. That’s difficult for people because some people can’t come out, they’re not safe.”

Jewett also shows interest in collaborating and partnering with other minorities in the schools clubs,”I want Pride Club to make a mark for people to have the same opportunities like I was talking to the counselor and she mentioned that she had a kid ask her if the school even has a Pride Club, it’s not general knowledge.”

“I want to encourage people to join, even if they’re not queer. You don’t have to be queer to join, it’s pride.”