LGBTQ | New Haven Pride Center | Arts, Culture & Community
Diana Henderson singing "Happy Birthday." Photos Kapp Singer.
Diana Henderson carried a big chocolate cake covered with sparklers. With gusto, she sang “Happy Birthday” to all those born in January in the room.
“I don’t want anybody to have the feeling that there’s not someone who gives a damn about their birthday,” she announced.
The cake was served for dessert at the New Haven Pride Center’s first monthly community dinner, held on Wednesday at the Center’s new home at 50 Orange Street. Organized by Henderson, the event, which drew roughly thirtypeople, gave members of the LBGTQ+ community from every corner of the city the opportunity to sit down and share a meal together.
“I never had the traditional family dinner, and I know there are other people who never had that sense of family,” Henderson said. “My hope is to establish that feeling.”
She described herself as “that dorky mom who shows up to pride events and gives out hugs and dances along with the queens,” and said she wanted to bring that same spirit to the monthly dinner. She was inspired to start the event after watching an interview with drag queens BenDeLaCreme and Jinkx Monsoon before their annual holiday show.
“BenDeLaCreme said that by putting together a show to meet his needs, he realized he was meeting the needs of a whole community of people who didn’t have a place to go home for the holidays,” she said . “And I said, ‘That's it!’’”
For the dinner, Henderson cooked a feast of macaroni and cheese, spiral cut ham, vegan farro pilaf, calico bean salad, blondies, and, of course, the cake. She said she expected less than 15 people to show, and was ecstatic to see over twice as many people arrive.
“Apparently I didn’t cook nearly enough mac and cheese,” Henderson said with a laugh.
She said that for future community dinners, she wants to make sure everyone can find a taste of home.
”If anyone has an old family recipe, I’m happy to give it a try.”
The dinner capped off a busy first month of the year at the Pride Center, which included a ribbon cutting ceremony and a hobby fair, in addition to regular programming. It also gave attendees the opportunity to see the center’s expansive new space, which is located in the former home of ArtSpace New Haven.
“We’ve wanted to hold [community dinners] for a long time, but being in the basement didn’t allow it,” said Executive Director Juancarlos Soto. The Center’s former space, at 84 Orange Street, was much smaller, not fully wheelchair accessible, and didn’t have any windows.
“We fought really hard for the space,” Soto said.” We fought really hard to bring the Center back to the roots of being a community center. Tonight is very special—we’ve dreamt about this night for a very long time.
“To have a community from all over sitting around at a big rainbow table eating is pretty exciting. I think in many ways it captures what we’re trying to do with the center—bringing people together, sharing stories,” he added
Soto shows off the food pantry and community closet.
Soto pointed out other important aspects of the space, including a free food and toiletries pantry, a community closet, a library, study spaces for youth, and, in the building’s large basement, a storage which unhoused people can use to keep their things.
Back at the table, as dinner wrapped up, Elaine Kolb—a LGBTQ+ and disability rights activist who is a regular at the Pride Center—broke into song.
Elaine Kolb sings.
“I’m a queer dyke nonbinary woman, those are some of the labels I own,” Kolb sang.
The rest of the attendees laughed and cheered, finished their birthday cake, and talked with friends old and new. Henderson looked on with pride.
“I’m smiling so hard I feel like my cheeks are gonna explode.”