Hayward Gay Prom
The Hayward Gay Prom is an annual "anti-prom" for LGBTQ youth founded in 1995 in Hayward, California, United States.
History
One of the oldest running gay proms in the United States, it was founded in 1995 by Ken Athey and Project Eden/Lambda Youth, a local LGBT youth mental health organization. It was initially held at Centennial Hall and currently at Chabot College.Students from 14 to 20 years old may attend the event. Local LGBTQ organizations provide support and conduct outreach, and parents are encouraged to attend and support their children. In 2014, the director for Project Eden predicted more than 300 youth would attend, stating:
is needed because the young people need a place to go to where they feel safe and accepted.A documentary film on the prom, Now We Can Dance: The Story of the Hayward Gay Prom, was created and shown at the 2013 San Francisco International LGBT Film Festival.