Updated April 11, 2024: Spinnaker originally referred to Mack Rush as the president of UNF’s Pride Club. However, she is the social media specialist, and the story has been updated to reflect that. Spinnaker apologizes for the error.

The John A. Delaney Student Union hosted its first-ever queer arts market event on Monday. The event was run by the University of North Florida’s Pride Club and featured a variety of vendor booths. 

At the event, queer artists showed off and sold their fine arts prints, hand-printed accessories, acrylic keychains, stickers, handmade jewelry, tarot card readings and more.

“My main goal is to create an area of unity right now, especially with what is happening to the LGBT center. Having something that puts us out there is the main goal,” said Mack Rush, the social media specialist of UNF’s Pride Club. “We also wanted to support queer artists around here, and having a market specifically for them was the main goal.”

On January 16, the UNF announced it would gradually disband the Office of Diversity and Inclusion in compliance with the Florida Board of Governors’ approval of Regulation 9.016.

This regulation prohibited programs and initiatives that “advocate for diversity, equity, and inclusion” or “promote or engage in political or social activism” from receiving state or federal funding.

Equality Florida, the state’s largest LGBTQ non-profit advocacy group, also attended the event to encourage students to register to vote. 

According to Pride Club Vice President Aster Walters, the market day had been in the works for a while and the club looks forward to hosting more vendor events. 

“I’m very proud of everyone that was able to come here today,” he said. “I’m hoping this starts a tradition with our university’s pride club … to host more queer artists every year.” 

The Pride Club’s next event is Queer Prom on April 18 from 6 to 9 p.m. in the Student Union ballrooms. 

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