GAAY Sports cultivates community through athletics

April 6 marked the final day for GAAY, which stands for GLBTQIA+, Athletes, Allies and You. The non-profit hosts many sports, including dodgeball, kickball and bowling across Lansing, Grand Rapids and Ann Arbor. For Lansing’s final dodgeball game of the season, it didn’t take long for the group of almost 60 players to mingle, make new friendsn and let the anxiety of gym class fade away.

Lansing’s Snoopfest celebrates DIY music scene’s inclusive spirit

The one-day music festival called Snoopfest featured 10 “DIY” bands, who performed along with other local artists and featured local vendors. Drawing inspiration from house show culture of the ’70s through early 2000s, the DIY music scene has historically been a haven for the LGBTQIA+ community, with its ethos revolving around inclusion, safety and underground emo-punk music.