Pride Powerpoint Party: Queer Tropes in Literature & Media (Pecha Kucha Style!)

Pride Powerpoint Party: Queer Tropes in Literature & Media (Pecha Kucha Style!)

Join us at Hugo House to celebrate Pride Month with a twist on the classic PowerPoint Party! This will be a social gathering where guests prepare and present short, punchy slideshows on a niche, funny, or absurd topic — all focused on queer tropes in literature and media.

For this event, we’re taking inspiration from the Pecha Kucha format!

What’s Pecha Kucha? It’s a fast-paced presentation style where each presenter shows 20 slides, each for exactly 20 seconds. The slides auto-advance — no going back, no skipping ahead. That means each presentation is exactly 6 minutes and 40 seconds of tight, visually driven, highly engaging storytelling. (Pecha Kucha means “chit-chat” in Japanese!)

Topic Focus: Queer Tropes in Literature and Media Tell us which tropes you love, which ones you hate, and which ones you just want us to hear you out on. Tropes can come from literature, film, television, or even the internet.

Requirements to present:

• Your presentation must follow the Pecha Kucha format (20 images, 20 seconds each).
• Total time: 6 minutes 40 seconds.
• Keep it PG-13 — no offensive or truly vulgar language.
• Your slideshow must be on a USB flash drive so we can run it on our laptop.
• All content must align with Hugo House’s Mission Statement.

Attendance: Free! Presenting is not required to attend — come hang out, watch what our community comes up with, and celebrate Pride with us.

Why Pecha Kucha?

This format keeps things lively, focused, and highly visual. Benefits include:

• Engaging: The 20-second slide change keeps the audience locked in.
• Concise: No rambling — presenters get straight to the point.
• Visual & Creative: You’ll communicate your best queer trope arguments with images and sharp, impactful statements.
• Memorable: The brain processes visuals faster than text, so your hot takes will stick.

How to prepare (step by step for attendees):

1. Define your main message — What’s the one thing you want us to know about your chosen trope?

2. Choose 20 strong images — Avoid clipart. Go for high-quality, relevant visuals. Use text sparingly.

3. Structure your talk — Think intro, body, conclusion. The Pyramid Principle (main idea first, then supporting points) works great here.

4. Practice! — You have exactly 20 seconds per slide. Rehearse until your words match the images and the timing feels natural.

Event Schedule:

6:00 PM: Doors Open

6:30 PM: Event Start

7:30 PM: Intermission

8:30 PM: Event End/Socializing time in the Salon

9:00 PM: Venue Closes