Embracing A Spectacular Celebration of Pride and Progress.

July 17th, 2023

Yes, we know it’s July now but hey, guess what? We’re still talking “Pride”! How come, you may ask? Well, it was around this time today, 54 years ago, that the Police raided our bars at the Stonewall Inn in the Greenwich Village neighborhood of Lower Manhattan in New York City, consequently becoming violent in the process marking the commencement of a new wave for the “Gay Liberation Movement” – which we now honor through our Pride Events! It was the violence erupted by these police raids that led to a response from members of the LGBTQIA+ Community and other people of the neighborhood to fight back with resistance followed by a series of “spontaneous protests” that lasted from June 28th, 1969 thru to July 3rd, 1969. A year after the uprising, marked the first gay pride marches, which took place in Chicago, Los Angeles, New York and San Francisco. Later, within a few years, gay rights organizations were founded across the US and the world.

Meanwhile it may be a mouthful for some shifting over from “GLBT” to now “LGBTQIA+”, (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer and/or Questioning, Intersex, Asexual/Aromantic/Agender/Ally), it’s important to have distinct the fine line between a Human Rights Movement being commemorated and what some may consider a “flamboyant party” where the gays “parade” their sexuality. That being said, today “Pride” is synonymous to “American Pride” in terms of Freedom afforded to the American People by Civil Duty. This is where we continue to advocate for freedom for all and vow to protect our civil rights in honor of the 1969 Stonewall riots, on behalf of all people that continue to be misunderstood and marginalized by society.

This year the City of Wilton Manors hosted the much-anticipated Stonewall Pride Parade and Street Festival to commemorate the 54th anniversary of the 1969 Stonewall Riots, attracting over 50,000+ spectators and having an economic impact of more than $6 million dollars for the city, according to Wilton Manors Entertainment Group (WMEG) CEO Jeffrey Sterling. General admission tickets were available for $10 per person at the main entrances, providing access to the street festival featuring more than 50 local vendors, performances on 7 stages, 16 bars and of course entry to the parade. Spread throughout the entire length of Wilton Drive were vendor booths, food trucks, drink stations and non-profit organizations that support the LGBTQIA+ community. VIP packages included air-conditioned tents, an exclusive premium lounge, food and alcoholic drinks to accompany the overall experience. According to the “Pride Guide” the money collected is used to pay for public safety, security and “the $1,000,000 dollar price tag of producing the event.”

This year’s parade co-Grand Marshals were Housewife Julia Lemigova of the “Real Housewives of Miami” Bravo franchise, also married to tennis royalty Martina Navratilova, and Ederick Johnson, a Community Service Provider and HIV/AIDS Advocate for 12 years. Having commenced on June 14 with the “VIP Kickoff Reception” at the Hagen Park Community Center, members throughout the community-at-large started to gather around to prompt a “call for action” in the midst of many conversations around the country discussing what it means to be Transgender in USA.

At the center of this conversation, advocating for life were many participants, corporations included, that joined the parade, walking nearly a mile stretch from NE 20th Street to the famously known “Five Points” where Wilton Drive ends and Dixie Highway cuts through. One of the organizations that notably attended and participated was Arianna’s Center, “the only service and advocacy organization with the mission of supporting and empowering transgender women of color in Florida, Puerto Rico, or wherever there is a need for such service.” Alongside advocate Tatiana Williams, CEO of Transinclusive Group, you could also see Adrianna Tender, waving powerfully the white, light blue and light pink colored Transgender Flag, along with other members of community as well who participated in the March 25, 2023 “Drag Queen March on Tallahassee”.

Other prominent leaders of the community that participated in the parade included: Latinos Salud, Sunserve, Center for Spiritual Living, Coral Springs – Parkland Fire Rescue, Margate Police, Davie Police, Coconut Creek Police, Sheriff Gregory Tony, The Pub on Wilton Drive, Congresswoman Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick, FlockFest, the Pride Center and their CEO Robert Boo holding a sign saying “Pride is Protest” and also notably was the Mayor of Fort Lauderdale, Dean Trantalis and Wilton Manors City Commissioner, Chris Caputo who appeared to be dressed as Drag, both mounted on top of a newer model Bentley Continental.

Many more were in attendance and by no means were their names omitted or excluded, as the list of participants goes on and on. The festival and event entertainment began at 3pm and lasted on until 11pm.

Though as many have wondered in regard to corporations and of anyone new joining our movement, one question raised in the new Netflix Series “Glamourous” asked by actress Kim Cattrall of HBO’s “Sex and the City” is “Why us now?”

Even though this question has a unique and personal answer for everybody, this is a question that does come to mind for many inside and outside of our LGBTQIA+ Community. When considering whether or not to participate, this question does leave an open blank canvas space by those who do take on the courage to participate and get involved, allowing each and everybody’s voice to be heard, making of their own this personal experience. Just like every organization’s discovery of their voice in this Human Rights Campaign Movement, many individual people have also found a home within our community, allies included, where they have been able to identify and relate with our own “life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness,” standing side by side with us advocating for the same kind of freedoms that we have been standing for since the inception of our sovereign country… and that’s what I mean when I say “Pride is synonymous to American Pride.” We’re all fighting for the same freedoms.

Meanwhile there was a bit of conflict with the weather, this did not stop the masses from joining in on this Human Rights Campaign Movement, especially at a time when our LGBTQIA+ Community has been placed in an arena as targets of political rhetoric.

It serves to commemorate the series of events that led to the LGBTQIA+ Movement in honor of life overall, including honoring those brothers and sisters who consequently lost their lives in this so called “pursuit of happiness” and in honor of those that continue to be targeted by loud minority opinions.

Pride Month might have come to an end, but in our lives, the campaign for the Human Rights Movements continues year-round. Our lives do not come to a halt, nor do the persecutions by other members of our own country and world come to an end. Nonetheless, we stand powerfully for love and continue to prioritize inclusion and put compassion at the forefront of all that we do in our lives.

We can’t wait for what is to come next year in 2024, though one thing is for sure and that is that we’re Queer and we’re here and we’re not going anywhere. Until all lives have been spoken for, our mission has just barely begun.

Sponsors included many organizations, though to name a few were: Visit Fort Lauderdale, AHF.org, iHeart Radio, Jet Blue, Absolut, NBC6, Amazon, Wilton Drive Improvement District, City of Cooper City, Zephryhills, Spirit, Sterling Accounting Realty Management, Bahama Breeze, Cleveland Clinic, Florida Panthers, Starbucks, Brightline, Truist, Comcast, Telemundo, and many more!