A Letter to the Community Welcome to The Power of Pride! This year marks the 38th annual Stonewall Columbus Pride Parade and Festival. With your participation, we have become the largest Pride celebration in the Midwest! We are thrilled to celebrate this momentous occasion with you! Fifty years ago, members of the LGBTQ community in New York’s Greenwich Village refused to succumb to yet another police raid of the Stonewall Inn. With their spontaneous act of rebellion against a system that would not accept them, they launched the Stonewall Riots and effectively ushered in the modern movement for LGBTQ+ rights. On June 28, 1970, the first Gay Pride marches took place in New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Chicago, commemorating the anniversary of the riots. Similar marches were organized in other cities. Today, Pride events are held annually throughout the world toward the end of June to mark the Stonewall riots. Stonewall Columbus is proud to continue this mighty tradition by recognizing The Power of Pride as our 2019 theme. When we held the first Columbus Pride march back in 1981, there were only a couple hundred people in attendance. Today, more than 500,000 marchers and spectators will take over the streets of Columbus to pay tribute to all who fought and died for this cause, and to salute all who live and continue the march toward full equality. That is The Power of Pride. We also understand that every Pride is somebody’s first Pride. Countless are the stories of people who found courage to stand in their authentic truth as a result of attending this event. Countless parents attend to celebrate the lives of their LGBTQ+ children. Countless people of faith attend to hold space for that spirit of love that has the power to unite a community, or simply uplift a questioning soul. Countless are the reasons to continue to stand with the courageous, adventurous, creative, rebellious individuals who count on Pride to be that unique intersection where authentic individuality meets extended community.
INDEX 3 Letter to the Community 5-7 Pride Events 10-12 Government Citations & Resolutions 24-25 community Honorees 26-27 grand marshal 28
Grab a drink & Go GREEN!
29
Parade Route Map
30-31 Festival Map 32-33 Festival Entertainment 34
rainbow room
35
Trailblazers & Family Area
36
Ride & Relax
38
Be Safe, Be Neighborly
42-43 Parking 56
About Stonewall
57
Stonewall & Pride Teams
58
Promote Your Pride
In this cherished space, we are at once free to be ourselves and privileged to be part of a movement that is greater than ourselves alone. The true Power of Pride is that it frees us from shame or guilt and gives us power to keep moving toward the highest aspirations of our lives. Today, let’s commemorate our historic victories even as we remember those who have given everything for this cause. Let’s all embrace the spirit of a united and thriving community and continue to demonstrate The Power of Pride! Happy Pride, everybody! - Stonewall Columbus Board of Trustees and Staff
2019 PRIDE GUIDE | 3