By: Tynan Power/TRT Reporter
More than 18,000 people in over a hundred contingents marched down Northampton’s Main St. to mark the city’s 30th annual LGBT Pride on May 7th, 2011.
Despite criticism from a grass-roots group of activists called Queer Insurgency, the mood at the parade was festive.
“The parade always is a highlight [of Pride],” said Bear White, Director of Noho Pride, Inc. “The thousands who march are so joyous and filled with pride. It always touches me deeply to see the youth marching proud and strong.”
The weekend kicked off with a packed performance by comedian-and Noho Pride Grand Marshall-Kate Clinton.
“Kate was absolutely fantastic, smart, funny,” said Jaime Michaels, Executive Producer for the Out! For Reel LGBT Film Series that co-sponsored the event. “She brought the house down many times. People told me later that they were crying from laughing so hard.”
“It was a joy to work with Bear and Cid White in co-presenting Kate,” Michaels added. “Our team of 30 volunteers was wonderful to work with-and it was a total delight to find out what an amazing sweetheart Kate Clinton is on and off stage.”
“Bringing the LGBT community together for an event is always really inspiring and energizing. As a community, it helps us stay connected to one another,” said Michaels.
Making connections was definitely a theme, especially for the 60 non-profit groups that participated.
“Our newly-formed congregational Standing on the Side of Love efforts knew this would be the perfect moment to help folks make connections between queer rights and immigration rights,” said Karen Johnston of the Unitarian Society of Northampton and Florence in a blog entry that was posted on the national Standing on the Side of Love website. Standing on the Side of Love is a relatively new Unitarian Universalist human rights campaign, focusing on twin priorities of immigration rights and LGBTQ rights. “So much networking took place at the [Noho] Pride rally: we met an immigration lawyer running for Senate, who recently, successfully, won asylum for a gay man, and talked to a local university feminist organizer who is working to bring immigration legal assistance to our county. It was a great day of both celebration and standing on the side of love and justice.”
Dr. Shelley Janiczek Woodson, a psychologist with Woodson & Associates, marched in Noho Pride, but felt Queer Insurgency brought another layer to the events of the day with its evening presentation entitled “The Black and Radical Origins of the LGBTIQ Pride Movement.”
“Afterward, my husband, Eric, and I attended the Queer Insurgency presentation,” Woodson said. “The presentation was the capstone of the day. Commemorating how far we have come, and reveling in who we are now, during the parade and rally was inspirational. Learning about our history, along with acknowledging and discussing our shortcomings at the Queer Insurgency presentation, was necessary.”
“To obtain equal rights, for a better future in general,” Woodson added, “I believe we need both. We need to celebrate joyously, and we need to fight furiously.”
Planning meetings for Noho Pride 2012 will begin in September. People interested in joining the all-volunteer effort can find more information at www.nohopride.org.
