The Black Community During Pride Month

The Black Community During Pride Month

This month we celebrate all of the members of our LGBTQ+ community. Our Pride started in honor of the Stonewall riots, the protests led by members of our community in response to the police raid that took place at the Stonewall Inn in Greenwich Village in the very early hours of June 28th, 1969. Though activists and community leaders like Marsha P. Johnson were such a big part of the riots, the Black presence at Pride has had to organize to have their voices heard and celebrated.

 

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Over the years, Black Pride celebrations have sprung up right after Pride Month in Harlem, Little Rock, Boston, Milwaukee, and dozens more joining the calendar. Anything from picnics, dance parties, and ballroom culture all serve to celebrate the Black community's Pride. It is estimated that more than 600,000 of the Black LGBTQ community gather to celebrate.

 

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CEO of the Center for Black Equality Earl D. Fowlkes Jr.  states:

Black Pride provides a safe space for people to be authentically who they are, perhaps the only time of the year. We draw strength from one another, and this is something that goes back to when [Black people] were brought to this country as slaves. When we’re together, we can drive positive energy. And Black Prides are positive energy.

 

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The first ever Black Pride took place in Washington, D.C. in 1991 and started a domino effect where more communities come together to both educate and celebrate. The Black community suffered a higher impact from HIV and AIDS during the epidemic, yet remain muted in the overall scheme of Pride Month. Black Prides aren't seen as a form of separatism but formed out of a need to fulfill needs that are not met in other Pride spaces.

 

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Black Pride also creates a foundation for advocacy addressing racism, homophobia, and transphobia that exists outside and even inside our community. Black Prides incorporate education and awareness with workshops, panel discussions, and participation by social and political groups. Care is taken to address aspects that affect all members of the Black community such as poverty, gun violence, healthcare, education, BLM, domestic violence, and so much more. Health screenings and mental health resources are also a big part of the community, the Black LGBTQ community being at a higher physical and mental health risk due to a lack of resources or accessibility to health services.

 

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It is imperative for us to support the minority groups within our LGBTQ community, not just during Pride but all year long. If we all thrive, we all thrive.

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