Pride Wrap-Up 2003
Jun. 29th, 2003 05:56 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
judecorpSo it started out slowly for me, since we didn't get to Rockin' in the Streets on Friday night, but resting up proved to be in Jennifer's best interest, so it worked out fine. We got tons of sleep and walked over to the parade line-up at about 12:15pm so we could meet up with Kaleidoscope Youth Coalition. I like marching with the Kaleidoscope youth because they're so excited and energetic, and it really lifts me to see the youth that are attending their first Pride.
The response to the youth this year was /amazing/. We usually get some applause and support, but this year was off the hook. Everyone was applauding and cheering and yelling for the youth, and it was totally awesome. Bucky and I agreed that we'd never seen that kind of support for KYC before. I was so proud of our youth, and our community for showing their support of them. Some of our youth have been through some pretty rough times, and they're real survivors. I found out that one of the youth I was particularly close to was involved in a huge auto accident this winter and almost died. He's got a TBI now and from his scars it looks like he had a tracheotomy and a feeding tube for a while. WOW. He's coming along, though.
Some of the KYC volunteers had made banners out of bed sheets, and planned for the volunteers to box the youth in and surround them with the sheets when we got to Broad&High, where most of the religious protesters hang out. Some of the banners said things like "Protecting our youth from hate." Jen's and mine was the best, though - it said "Hate killed Jesus too" and had the lifespan dates of several queer youth who had been murdered. The crowd loved the banner we were carrying - lots of people stopped to take pictures of it, and one man ran into the street to give me a high five. Awesome. I was proud to be involved in such a spirited gesture. Somewhere in the middle of the march, my old boss from Stonewall came into the street to give me a hug, and![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
loudestprincess gave me a big fat lipstick smooch. Sweet. tandex gave Jen and me a bottle of water. He rocks.
When we got to Bicentennial Park, we ran into Former Coworker Velma and got to catch up, but Jen started feeling really sick - probably heat stroke or sun poisoning. She was really nauseous and we stayed in the shade for a long time. I waited forever in the sun to get her some food, and now I am a red-nosed reindeer. While in line, I ran intolaughingsal. Eventually Jen felt better (thank goodness!) and we walked around all the booths and visited with Jennie again, and ran into Joe and Cari and Jared. We saw Andrea and Sheena before Missy and I waded in the fountain. We saw Beck and Melissa and their daughter, Avery. I saw my old coworker Kim and her partner Amy, and saw that they, too, had a baby. (Craziness!) We didn't see too many other people, though - probably because we spent so much time in the shade. There were tons of people. I love looking out at Bicentennial Park and just seeing tons and tons of queer people.
Oh, and we saw the Furries, and tried to get a picture for Missy... but she ended up getting one so it was all good. And we topped everything off with Ted's Montana Grill and Ani with Peas and Sarah, so I'd say the day was a success.
Overall, I'd give this one three stars. It would have been four if my girl hadn't gotten so ill. I feel so helpless when she is hurting.
The response to the youth this year was /amazing/. We usually get some applause and support, but this year was off the hook. Everyone was applauding and cheering and yelling for the youth, and it was totally awesome. Bucky and I agreed that we'd never seen that kind of support for KYC before. I was so proud of our youth, and our community for showing their support of them. Some of our youth have been through some pretty rough times, and they're real survivors. I found out that one of the youth I was particularly close to was involved in a huge auto accident this winter and almost died. He's got a TBI now and from his scars it looks like he had a tracheotomy and a feeding tube for a while. WOW. He's coming along, though.
Some of the KYC volunteers had made banners out of bed sheets, and planned for the volunteers to box the youth in and surround them with the sheets when we got to Broad&High, where most of the religious protesters hang out. Some of the banners said things like "Protecting our youth from hate." Jen's and mine was the best, though - it said "Hate killed Jesus too" and had the lifespan dates of several queer youth who had been murdered. The crowd loved the banner we were carrying - lots of people stopped to take pictures of it, and one man ran into the street to give me a high five. Awesome. I was proud to be involved in such a spirited gesture. Somewhere in the middle of the march, my old boss from Stonewall came into the street to give me a hug, and
loudestprincess gave me a big fat lipstick smooch. Sweet. tandex gave Jen and me a bottle of water. He rocks.When we got to Bicentennial Park, we ran into Former Coworker Velma and got to catch up, but Jen started feeling really sick - probably heat stroke or sun poisoning. She was really nauseous and we stayed in the shade for a long time. I waited forever in the sun to get her some food, and now I am a red-nosed reindeer. While in line, I ran into
laughingsal. Eventually Jen felt better (thank goodness!) and we walked around all the booths and visited with Jennie again, and ran into Joe and Cari and Jared. We saw Andrea and Sheena before Missy and I waded in the fountain. We saw Beck and Melissa and their daughter, Avery. I saw my old coworker Kim and her partner Amy, and saw that they, too, had a baby. (Craziness!) We didn't see too many other people, though - probably because we spent so much time in the shade. There were tons of people. I love looking out at Bicentennial Park and just seeing tons and tons of queer people.Oh, and we saw the Furries, and tried to get a picture for Missy... but she ended up getting one so it was all good. And we topped everything off with Ted's Montana Grill and Ani with Peas and Sarah, so I'd say the day was a success.
Overall, I'd give this one three stars. It would have been four if my girl hadn't gotten so ill. I feel so helpless when she is hurting.
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no subject
Date: 2003-06-29 03:04 pm (UTC)Are those signs still up?
Glad you had a great week end.
Hope your girl is up and running and stronger soon!
no subject
Date: 2003-06-29 07:38 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2003-06-29 08:16 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2003-06-29 08:16 pm (UTC)Ha!