ysv- *
■f
City’s Organization receives
National Black Justice
Coalition Community Award
_ CHARLOTTE - Charlotte cdebrated its
first blade gay pride in July where over
7,000 people attended a weekend full of
events. V <
Mi«?vauac ui uic aw tuciiraj u wi uu& urga**
>.#§£*ation brought to the south, tne'?>
National Blade Justice Coalition has cho
- sen Charlotte NC Black Gay Pride to'
receive the Bayard Rustin/Wanda Austin
Community Mobilization Award that will
be awarded at the 2005 Black Lesbian,
Gay, Bisexual- and Transgender
Community Leaders Summit held in
Washington DC September 21-23.
- > The NBJC is a dvil rights organization ;
of Black lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans
gender people and allies dedicated to fas- ~
tering equality by fighting racism and “
homophobia. The Coition advocates for
social justice by educating and mobilizing
opinion leaders, including elected offi
* dais, dergy and media, with a focus on
, Black communities.
; CNCBGP is also preparing" for Pride
2006 to be held the weekend of July 20-2S
* and every third wedeend in July each
year. Iras year die organization has avV"
new vice chair as well as a larger board.
Monica Simpson, who was secretary
last year; has signed on as vice chair of
CNCBGP. Damon Blackman will femam "
- as Chair and Lynkoya Handy will remain
as Treasurer Other new board members-•
include: Nicole Hoagjand, Secretary;
continued page It
nv/ rnue raraae
Organizers Expect Big |
Turnout for September
24 Festival at Duke’s
East Campus in Durham
DURHAM —- .The 21s* annual
North Carolina Pride Parade wiH
take place at 1:00 pan. cm Sept 24,
2005, launching from Duke
University Hast Campus.
Pointing to years of increasing
success and popularity, organizers :
expect thousands of participants
and attendees from across North
Carolina and from well beyond state
-.^ borders, including laige and giow
ing numbers of non-gay participants
and soectators. .
"Tnis parade is about celebrating
how far the LGBT community has.
come and showing that, collectively
. and individually, we feel good about
ourselves, that we continue to push
American towards 'justice for all'
and that we have many allies and
~ supporters on our side," says Keith
. Hayes, spokesperson for the Pride
Committee of North Carolina.
"Anyone who spends 30 minutes
at our PrideFest will never question
the joy and excitement that come
;•* front being inclusive, building
bridges and being open, honest, sdf
affirming and diverse-"
"Equal Rights: No More ... No
Less" is the international theme of
; LGBT Pride organizations and
' events for 2005.
It highlights the fact that lesbian,
gay, bisexual and transgendered
f people still face significant discrimi
nation although today that dis
crimination comes more consistently
from state law, federal laws and
nrany religious organizations than
, from individuals, neighbors,
- employers, family dr friends. .
theme also underscores die
LGBT community's insistence, on
securing the basic rights and protect
tions that virtually all other minority
groups in America enjoy - the right
to non-discrimination in the work
place, the right to protection under
law against violence and the right to
marriage-or civil unions that confer
all the benefits and responsibilities of
marriage.
In 2004, an estimated 5,000 people
from across North Carolina, across
die Southeast and as far away of
Ohio, New York and California
attended the Pride Parade in
■Durham.- ,'.r-*
Dus is the sixth consecutive year
that the parade has taken place in’
Durham - largely a reflection pn tite
welcoming attitude of Duke
, University, the City of Durham and
the dozens of merchants along the
Ninth Broad and Markham Street
parade route. . ^
Signature Pride Parade activities
mdude:
, Pride Parade Rally and \fendor
Pair - 10*10 ajn. - 5 pm. Sept' 24,
Duke University East Campus
Pride Parade - 1:00 p. m - 2:15
pm, Main St and Campus Drive
through Ninth, Markham and Broad
Street^, Durham
Many PrideFest activities with
particular appeal to the LGBT com
munity are listed at
wwwjrcpride.org.
Sponsorships of the NC PrideFest
continues to grow, mostly beyond
die LGBT community.
Sponsors and partners of the event
include the following:
National Sponsors: Whole Foods,
Mitchell Gold, USAirways,
AdamMale, Adam and Eve, ID
Lubricants and Budwieser/BudLite
Partners: Legends ClubjCaoi^^—
Corral Club, WarehousdB^HHHP®
Club
Community Sponsors: Madhatter
. Cafe, HaVel Network JoElienMason
Realtor, Jewelsmith, Sharon
Thompson Law, Charter Funding
Mortgages, Imani MCC Church, St
John's MCC Church, Fowlers Food
and Wine, Salon 135 of Chapel Hill,
White Rabbit Books, Julie Parrish
Realty, Cheri Patrick Attorney, 11m
O'Brien Realtor of Raleigh, Bakus/9
Cafe, Gailor Wallis & Associates
. Law, Lorraine Johnson Financial
Advisor Lisa Logan Attorney, David
McKinnon at AXA Financial
Advisors, Jo and Joe's Cafe, Wells
Fargo Mortgages, Hamilton Hill
Jewelers.
Media Sponsors: Q-Notes, The
Front Page, OutlnAshevUle and The
Independent
The Pride Hotels: The Clarion
State Capital in Raleigh, 919-832
0501 and Hilton Homewood Suites
in Durham, 919-474-9900
The Pride Committee of North
Carolina is a 501(C)3 organization
arid is committed to working with
the diverse LGBT community to pro
mote unity among gay, lesbian,
bisexual and transgendered people
and to promote a positive image of
our community in North Carolina
and beyond. ;