Tag: Pridefest

2017 Guide to Pride

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Story and Photo by Hilary Broman

Senior Staff Reporter

June 6, 2017

June is Pride Month. Cities from all over the world celebrate the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex, and queer community.

Pride also serves as a safe space for the LGBTIQ+ community to come together to raise awareness of issues concerning the community such as; inequality, discrimination and bigotry.

Albuquerque Pride kicks off its celebration on Wednesday, June 7th and lasts throughout the weekend. With various events including a candlelight vigil and a parade the Albuquerque LGBTIQ+ community will come together to celebrate diversity and acceptance.

The CNM Chronicle gathered information from the Albuquerque Pride website and compiled a list of events for students who are interested in participating.

1. Event: Figuratively Speaking – Art Show

When: June 7th at 5:00-9:00pm

Where: Fine Arts Building at EXPO New Mexico State Fairgrounds

Cost: Free

About: “This is a joint art show for David Zaintz and Max Woltman. The exhibition, in association with Albuquerque Pride, includes original paintings and photographs as well as collaborations by the artists. This will be a rare opportunity to see the one-of-a-kind special commissioned piece “Homogenize a la a amistad a travel de la reincarnation de Dorian Gray” (Tribute to Friendship Through the Reincarnation of Dorian Gray),” according to the event Facebook page.

2. Event: Candlelight Vigil

When: June 8th at 7:30om

Where: Morningside Park – Morningside Dr SE & Lead Ave SE

Cost: Free

About: “This year’s Candlelight Vigil will be a reflection and remembrance in solidarity through pride and a celebration of our diversity; creating a future in unity and love. Experience an evening of community, sharing and music. This is a free event where nearly 500 people gathered last year,” from the event Facebook page.

3. Event: PrideFest Free Friday

When: June 9th

Where: State Fairgrounds Expo NM

Cost: Free

About: “This is a family-friendly, FREE Friday, pre-Pride celebration including the annual Art Show, a Music Festival featuring Severo y Grupo Fuego, The MLC Band and Encantada The Band of Enchantment and the movie, Moana,” as stated on the event Facebook page.

4. Event: Albuquerque Pride Parade: Solidarity Through Pride

When: June 10th at 10:00am

Where: Along Lomas from Washington to San Pedro

Cost: Free

About: This year’s theme “Solidarity through Pride” gives the community the opportunity to reflect on the history of the LGBTIQ community in New Mexico. The Pride Parade includes floats, classic cars, motorcycles, horses, and dancers. It is the second largest parade in New Mexico. New to the Pride Parade is Park N’ Ride Service. There will be a free shuttle service running every 10 minutes from Expo New Mexico – Gate 4 (on San Pedro) to one of 3 parade route locations on Roma Ave. Service runs from 7:30am until 11:30am, as stated on the Albuquerque PrideFest Website.  Facebook page.

5. Event: PrideFest 2017

When: June 10th at 10:00am-6:30pm

Where: Expo New Mexico – Gate 3 – 300 San Pedro Dr NE
Albuquerque, NM 87108

Cost: $15.00/ Children 10 and under are free ($10 if purchased online before event-click here)

About: After the Pride Parade the celebration continues with PrideFest at Expo New Mexico. The event includes music, dance, art, local performers, radio stations and food vendors.  This annual event averages about 9,000 people and brings people from all over the Southwest. For more information click here.

6. Event: NM Resist Rally for the Equality March

When: June 11th at 12:30pm-2:00pm

Where: Robinson Park – 810 Copper Ave. NW Albuquerque, NM 87102

Cost: Free

About: Mobilizing New Mexico LGBTQ+ communities, loved ones and allies. The particular focus is on those who have been actively silenced and neglected. This is a fight to affirm and protect LGBTQ+ rights, safety and full humanity. This is a call to action; standing together for change.

“Our resistance is our existence,” as stated on the event Facebook page.

 

 

 

 

All the colors of the rainbow at the 2014 Pride Parade

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By Rene Thompson, Editor in Chief

Pride and all colors of the rainbow were abundant at the third largest parade in the state of New Mexico on Saturday, May 31, with floats and fairies as far the eye could see down Central Avenue.

Pridefest not only brings thousands of New Mexico resi­dents to Albuquerque to celebrate pride month each year, accord­ing to abqpride.com, but also has vendors, politicians, and local businesses in attendance that sup­port the LGBTQ community here in New Mexico.

Rey Garduno, City Councilman for the Nob Hill and International areas of district 6 said that the Pride parade not only brings locals together in a great way, but also brings a better understanding of the community.

Garduno, who was in the parade and at the post family pride event at Morningside Park, said that the best part of the parade for him is when people of all cultures and diversities come together and the sense of antici­pation in the crowd when the parade starts at Girard Boulevard.

“I think this is a good and easy non-confrontational way of learning about each other, so that’s one of the things I enjoy about it, and besides it’s a lot of fun,” Garduno said.

He said the community has started to understand why these types of events are important and why the community needs to get together to support everyone.

“Oh it’s wonderful. Every year I think that it not only grows, but that it gets better and people seem to have a sense of what it is and that they can learn about it, including myself,” Garduno said.

Former CNM student and Social services major, Dawn Shores said that she thought that the parade turned out very well this year and that her organi­zations float from the United Church of Christ stood out this year among the rest.

“They’re (United Church of Christ) open and affirming, and actually my partner and I are getting married there next week with the church,” Shores said.

Shores did also comment on the amount of corporations that were in attendance at the parade, when she said that the parade was a bit heavy on floats having noth­ing really to do with the LGBTQ community.

“There are too many corpo­rations that are getting in the parade and it’s just advertising for them— it’s great that they want to support the community, but they weren’t here 20 years ago,” she said.

Psychology major, Daniel Gonzales, who attended the parade with his family, said that it is important for families to support the community any way they can, and by coming to the parade it shows that the people of Albuquerque really do care about the LGBTQ community.

“It was awesome, I liked it all —I like the people, I like watch­ing the parade, I like the diversity, it’s just everyone supporting the people,” he said.

Gonzales and his wife were at the family pride event doing children’s face painting with his wife’s company, Luna Sirena face painting, and said that they both love to be an active part of the community.

“I support all kinds of rela­tionships; it’s not my business who someone wants to love,” Gonzales said.

For photos of the pride parade, go to the CNM Chronicle website at thecnmchronicleword­press.com.