![\"\"](\"http:\/\/www.glso.org\/enews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/06\/2012-lexington-pride-fest-logo.jpg\" "\\"2012"){kind=logo}
<\/a>Once again we have arrived at June, the month that GLBTQ people have selected to stand up in front of the world and proclaim, \u201cI\u2019m proud.\u201d\u00a0 We who compose the Pride Festival Committee have worked hard to ensure that once again we will declare our pride with flare. \u00a0We now invite you to come experience and share what we have prepared with many hours of work and many more touches of care and love.\u00a0 It is for you, the community, that we put forth a year-long effort, and, in the end, it is you who make the effort worth every minute.<\/p>\nThis year our Committee has suffered trials, and it has enjoyed successes.\u00a0 First of all, the Committee inherited a Festival that had endured some rather large bruises.\u00a0 Unfortunately, last year\u2019s festival, while fun, did not make any money and left this year\u2019s Committee to start from scratch.\u00a0 I am proud to report that due to an incredible team, tough decisions, and tremendous work, we have bounced back.\u00a0 The Festival will have enough money to cover its costs by the day of the Festival.\u00a0 All the profit, and there will be profit this year, will go to support the ever expanding programming of Kentucky\u2019s only Pride Center.\u00a0 Here is where I need to thank all of our sponsors.\u00a0 I want to make special mention of Crossings, which dug deep in its pockets to support the Festival; Ahava, which gave immensely; and Lexington Fairness, which ensured that street banners hanged throughout downtown for June.<\/p>\n
Most of you know that Hands On Originals refused to honor a quote toward printing our t-shirts due to Christian belief.\u00a0 At times, great stress ensued.\u00a0 Reading the hostile comments on the Herald-Leader website among others dampened our spirits, but they reminded us that events like the Pride Festival are all the more necessary to show the world that we are good and proud people.\u00a0 You the community stood behind us and never wavered as we took a stand against discrimination and filed a complaint with the Human Rights Commission on behalf of the Fairness Ordinance.\u00a0 We thank you for the support.\u00a0 While the complaint is under investigation, the Committee has received what seems like an early birthday gift:\u00a0 Cincy Apparel decided to print our shirts for free.\u00a0 We thank them for reminding us that there are allies in the world who are finished with discrimination.\u00a0 We would like to take a moment to thank those businesses in the community like UK and Fayette County Public Schools who voiced their opposition to discrimination in the face of this complaint.\u00a0 Our mayor, Jim Gray, also deserves thanks for not shying away from a topic that has hurt many politicians before.<\/p>\n
Another huge success is inaugurating the first Mr. LexPride:\u00a0 Clayton Burchell.\u00a0 We have had a couple Miss LexPrides, but Clayton merits a round of applause for being the first Mr. LexPride.\u00a0 He and Georgia Peach, Miss LexPride 2012, have done great work to bolster the name of Lexington Pride.\u00a0 Please shout out props to them when you see them.<\/p>\n
Also, with the help of the Imperial Court, we pulled off a successful Very Fairy Christmas.\u00a0 Thanks go out to Shotz with a Z and Fred Worsham for their help on that event.\u00a0 While it was a jolly time, our biggest fundraising venture came from the Bachelor\/Bachelorette auction.\u00a0 Thanks to JoDee Monroe aka Chad Hundley for his leadership there.<\/p>\n
Perhaps our greatest success was creating year 5.\u00a0 I am so proud of that accomplishment.\u00a0 I feel like a parent sending his child to kindergarten.\u00a0 You will see on the street banners that our theme for 2012 is a simple 5 designed by Andrew Tan.\u00a0 The 5 represents 5 years of Pride Festivals, which feels like a dream.\u00a0 When we started five years ago, we couldn\u2019t have imagined what year five would look like.<\/p>\n
When I came to Lexington, we celebrated Pride with a picnic at Jennifer Crossen\u2019s and Joan Callahan\u2019s farm.\u00a0 Some of us referred to the occasion lovingly as the Pride Hide.\u00a0 Of course, we were grateful for Jennifer\u2019s and Joan\u2019s space, and we had a wonderful time each year, but by 2008, it was time to move downtown and let the world see us face-to-face.\u00a0 The first year we had no clue what we were doing.\u00a0 We didn\u2019t know if we could do it.\u00a0 We didn\u2019t know if we\u2019d be successful if we did accomplish it, yet we were a determined crew.\u00a0 We started planning in March, suffered some crazy moments, and pulled off a successful Festival in a little over three months.\u00a0 By successful, I mean it made money and everyone enjoyed himself\/herself.\u00a0 However, its success went far beyond money.\u00a0 The first Festival was on the lawn of the old courthouse.\u00a0 I will never forget a lady who stopped me on my way to the stage.\u00a0 She tearfully thanked me for all the work we had done.\u00a0 She told me that years before she had lost custody of her children in that courthouse for being a lesbian.\u00a0 She was overwhelmed with joy by how far we had come.\u00a0 Other people on that year\u2019s Committee had similar stories to share.\u00a0 That Festival will always be a success to me because people like that lady felt validated, overjoyed, and empowered.<\/p>\n
The positive energy kept strong through year two.\u00a0 One of my favorite memories from that year was Faces of Pride, a genius idea from Brian Slate who gives 110% of himself toward making our community a beautiful place.\u00a0 Dozens of people lined up and took the stage simply to say, \u201cI\u2019m John Doe, and I am a face of pride.\u201d\u00a0 Seeing mothers and sons take the stage together lifted my soul.\u00a0 My friend Joey Rose told me he got a little teary-eyed.\u00a0 I don\u2019t think I told him, but so did I.<\/p>\n
Every year since then the Festival has evolved and grown.\u00a0 The evolution of the Festival has been an amazing journey.\u00a0 There are countless names to thank from years past, but this year I must thank those who have worked tirelessly toward a wonderful 2012 Festival:<\/p>\n
Chad Hundley: festival VP, co-chair of volunteers, and organizer of the Bachelor\/Bachelorette auction<\/p>\n
Daryl Royse: treasurer, entertainment chair, and organizer of Mr and Miss LexPride events<\/p>\n
Samara Baker: chair of fundraising and sponsorships<\/p>\n
Don Lowe:\u00a0 chair of marketing and merchandising<\/p>\n
Paul Holland and Donny Royse:\u00a0 chairs of logistics<\/p>\n
Donovan Jefferson:\u00a0 technology and website chair<\/p>\n
Jessica Martin:\u00a0 secretary<\/p>\n
Ginger Moore-Minder and Corinna Svarlien:\u00a0 co-chairs of activities<\/p>\n
Brad Shepherd:\u00a0 organizer of Coke and liquor contracts as well as all vendor apps<\/p>\n
Adam Imparato:\u00a0 co-chair of volunteers<\/p>\n
Shawn Pfeiffer:\u00a0 seller of many Pride bracelets<\/p>\n
Aaron Baker:\u00a0 chair of GLSO<\/p>\n
I\u2019m sure there are others who deserve a huge thank you, but these are the people who have stood by the process since August and given their time and energy.\u00a0 They are all truly amazing people, and I hope that if you know them or see them that you will take a second to tell them how great they are.<\/p>\n
So, now June 30th<\/sup>, our Festival date, is upon us.\u00a0 It\u2019s our chance to stand in the Robert E. Stephens courthouse plaza where all of Lexington can see and to yell, \u201cWe are a face of Pride.\u201d\u00a0 It\u2019s our day to celebrate.\u00a0 And a celebration we will have.\u00a0 And whom do we have to thank most of all?\u00a0 You, the community.\u00a0 You, the people who live openly and lovingly every day and stand up to say, \u201cI have pride.\u201d\u00a0 Now, go forth with Pride and enjoy!<\/p>\n Hugs,<\/p>\n \n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Dear Community, Once again we have arrived at June, the month that GLBTQ people have selected to stand up in front of the world and proclaim, \u201cI\u2019m proud.\u201d\u00a0 We who compose the Pride Festival Committee have worked hard to ensure…<\/p>\n