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Pride in the Park kicking off Seattle Pride month
Seattle Pride is kicking off its 51st year with Pride in the Park, an event open to everyone, on Saturday at Volunteer Park. The theme for this year's Pride: Louder.
'We think of louder in terms of celebration, cheer, party, but also louder in resistance and protest and fighting back,' said Patti Hearn, the executive director of Seattle Pride.
Pride in the Park started at a picnic with hot dogs, mostly attended by those in the queer and trans community. More than a decade since it's first event, it's grown to include two stages with performances throughout the day, several food trucks, and vendors that predominantly feature queer and trans operators. Bands and Color Guard from Rainbow City Performing Arts, drag shows, drag story time, and dance parties fill the lawns from 12:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
'This is my first pride I've been to,' said Ciel Hunting, 'This is my first time ever being loud in that sense, so I'm just excited to be here and have a ton of fun.'
Hunting is one of the people operating the 'Teen Space' tent operated with Seattle Pride and Seattle's LGBTQ+ Center. It puts teens in charge of events they put on for their peers. Hunting is an organizing intern with Yan Wen Shu. Shu says it was an opportunity for him to be involved, create a safe space, and help advocate for his community.
'Right now we are lacking third spaces, especially for queer and trans teens and that's what we aim to provide.' Shu said, 'Being trans and queer at a time like this is in and of itself an act of resistance and this is what we really wanted to lean into.
Shu and Hearn point to legislative attacks on queer, and especially trans people, across the country. While Seattle and Washington has increased protections for people in those communities, other states and the federal government have worked to roll them back.
'There's a lot happening that's challenging for the queer and trans communities,' Hearn said, 'I think Louder is a call to stand up, speak up, and fight back.'
Jing Jing Wang is with the LGBTQ+ Center, providing as little assistance as possible so teens can create the event they want to see. Wang was struck by how the youngest members of the community are bringing the roots of pride back to the forefront.
'One thing that really came from our youth is—Pride is a riot. We are here for our rights, for our community to fight for our right to be queer.' Wang said.
