current issue | main page | infotainment | past editions | special events | classifieds...a-l | classifieds...m-z | feedback!

by Sonny C. Cleveland

NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA

Pride, Pride And More Pride!

Yes, Gay Pride is coming upon us again! Scheduled for Sept. 26 & 27, PrideFest 98 will be held in the big and beautiful Armstrong Park! Just a few of the planned activities will be: Country & Western Dance section, weekend long Drag section, Laz Fest carnival games, Speaker's Hill (for the political-at-heart), Disco Dance section, Pride Mega Pet show, Pride Mega main stage, Gay Gospel section, and a whole lot more to be announced soon! Even our new Pride Parade chair, Kent Richard, has BIG plans!

The board is very excited about the move to Armstrong Park. If you haven't taken a walk through the newly refurbished park, you need to. It is presently being given a facelift for Mayor Morial's inauguration, which means the park will be in tip top shape for the festival. This year's Alliance is becoming larger and larger every meeting with all the new faces and talents. The more people involved the better the festival will be! Thank you to all who have joined the Alliance thus far.

A small dispute was brought to the attention of the board concerning the name of our organization, "New Orleans Alliance of Pride." It seems as though a few feathers are ruffled because the name does not include the word "GAY." Our original incorporation papers state that we began as "New Orleans Gay Pride, Inc." In my research on this topic I found out that the name was changed to New Orleans ALLIANCE of Pride, Inc. to become encompassing of the community as a whole rather than having a mile long name such as New Orleans Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender Pride Inc. This seemed to satisfy the community as a whole up til now.

So far threats of boycotting Pride without even discussing the issue with the Alliance has been made. Please understand that the Alliance has an "open door" to any and all who wish to put their two cents in. Remember this is a community organization and is run by those who either stumble in, as I did 4 years ago, and those who can and will devote tons of time and energy into putting on the PrideFest event. Their work, social and personal lives suffer greatly to put this event on. I know first hand, especially being co-chair this and next year.

I would hope that anyone who would dispute what we do would have the respect to show up at a meeting and openly discuss any matters they feel need to change. I have brought this matter to the board for open dicussion and, although there are almost all new faces on the board and Alliance, they seem to feel the same as the board did years ago when it changed the name. Now, if you feel that we are leaving out the word "GAY," I assure you that we are not! In advertising the event publicly we call the event PrideFest 98...the 19th Annual Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender Pride Festival & Parade. I personally don't like leaving any portion of the community or "family" out! A few months ago while planning the dates for this year's event a couple of "family" members came in to discuss their hurt feelings concerning last year's dates conflicting with a Jewish holiday.

Another matter that has been disputed is the idea of starting the Pride parade at Washington Park for a small memorial service in remembrance of many successful years holding the festival there. I personally don't see the problem but I'd like to hear from others on the subject. The Parade route is planned as follows: begins at Elysian Fields & Royal to St. Louis to N. Rampart to St. Ann to Bourbon, Ursuline to N. Rampart and into the park at Basin St. entrance!

Please remember that this is the community's Gay Pride event and your opinion is important in the planning and considerations for the for Pride weekend. The board has a very sincere heart in wanting Gay Pride Weekend the very best and most entertaining event yet.

Once again this brings me back to the plea for HELP! This is gonna be a big one and we need "ALL HANDS ON DECK!" If you or a friend could sign up for the Alliance and help play a part as either a committee member and/or a volunteer, I promise you won't be dissappointed.

current issue | main page | infotainment | past editions | special events | classifieds...a-l | classifieds...m-z | feedback!