Pride
“You never completely have your rights, one person, until you all have your rights.”—Marsha P. Johnson
The First Black Pride in Dayton, OH
July, 2021
Searching for glimmers of joy and celebration of self have been rarely accessible during the COVID-19 pandemic. Necessary isolation has caused us to retreat individually and, of course, collectively. Still, for the first time in Dayton’s history, Dayton Black Pride championed hope amongst the ruins—infusing warmth, happiness, individuality, and of course, the rights of the LGBTQIA+ community. Held outdoors on a rainy afternoon, attendees spread out while facing the main stage to take in local drag performers, dancers, and artists. Cobbling together a large event in a relatively short amount of time was no small challenge, but organizers promise to return, bigger and better, next summer. In the wake of this summer, however, I was honored to receive organizer permission to move freely amidst the flurry of backstage preparations and on-stage flair. Indeed, the day encompassed all that Pride stands for.
Pride in Dayton, OH
June, 2021
The annual Dayton Pride celebrations commenced in our historic Courthouse Square with performances by local artists, as well as main headliners, The Rubi Girls, who describe themselves on their website as a: “dynamic, close-knit troupe of professionals [who have] been performing since the late 1980’s.” As I walked around the proceedings, I was given permission to speak with and photograph attendees.
