Marching On, With or Without Pride
Op-Ed: Bridget Lewison
Like many Pride Celebrations across the country, ours has been canceled.
It’s a big deal for any community to lose its Pride. In a rural area of Arizona that had its inaugural celebration last June, it’s especially disheartening.
Mohave Pride was organized in less than six months by a handful of energetic folks in their 20s and 30s. Busy folks with day jobs and kids. Folks I consider local heroes. They’ve worked hard to ensure the main event is an inclusive, family celebration. Adults-only entertainment is reserved for after parties.
The And Then Initiative, Inc., came into existence following the success of the 2019 Mohave Pride event. The individuals who organized pride where so overwhelmed by the local support for the event that they felt more needed to be done for Mohave county’s growing LGBTQ+ population.
Mohave County still has no LGBTQ+ center, so Pride is and has been a lifeline for our community. The organizers have relayed to me stories from people who say their lives have been changed. They no longer feel alone. The young nonprofit behind Pride, as well as the associated Halloween and New Year’s Eve events, often relies on members giving from their own pockets to cover costs. Hopes of raising decent funds were looking up, as this year’s Pride was to be exponentially larger with more interest from local businesses. Last year, many were supportive in spirit but declined to be vendors out of fear of losing customers. The vendors who did attend fared well, as the attendance of around 3,000 shattered expectations.
There even were indications of some city and county officials expressing support this time, perhaps ending a tight-lipped policy among our electeds.
Most important of all, Pride helps our youth. Before the event, I was aware of some small GSAs and a few state-run health programs. Thanks to the organizers who have worked hard to ensure any available resources have a presence at Pride, I now know we have LGBTQ+ counseling services, free HIV and STD testing, animal-based therapy and more. Also since Pride, I know about more gay-friendly bars and queer-owned businesses. I’ve made so many new friends.
Sadly, the little help available for the homeless often comes from the same religious affiliations preaching homosexuals are an abomination. Those behind Pride hope to change that with plans for homeless outreach in the coming years, but without events to help raise funds and awareness it’s difficult to get the ball rolling. It’s even harder with so many out of work in these uncertain times. I do feel, however, our community will survive. It’s been through hell and back many times.
Pride celebration or not, we continue to march forward. To keep informed of Mohave Pride visit the community-based nonprofit The And Then Initiative’s Pride page.
We will celebrate as a community again!
