Meet the Rainbow of Activists Who Marched at the NYC Pride Parade
The NYC Pride Parade and the weekend of partying that attends it is a riot of color and fashion and famous faces like Marc Jacobs and Tommy Genesis, but within that rainbow of exuberant pride there are many different activist organizations fighting very real, difficult fights. As the midterm elections loom this November, with the likes of Chelsea Manning running for Senate in Maryland and Cynthia Nixon for Governor in New York, meet the people behind the activist organizations on the ground at the NYC Pride Parade on Sunday, and hear what they have to say.
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ACT UP Jason, 26 and Emily, 25: “ACT UP is important because we’re not government funded, we don’t take money that limits us from taking action, and so we fill a hole that other people don’t get to fill. We still exist 31 years later to remind people that we are not memorializing AIDS work and that we still exist in an HIV movement and there is still work to be done.” Photo by Mayan Toledano for W Magazine.
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EPISCOPAL CHURCH Emmie, 20: “I’m marching to get a greater sense of connection with my community.” Magdelynn, 18: “I was forcefully closeted and raised very religiously and I’m marching because I want people to know that you can be religious and out.” Photo by Mayan Toledano for W Magazine.
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RAGING GRANNIES Susan Lee and Gela: “We are in 70 cities across the USA and Canada, and we sing social justice songs at all kinds of demonstrations. We give people hope.” Photo by Mayan Toledano for W Magazine.
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MOMS DEMAND ACTION Scott, 50: “I became involved after posting a video that went viral and it opened my eyes to the gun issues we currently have in America.” Photo by Mayan Toledano for W Magazine.
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Moms Demand Action lining up to join the march at NYC Pride 2018. Photo by Mayan Toledano for W Magazine.
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SEPHARDIC MIZRAHI-Q ALLIANCE Liz, 28: “I’m from Montana, where there’s not much Jewish or gay culture. To be a minority not only as an LGBT person but within the broader Jewish community, coming here gave me this feeling of home.” Photo by Mayan Toledano for W Magazine.
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RISE AND RESIST Kev and Blake, 25: “We’re Rise and Resist, a direct action group committed to opposing, disrupting, and defeating any government act that threatens democracy, equality, and our civil liberties.” Photo by Mayan Toledano for W Magazine.
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Voices4 Sebastian and Jonas, 17: “There’s this idea that Instagram activism doesn’t do anything, and that it is something to copy and paste rather than contribute, but Voices4 harnesses social media in a way to rally people up for action.” Photo by Mayan Toledano for W Magazine.
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Marc, 27, of Voices4 lining up to join the march at NYC Pride 2018. Photo by Mayan Toledano for W Magazine.
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Matt, 20 of Voices4 lining up to join the march at NYC Pride 2018. Photo by Mayan Toledano for W Magazine.
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Voices4 lining up to join the march at NYC Pride 2018. Photo by Mayan Toledano for W Magazine.
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SING OUT LOUISE Elissa, 54: “We’ve all been protesters in our group, and there is something about the creativity of singing that is so amazing.” Photo by Mayan Toledano for W Magazine.
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RECLAIM PRIDE COALITION Jake, 27: “This is important to me because Pride is the scion of our community, and our community deserves to own that.” Photo by Mayan Toledano for W Magazine.
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GAYS AGAINST GUNS Jeremy, 54: “When you shoot in a gay club, you’re shooting at me and my people. It’s not a random act and people come together there for a reason and it’s the one safe space we have.” Photo by Mayan Toledano for W Magazine.
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GAYS AGAINST GUNS Sister Ivana Plotz wearing a veil in silence as a symbol of one of the lives lost to gun violence. Photo by Mayan Toledano for W Magazine.
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Gays Against Guns lining up to join the march at NYC Pride 2018. Photo by Mayan Toledano for W Magazine.
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Gays Against Guns lining up to join the march at NYC Pride 2018. Photo by Mayan Toledano for W Magazine.
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LGBT MARRIAGE CLUB Aaisha, 35: “We are about making the LGBT community know that you can get married and we hear you and you have a group that’s looking out for you and has your back. You’re not here alone whether you have real family or not.” Photo by Mayan Toledano for W Magazine.
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RUSA LGBT Lyosha, 33: “RUSA is my queer family. We are marching with those that are liberated and who are no longer silent.” Photo by Mayan Toledano for W Magazine.
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CBST Jacob and Alexis, 29: “CBST is a place where you can be proudly gay and deeply Jewish.” Photo by Mayan Toledano for W Magazine.
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A protester lining up to join the march at NYC Pride 2018. Photo by Mayan Toledano for W Magazine.
