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That April, NJNP accused CPA of “lip service,” said the organization failed to make “substantive change,” and continued to neglect marginalized communities while continuing to work with “weapons manufacturers, corrupt banks, and police departments.”Īmbrogi adds: “Capital Pride made a few, mostly cosmetic and symbolic changes, changed up their leadership, and sort of tried to work with some members of our group for a period of time.”Īccording to walsh, who participated in the 2017 protests along with Ambrogi and Deerinwater, NJNP was in touch with Capital Pride at least through the summer of 2020. F rustrations remained, particularly related to corporate sponsorship. In January 2018, CPA said the Metropolitan Police Department would no longer participate as a contingent in the parade, but would continue to work with Capital Pride. NJNP continued to work with Capital Pride on reforms. We got a lot of people talking about issues they weren’t necessarily engaging with before.” “The summer after the protests it was impossible to avoid discussions about the implications of protests, whether people agreed with them or vehemently opposed them. “We got really lucky with the protests and made what felt like a big impact, at least in terms of drawing attention to the issues we were raising,” Drew Ambrogi, a former NJNP organizer, tells City Paper. (At the time, Wells Fargo was a sponsor of Capital Pride it no longer is.) Deerinwater says some attendees rolled their eyes and claims Bos declared afterwards, “Wells Fargo supports queer people.” Deerinwater tells City Paper, “it was like I hadn’t even spoken.” When asked via email to respond to the claim, CPA said only, “Wells Fargo is not currently a sponsor of CPA, but still supports many LGBTQ+ organizations.”įrustrated by CPA’s response, NJNP organized a day of protests against Capital Pride, effectively rerouting the 2017 parade three times. Jen Deerinwater, a bisexual, Two Spirit citizen of the Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma, attended a community meeting prior to the June 2017 Pride Parade to share a statement about Wells Fargo’s involvement with the Dakota Access Pipeline and Standing Rock protests.
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Current NJNP board member britt walsh tells City Paper those demands have still not been met. NJNP, led by trans and queer people of color, provided CPA with a list of demands to make Pride events and the board more inclusive of historically marginalized queer and trans folks who are Black, Latinx, indigenous, low income, Muslim, immigrant, disabled, or undocumented. At the time, NJNP’s Emmelia Talarico told City Paper, “Corporations that desecrate Native land, manufacture weapons, and support private prisons-and law enforcement agencies that disproportionately harass, kill, and arrest queer and trans people of color-cannot be considered LGBT ‘allies.’” Since 2017, CPA has faced backlash for lack of leadership diversity, its inclusion of law enforcement at Pride events, and its corporate sponsorships.įueled by the election of Donald Trump, activists formed No Justice No Pride, the grassroots coalition fighting for trans and sex worker rights, to present a unified voice of discontent with Capital Pride. Bos says CPA is also discussing a potential in-person gathering to take place in mid-to-late October, depending on vaccine rollout and whether the city resumes granting event permits.īut as Capital Pride continues to evolve in an effort to meet the community’s needs during the pandemic, tension between CPA and activists remains. Plans include encouraging residents and businesses to decorate homes and storefronts in June-à la Mardi Gras “float houses” that popped up in New Orleans in January and February-in addition to virtual programming that will spotlight LGBTQ+ performers, businesses, and community issues such as accessing the COVID-19 vaccine. However, we will be creative to ensure that our community is able to celebrate in unique and creative ways.” “There will not be a traditional parade or festival and concert in D.C. “In our eyes, Pride is not canceled,” Capital Pride Alliance Executive Director Ryan Bos tells City Paper. Still, the organization responsible for Capital Pride remains committed to celebrating D.C.’s LGBTQ+ community with virtual events and various plans to ensure Pride Month visibility.
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For the second year, the COVID-19 pandemic has halted June’s in-person Pride events, including the annual parade, as organizers try to limit the coronavirus’ spread. 28, the Capital Pride Alliance announced D.C.’s annual Pride celebrations will not return to business as usual in 2021.