CHICAGO (June 12th, 2022) - The Chicago Reclaim Pride March will begin on June 12th at 1pm at the Belmont CTA station in Lakeview, Chicago. The LGBTQ+ community and allies will march in support of abortion rights, gun control, combating racial injustice, ending police violence, Trans Rights and protections, and demand justice for acts of oppression. The march will conclude at the AIDS memorial garden with community leaders speaking on the issues of today, the mission at hand, and ways to create and promote a lasting impact.
The Drag March For Change has partnered with Pride without Prejudice to join voices in protest and demand for change. This year's march is a call to action that centers on black trans voices and serves as a moment of reflection and as a way for the community to move forward in solidarity.
Organizers and participants are marching for a myriad of reasons this including things such as
-That the Chicago Pride Parade become a nonprofit and run by a diverse community board
-Trans Rights and Protections
-Abortion Rights
-Gun Control.
-That the Chicago City Council defunds CPD by 75% and reinvests those funds into social services and community programs.
The current list of speakers includes community leaders such as:
Tricia Holloway (Howard Brown)
Caprice Carthans (Equilty Alliance)
Jae Rice (Brave Space Alliance)
Latonya Maley (Affinity Alliance)
Zahara Bassett (Life Is Work)
Precious Brady-Davis (Sierra Club)
Luc Ami (Drag King and Activist)
Reyna Ortiz (TaskForce)
Lucy Stoole (Chicago Black Drag Council Head co-chair, Drag Queen, and Activist)
Anthony Galloway (Lordes Rustin Bates)
Fredy Brooklyn (Aids Health Foundation)
Jo MaMa (March Organizer and Activist)
About The Chicago Reclaim Pride March
The official Chicago Pride parade still exists as a for-profit entity, and though it may claim to celebrate the LGBTQIA2+ community, it appears to more so celebrate the American dollar. Through BIPOC leadership molding this event, highlighting the current issues under the attack of Trans rights, women's personal autonomy (abortion rights) , gun control, and police violence, they aim to help bring an end to these never-ending attacks that hinder our personal pursuit of happiness. This direct action paired with productive programming, seeks to act as a summit of solidarity for every color of the LGBTQIA2+ rainbow, mirroring ourselves and the world around us to provide a focus for the future.
The march in 2020 resulted in change within the Chicago community, such as the creation of the Chicago Black Drag Council, a town hall led by the Chicago, a petition for a change in leadership in queer nightclubs in Chicago, and action to uplift oppressed communities such as black queer folks within the Boystown community, a continued effort to support performers in Chicago, and an international ripple of change.
To VOLUNTEER: https://forms.gle/HQtLjhZrHbaYPAtx7 .
To DONATE: https://secure.givelively.org/donate/life-is-work/reclaim-pride.
FACEBOOK EVENT PAGE: fb.me/e/5fhefhp37 .
For more information, contact JoMaMaSaysHi@gmail.com or zbassett@lifeisworks.org .