In an event that will showcase the diversity of the LGBT population in central Illinois, Peoria will hold its first-ever Peoria Pride Sunday, Sept. 13, at The Landing on the Peoria Riverfront. Windy City Times talked with organizer Dave Barker about the event, and about Peoria in general.
Windy City Times: First of all, what is the LGBT scene like in Peoria?
Dave Barker: I think we have a very substantial community here, but they tend to be quieter. We're trying to get people to work together a little more.
WCT: And this is the first Pride event of its kind?
DAVE BARKER: Yes. In years past, they've done smaller events. I've only been here a year and a half, so I don't want to come out as negative [ regarding ] other events, but they have had Pride picnics and other types of things. We're just trying to bring Pride to the forefront, and central Illinois doesn't really have a significant Pride event so we're trying to create one.
WCT: You said that you've been in Peoria for a year and a half. Where were you before then?
DAVE BARKER: Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
WCT: That city has a pretty vibrant scene.
DAVE BARKER: Oh, yeahand we lived in Chicago before Fort Lauderdale. And we're certainly not trying to make [ Peoria Pride ] on the magnitude of Chicago's Pride Parade. We just want to have a nice place for friends and families to come together and learn about what's going on.
WCT: What can attendees expect at Peoria Pride?
DAVE BARKER: There's the main stage area, which will have entertainment going on all day. We'll start with a traditional small ceremony, [ Chicago's ] Lakeside Pride Freedom Band. We also have a gentleman by the name of Joel Tinsley from Jacksonville, who's a baritone. [ Editor's note: Tinsley is married to Jacksonville Alderman Scott Hall. ] There's also a local band called Rachel's Hippo, which is an '80s pop band with a good following.
WCT: I also see that there's going to be a performance by the Bradley University Speech Team. What will they do?
DAVE BARKER: I actually saw them first at the Acorn Equality Fund breakfast last year, and they do this really cool skit where there are some of them onstage. Well, it's actually more of a readingand it was really well doneabout diversity. It got this natural standing ovation from everyone.
We're don't want people to get bored, so we're mixing it up with music, entertainment and other things. Nonprofits, such as Equality [ Illinois ] and Lambda [ Legal ] , will get a chance to speak.
WCT: Tell me about the planning of this event.
DAVE BARKER: We started around February or March. I actually started OutAndAboutIllinois.com, which is a Web site and magazine; there was no media at all for the gay community in central Illinois.
From that, I saw a need for Peoria Pride so we started a not-for-profit organization called the Central Illinois Alliance for Diversity and Equality. We formed that to run Pride, and will use that organization to try and open a gay and lesbian community center.
WCT: Downstate Illinois, even central Illinois, has a reputation for being staunchly conservative. Have you witnessed any sort of anti-gay activity?
DAVE BARKER: Not really, and I can comment on this. Having lived in Chicago and Fort Lauderdalewhich have vibrant gay communitiesthere was a concern about conservatives. A lot of people use that as an excuse for not making any issues public. We came with that attitude of not having to live in the closet and, honestly, there's been very little [ negative feedback ] . It's not as bad as some people want to make it out to be. Peoria does have "sexual orientation" as part of its nondiscrimination policy.
See www.peoriapride.com .