To celebrate Pride month while still taking social distancing precautions to counter the pandemic, 12 of Maine’s major LGBTQ groups have joined together to create a series of virtual events—including a “virtual Pride Parade.”
“Back in March everything was starting to shut down and we came together and thought of what to do,” Sarah Haas, LGBTQ+ community organizer for Health Equity Alliance, told Central Maine’s Morning Sentinel. “So we thought, if everything is going to be virtual anyway, we might as well make this a statewide thing so we basically came together in that way.”
The result is Pride Across Maine, and its team of 12 includes Equality Maine, MaineTransNet, Pride Portland!, Bangor Pride, Pride L/A (Lewiston / Auburn), Central Maine Pride, Northern Maine Pride, Hallowell Pride Alliance, Downeast Rainbow Alliance, Bar Harbor Pride, Dyke March Maine and Health Equity Alliance.
“It is so important to have these events even if it means only virtually,” Bryan Evans, Central Maine Pride’s communications director, told the Sentinel. “People look forward to Pride every year. This event gives people a chance to be themselves without judgement and feel welcomed in their state. They can celebrate with friends and family at home while still staying safe.”
And as for that virtual Pride Parade, the Sentinel reports:
In lieu of in-person Pride parades, Pride Across Maine has teamed up with Coast 93.1 in Portland to present a virtual Pride Parade.
Beginning at noon on June 28, all of the organizations that make up Pride Across Maine and others that support the LGBTQ+ community will celebrate the end of Pride Month with a virtual parade that will include a mix of live and pre-recorded videos.
Participants are encouraged to send in video messages that will be added to the parade and streamed on Coast 93.1’s website.
Read the full article at centralmaine.com, and check out the Pride Across Maine website for updates and announcements throughout Pride month.
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