Rhode Island Pride has announced their 2022 theme — “Together Again” — and named their Grand Marshals for the return of PrideFest and the Illuminated Night Parade in Providence this year. Plus some exciting changes to the parade route and festival location.
The big celebration takes place on Saturday, June 18. (For details on the all related events, go to prideri.org.) And note: the PrideFest celebration location is moved to Innovation District Park, across from South Water Street and the pedestrian bridge where previous celebrations were held since 2010.
This year’s parade route will start at the intersection of Washington and Empire streets. Then make its way down Washington Street and turn right onto Dorrance (in front of the City Hall and turn right onto Weybosset Street as it approaches the finale at the reviewing stand at the Providence Performing Arts Center.
This year’s Grand Marshals will be RI State Senator Tiara Mack and the peer-led organization Project Weber/RENEW.
Here’s the scoop on the marshals from a RI Pride press release:
Even before this historic election against a legislator who had steadfastly opposed LGBTQIA+ rights and was anti-choice, Tiara Mack was working in the community as an educator and activist. However in 2020, Senator Mack made history by becoming the first openly LGBTQ Black person elected to the Rhode Island state Senate.
Senator Mack fiercely challenges policies that have oppressed BIPOC people, limited access to healthcare, affordable housing, reproductive rights, making a living wage and a high quality of education for our children. Recently, she has been the target of racial and homophobic attacks because of sponsoring a comprehensive sexual education bill which would “amend the current law so that courses in family life or sex education would be taught in grades six through twelve and would be appropriate for students of all races, genders, sexual orientations, ethnic and cultural backgrounds.”
[Project Weber/RENEW] is a team that includes people in recovery, individuals who have engaged in sex work, immigrants, people of color, and LGBTQIA+ community members who believe in the dignity, autonomy, and worth of our clients. The impact of their work is real and vitally important.
According to the Project: “We believe that all people deserve a loving space free from judgment and that everyone has the power to change. Project Weber/RENEW provides peer-led harm reduction and recovery support services, builds relationships with the people we serve, and fights for systemic change. We empower people who engage in drug use and/or sex work to make healthier and safer choices in their own lives.”
More: prideri.org
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