A Note of Thanks
Over these past few months we have all found new ways to stay connected during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. But at the beginning of June, no one could be certain about whether the LGBTQ+ community and our allies would be successful in observing Pride Month virtually. Thanks to the creativity of so many individuals and the steadfast support of so many sponsors, OutFront Kalamazoo’s virtual celebration demonstrated that - by standing together - we could show the world that we were #StillProud.
During the month of June, nearly 2,000 individuals from across the state visited our stillproud.org website (see map) and 1,565 visited our Facebook page. OutFront’s virtual celebration was covered by local news outlets and even made Good Morning America. We marked an historic Supreme Court decision and stood in solidarity with the local Black Lives Matter movement. Our virtual drag performance, concerts, panels and other live streamed events were seen by more than 2,400 people who viewed almost 20,000 minutes of LGBTQ+ Pride videos.
Most importantly, we heard reasons why people were #StillProud, despite the hardships of a pandemic and the civil unrest in our nation. The community came together and raised our visibility, generated awareness and reminded ourselves that we can meet any challenge.
I want to thank our Presenting Sponsor: Bell’s Brewery; our Signature Sponsors: PNC Bank, Stryker, CARES, The Civic, Samaritas, Kalamazoo County Democratic Party, Nice Vibe Designs; and all of our #StillProud sponsors. Thanks also to the performers, producers, panelists and volunteers who gave us hours of entertainment and information. I am especially grateful for the individual donors who contributed throughout the month to help us close the gap caused by the cancellation of Pride.
Finally, I want to thank you for continuing to help our community stay healthy, stay safe, stay strong and #STAYPROUD. Together, we can do anything if we are #StillProud!
In Solidarity –
Amy Hunter
Executive Director, OutFront Kalamazoo
