Thousands of people celebrated the LGBTQ community at Boulder PrideFest with love and laughter, while still recognizing the need to keep fighting for equal rights. Boulder PrideFest was hosted by Rocky Mountain Equality , formerly known as Out Boulder County, at the Boulder Central Park, 1212 Canyon Blvd., on Sunday.
Bruce Parker, Rocky Mountain Equality deputy director, has been working in LGBTQ community work for 20 years. For him, Pride is about having a place for LGBTQ youths to explore and express themselves without the fear of being attacked. Parker recalled the uncertainty when he was a kid of whether he would be accepted by his friends and family, and he said it can be impactful to have a space to be oneself.
“So when you come to a space and you see literally thousands of people celebrating who they are and who you are, I think nothing could be more life-affirming, or more resilience-building or better for people’s mental health than being around that energy and people like them,” Parker said. Parker said Rocky Mountain Equality changed its name from Out Boulder County, because the needs of the LGBTQ community do not stop at the county lines. Chris Castañeda, who uses they/them pronouns and is the senior youth program manager, said Pride is a way to celebrate the LBGTQ’s fight for liberation while still acknowledging there is a long fight left.
Castañeda explained that being able to provide a safe environment for LBGTQ youths to be themselves and know they.
