For Immediate Release: March 13, 2021
Contact: Ciora Thomas, ciora.thomas@sisterspgh.org, 412-297-0548
(PITTSBURGH) -- SisTers PGH, a nonprofit founded and operated by Black, Pittsburgh-grown trans women and femmes, has been organizing People’s Pride PGH March and Festival every year since 2017. It was created to uplift Black, trans and nonbinary folks who have for too long been segregated and abused by the Delta Foundation of Pittsburgh.
Each year, we march to include local nonprofits, unions, and community members. We march to oppose white-, cis-, gay-centered Pride parades and extravagant parties, which are too expensive for many nonprofits and communities to participate in. We march to offer another opportunity to feel what being at a true Pittsburgh Pride can feel like.
This year, in 2021, People’s Pride PGH will be celebrated June 18-20 and will be centered around the theme “Reclaiming Pittsburgh Pride.” Now more than ever, TLGBQIA and other marginalized communities must stand together, firmly rooted in equity and radical honesty, and take back the celebration of our lives.
We are proud to be partnering with the Pittsburgh Equality Center to bring other leaders, organizations, and allies to the table, to not only work together on supporting this year’s virtual events but future celebrations as well. We find it vital to continue taking this pandemic very seriously even as vaccines roll out many of our own TLGBQIA community have not had access to the vaccines, especially our most marginalized.
The reality is our communities and others are still being affected by Covid-19 and it would be incredibly irresponsible and dangerous to gather in person for People’s Pride 2021. However, with the support of our sponsors, community partners, and comrades, we aim to provide a one-of-a-kind, interactive virtual experience that those near and far can join to see how incredible and diverse our TLGBQIA community of Pittsburgh is, with hopes to finally be together in person again in 2022.
This is the time to tell our own stories. This is the time to rebuild, refocus, and organize as a collective force while ensuring our TLGBQIA community is supported in the Pride movement.
SisTers PGH is a Black and Trans-led 501(c)3 nonprofit organization that serves people of color, trans, and nonbinary people within Southwestern Pennsylvania. www.sisterspgh.org