Grand Rapids Pride Center

The Grand Rapids Pride Center BIPOC Pride committee is bringing back the second iteration of QTPOC da Block, an all ages and cook-out style community function centering chosen family, joy, and music for all BIPOC, 2-SLGBTQ+ folks. QTPOC da Block takes place on Saturday, August 17th. This year, our theme is centered around Black August, a month-long awareness campaign and celebration dedicated to Black freedom fighters, revolutionaries, radicals, and political prisoners, both living and deceased. We look forward to gathering in celebration of one another, our ancestors, and with our future liberation in mind. QTPOC da Block is an open-house style event! You can drop by anytime between the hours of 2PM - 8PM. We’ll have vendors, food, games, resources, performances and more throughout the day. This all takes place at the Grand Rapids Pride Center at 343 Atlas Ave SE, and the majority of the block of Atlas Avenue. This event is FREE, so bring a loved one and come party! This is a closed event, meaning we ask that our allies in the community find other ways to support at this time to allow QTPOC (queer and trans people of color) to hold space with one another intentionally. [Image description: The graphic centers three, side-by-side, distorted photos of BIPOC community members from various Grand Rapids Pride Center events, where the title "QTPOC da Block" is written above and below the images. The rest of the image stages the details of the event, listed above in the accompanying description.]

The Grand Rapids Pride Center invites the Greater Grand Rapids community to nominate individuals and groups who are dedicated to serving and supporting the 2-SLGBTQ+ in West Michigan. We are hosting our 3rd annual Prism Awards on October 3rd - an opportunity to celebrate and showcase our community's collective impact. Please do not nominate the same person or group for more than one category, but DO feel free to nominate someone or a group for each category! Last year's winners are NOT eligible to win the same award again, but can be nominated for others. Nominations are due by 11:59PM on Friday, August 16th. Finalists will be selected by a committee of 2-SLGBTQ+ peers from the West Michigan community. Finalists will be notified by Friday, August 30th and be provided with a free ticket for themselves to attend the Prism Awards. The 3rd annual Prism Awards takes place on October 3rd, 2024 at 4100 Thousand Oaks Dr., Grand Rapids, Michigan 49525. Tickets are available at https://lnkd.in/geb_P54e [Image Description: The main graphic is titled "Prism Nominations," in rainbow text, with the Prism Awards logo as the dot on the "i" in "Prism." The subtext reads the award categories; "group: Not-So-Small Impact, individual: Queer of the Year, individual: Loyalist, individual: agitator." On a green and yellow star shape reads, "tickets on sale NOW!" Pictured is a photo of 2023 award winners birdie duka-tutambe, Ximon Kittok, and Nikita Miner. Image 2 reads, "Agitator: As a seeker of justice, this individual is continually fighting against systems of oppression to make West Michigan a more inclusive and welcoming place. 2023 Winner: Nikita Miner, 2022 Winner: Sam Przyblyski." Image 3 reads, "Loyalist: A loyal Grand Rapids Pride Center volunteer (including facilitators and board members) who goes above and beyond to serve without hesitation. 2023 Winner: Lucy Dyer-Joswick, 2022 Winner: Adrienne Brown-Reasner." Image 4 reads, "Queer of the Year: This individual both embodies the spirit of positive, sustainable change and demonstrates an unwavering commitment to dismantling systems of oppression. Through their dedication, they have become a beacon of inspiration within the community, exemplifying what it means to be a true leader and advocate. 2023 Winner: birdie duka-tutambe, 2022 Winner: Eleanor Moreno." Image 5 reads, "Not-So-Small Impact: This nonprofit, small business, or grassroots organization has advocated for and improved the lives of 2-SLGBTQ+ community members. 2023 Winner: Grand Rapids Trans Foundation, 2022 Winner: Lotus Brew & Malamiah Juice Bar.]

Thank you for an incredible Pride month of being naturally queer 🦋🌿🌈✨ The Grand Rapids Pride team is entering into a weeklong period of rest and rejuvenation after a booked, busy, and beautiful Pride month. Our office is closed beginning July 1st, and will not be reopened until our staff returns on Monday, July 8th. The business: Please check in with your group facilitator to know if your group will be running or not next week, or if there are any other changes that you should be aware of. You may also see our team posting on social media catching up to highlighting our entertainers, showcasing our vendors, or thanking our sponsors - these are scheduled, we are still offline and will not be answering emails, messages, or comments to honor our rest. See you in July! The fun: We had an amazing month of celebrating with you! Our staff have been in awe from witnessing the newly blossoming and longstanding events across Grand Rapids, and are thankful for every invite we have had to participate in these community gatherings. Grand Rapids continues to grow itself as a pocket in the Midwest that celebrates all within the 2-SLGBTQ+ community. This year, we have witnessed new opportunities, collaborations, events, and gatherings take place, keeping our city as vibrant as ever - we can not wait to see how this continues to unfold for years to come. We thank our staff, volunteers, sponsors, vendors, entertainers, and of course our patrons for helping us put on our busiest Pride Festival yet! We didn't let rain stop us, and we all had a blast from beginning to end with you. We couldn't have done this without any of you. What was your favorite part of the 2024 Grand Rapids Pride Festival? What does Queer is Natural mean to you? Comment below!

🌈🦋Host Announcement: DeeDee Chaunte 🌿💮#GRPrideFest2024 #QueerIsNatural DeeDee Chaunte @deedeechaunte is back again! Our emcee extraordinaire has been dancing through the heart of Grand Rapids for many years and has a message for you! "Hi there, it's me, DeeDee Chaunte! I just wanted to come and remind you all that I will be at Grand Rapids Pride on June 22nd! We start at noon, and we're going to be joined by the bounce diva herself, Big Freedia! So don't forget - twelve noon on the main stage at Grand Rapids Pride, June 22nd!" Grand Rapids Pride Festival will be taking over Calder Plaza for its 36th year on June 22nd, 2024! This year at the Grand Rapids Pride Center's largest fundraiser, we lean towards movements that represent our strides towards freedom and push the needle closer to liberation. [Image Description: The Grand Rapids Pride Festival entertainer border frames a DeeDee Chaunte video, with a transcription written above. The pink frame details information above the event: Saturday 6/22, 12PM - 10PM, all ages, Calder Plaza on Ottawa Ave. There is an illustrated disco ball at the bottom of the graphic.]

You've been asking, and we got it for you! Here's your look at this Saturday's entertainment schedule for the Grand Rapids Pride Festival. 🪩#GRPrideFest2024 This Pride month has been booked and busy for our team, but stick around this week as we highlight each and every performer gracing our stage this weekend. We'll be sure to platform all of them so you can be in the know about the incredible talent we have in our local communities. The Grand Rapids Pride Festival takes place from 12PM - 10PM on Saturday, June 22nd at Calder Plaza. We're asking "what does Queer is Natural?" means to you, and hope you'll join us in being the rainbow amidst all the storms 🌈 [Image Description: Three images of the Grand Rapids Pride Festival entertainment schedule. The green border is titled "Grand Rapids Pride Festival 2024" and notes details of the event. "Saturday, 06/22, 12PM - 10PM, Calder Plaza on Ottawa Ave." 12:00PM Opening Ceremony ft. Southern Strait 12:20PM DeeDee Chaunte 12:30PM K Voice Studio 1:05PM Drag is Art LLC 2:00PM Zeal Aerial Fitness 2:30PM Charissa Huang 2:40PM Giza Was Here 2:55PM Luz De La Rica 3:10PM BAM Talent 3:35PM Sydney Smith 3:45PM Mark Totten 3:50PM Metamorphosis (Independent Drag Set) 4:25PM MI LGBTQ+ Commission 4:30PM Mamser 4:40PM Nicko da Great 5:00PM DJ Werkout 5:45PM Beauty Beyond Drag 6:40PM Baddie Brookes 7:30PM Rumors Night Club 8:10PM The Chroma Experience 9:05PM Headliner: BIG FREEDIA 9:50PM Closing Ceremony]

The Grand Rapids Pride Center is ecstatic to partner with the West Michigan Whitecaps for another year to bring you Pride Night on Thursday, June 13th at LCMU Ballpark! Gates open at 5:15PM and the first pitch is at 6:35PM. Tickets: https://lnkd.in/ggHRQ-vh Come hang out with us and support our local baseball team. A portion of all proceeds from the tickets purchased through the portal go directly to the Grand Rapids Pride Center. [Image Description: White background with blue font detailing the information written above for the Whitecaps Pride Night 2024. There is a QR code in which you can scan for tickets. Below is the West Michigan Whitecaps and Grand Rapids Pride Center logos. Underneath states, "for questions or accessible seating needs, please contact Emily with the Whitecaps! 616-726-7048 or [email protected]." For general information, the website whitecapsbaseball.com and the phone number 616-784-4131 is listed.]

#HateWontWin 🏳️🌈Grand Rapids Queer the Vote Townhall! Join Equality Michigan and partners from the ACLU of Michigan, Stand with Trans, Affirmations, and the entire #HateWontWin coalition in Grand Rapids, for part six of a statewide series on the state of LGBTQ+ equality, voting rights, and community safety as we head into the 2024 election season! The event takes place on Tuesday, June 18th at 6PM. Registering for the Townhall will allow you to gain access to the private address. Registration: https://lnkd.in/gmFDVMSZ Guest panelists will include Emme Zanotti (she/her), Director of Advocacy & Civic Engagement at Equality Michigan; Jay Kaplan (he/him), LGBTQ Project at the ACLU of Michigan, and Jazz McKinney (they/them), Executive Director of the Grand Rapids Pride Center. [Image Description: At the top of the page is the hashtag, "#HateWontWin" and the title "Grand Rapids Queer the Vote Townhall." The graphic lists the date "Tuesday, June 18th at 6PM," and more information about the event: "LGBTQ+ Civil Rights, 2024 elections, and joining the fight for equality! Jay Kaplan, ACLU of Michigan, Emme Zanotti, Equality MI, and Jazz McKinney, Grand Rapids Pride Center." There is a callout box that reads "sign up now!"]

Social group alert! 📲 Timeless Pride Connections is a social space for 2-SLGBTQ+ folks ages 45+ to find community, share experiences, and access resources. The group takes place on the first Sunday of the month from 1:00PM - 2:30PM at the Grand Rapids Pride Center (343 Atlas Ave SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49505). ♾️ We also want to take a moment to address concerns of our initial rollout of this social group. We've created a F.A.Q. for you to read through and are always open to answering any additional questions that may come up when deciding whether or not this group is a right fit for you! Swipe through the photoset or read the image description below: [Image description: All backgrounds are the same in all images. There are four older, 2-SLGBTQ+ adults color-graded to match a pastel gradient background. Photo 1 includes the time, place, date and general details of the social group written above. Photo 2 text: "Frequently asked questions. Why not 'Elder's Group' anymore? The original social group launch did not land well with the community for a multitude of reasons, mainly because we were not clear who the group was created for! Though the group was always created with folks ages 45+ in mind, many did not feel represented by the name or our marketing for the group. Photo 3 text: "Why was 'elder' originally used? Elder can be defined in many ways through different cultures. In some communities, the term 'elder' is not defined by age, but by experience and relativity. Historically, 'elder' has been skewed younger or 2-SLGBTQ+ folks due to sociopolitical climates impacting our ability to envision a longer life expectancy." Photo 4 and 5 answer, "Why is Timeless Pride Connections for ages 45+?" "Ages 45+ is a great time to begin developing a support network that will carry you into aging. 2-SLGBTQ+ adults are more likely to live alone and less likely to have children than cishet adults. In addition, we are more likely to face life-threatening conditions and co-morbidities at much younger ages. 2-SLGBTQ+ folks of all ages are also more likely to be in caregiving roles. We recognize the need to be in space with people who share commonalities and understanding. Timeless Pride Connections connect 2-SLGBTQ+ adults by experiences because our wisdom can not solely be represented by our age." Photo 6 concludes: "I still do not feel represented by this group, what should I do? If this group does not resonate with you, it is not for you - and that is okay! All of our groups are peer-led and most have been initiated by a community member to get started. If you are interested in starting a group that you believe is missing, contact us at [email protected]]

The Grand Rapids Pride Center is ecstatic to partner with the West Michigan Whitecaps for another year to bring you Pride Night on Thursday, June 13th at LCMU Ballpark! Gates open at 5:15PM and the first pitch is at 6:35PM. Tickets: https://lnkd.in/ggHRQ-vh Come hang out with us and support our local baseball team. A portion of all proceeds from the tickets purchased through the portal go directly to the Grand Rapids Pride Center. Be sure to add your 2024 Pride Night T-shirts at checkout by tomorrow, June 3rd! [Image Description: White background with blue font detailing the information written above for the Whitecaps Pride Night 2024. There is a QR code in which you can scan for tickets and shirts. Below is the West Michigan Whitecaps and Grand Rapids Pride Center logos. Underneath states, "for questions or accessible seating needs, please contact Emily with the Whitecaps! 616-726-7048 or [email protected]." For general information, the website whitecapsbaseball.com and the phone number 616-784-4131 is listed.]

Volunteer registration for the 2024 Grand Rapids Pride Festival: Queer is Natural is still OPEN! If you want to be part of the magic that ensures our festival is as successful as possible, click the link below to sign up for opportunities. https://lnkd.in/gTDwQRkJ The Grand Rapids Pride Festival takes place on June 22nd, 2024 at the Calder Plaza. It is free and all ages, so bring your friends, chosen family, or someone that douses you in love, and show off what Queer is Natural means to you! [Image Description: Graphic headlines, "Grand Rapids Pride Festival 2024" in green and pink text. Underneath the title is a text box that reads "volunteer registration is still open!" On top of the box is an illustration of lips saying, "queer is natural!" in a speech bubble.]