Colorado's LGBTQIA+ Juneteenth celebration is back!
Presented by YouthSeen, Black Pride Colorado debuted last year as a three-day celebration of Black and queer culture during Juneteenth weekend. This year, the series will return with an expanded event lineup spanning from June 15 - June 26.
"We're excited that our 2022 events will now extend beyond Juneteenth and have a greater focus on family-friendly festivities to welcome all generations to come together to celebrate diversity," said Dr. Tara Jae, YouthSeen's Executive Director and Co-Founder of Black Pride Colorado. "Our programming not only continues to acknowledge, uplift, empower and engage Black LGBTQIA+ folks, but also highlights the issues that impact the mental health and wellness of Queer, Trans and Non-Binary people of color across the State."
Per Black Pride Colorado's website, the event series is intended to "celebrate, liberate and engage our Black LGBTQIA2+ community by building resiliency, honor and preserving our history and culture."
Last year, YouthSeen collaborated with The Center on Colfax and the Juneteenth Music Festival to launch the series during both Juneteenth and Pride Month as an inclusive platform for celebrating and honoring those who belong to both Black and queer communities.
This year, Black Pride will appear on the mainstage at Denver Pride Fest on June 25 with performances by an all-Black cast of drag performers. Other Black Pride 2022 events include a happy hour kickoff party at the MCA, performances at XBar by Black drag performers (including RuPaul's Drag Race cast members), a drink-fueled "Beer Bust" fundraiser at The Triangle Bar, and the return of "The Strange Fruit of Black Excellence" Gala, a fundraiser event held at Denver Botanic Gardens. The series will also feature family friendly events like a Queer Cookout and "An Evening with Nic Stone" -- a talk with the author and mental health advocate in collaboration with Empower Community High School.
You can view a full lineup of events on Black Pride Colorado's website.
