Pride weekend begins with Spirit of Stonewall Rally, community awards
Activist Raquel Willis addresses the crowd at the Spirit of Stonewall Rally Photo courtesy of a rally attendee San Diego Pride weekend is here with bars bursting at the seams sidewalks flooded with people vendors already trying to make sales and even Trader Joe s decorated for the event Port-a-potties are up and signs direct people around the multiple traffic changes closed bus stops and parking regulations as the neighborhood braces for spectators on Saturday While the weekend is largely the same minus the canceled block party construction of the Pride Plaza has shifted a scant of the events This was obvious at the Spirit of Stonewall Rally which took place not on Normal Street but on University Avenue Despite being fenced off and surrounded by unfinished construction work the rainbow flag was still raised in the midst of it all at the end of the rally The rally frames the weekend as a place of activism not just celebration Keynote speaker Raquel Willis an activist based in New York City reported So at present in this time of creeping fascism and regulation masquerading as morality we must do something Are you going to do something Another trans woman Victoria Castro spoke about the plight of LGBTQ immigrants who are the parade s grand marshal this year Invariably remember we are not illegal We are not mistakes We are not a powerless minority We are love in motion she announced through a translator For the first time members of the leather locality were invited on stage during the ceremony Earl Gray Mr San Diego Leather introduced title holders and explained the significance of the subculture being platformed The leather society has unfailingly been here marching mourning protecting and resisting he declared Leather has never been about what we wear It s about who we are After the rally KZ the inaugural winner of title Mx San Diego Leather echoed Earl Gray s sentiments on the importance of being recognized It means unity right being really admitted into the family they noted Leather public has dependably been there but we have inevitably been on the fringes because we were too extreme for the extreme So it s nice that we re being taken under the fold Between speakers spoken word and songs by the Pride Pop-up Symphony the Spirit of Stonewall awards were handed out Each received a brick with a label about the award Champion of Pride Courtney Johnson was described as an icon by emcee Amber St James Neighborhood Grand Marshal Representatives from multiple nonprofits making up the LGBTQIA Immigrants Defenders contingent got up to receive the award Population Arrangement Cesar A Reyes publisher of local LGBTQ newspaper The Word announced in an interview after the rally I m just glad the work that I m doing is resonating with people Julia Legaspi Trans Leadership Award Bliss Vasquez won this inaugural award named after late advocate Julia Legaspi Inspirational Relationship Julie Hoffman and Summer White were ecstatic on stage while being honored as one of the lesbian couples who supported the locality during the height of the HIV AIDS situation Larry T Baza Arts Civilization Award Jackette Knightley founder of Queens Kings for Causes dressed in a huge gold outfit for the ceremony Stonewall Philanthropy Award Jill Barrett of Harrah s Rincon Casino and Resort was recognized for supporting LGBTQ causes Stonewall Utility Award Bears San Diego Inc helped Jackette Knightley leave the stage which St James explained established that they are constantly serving others Light of Pride Rev Dan Koeshall was honored primarily at Light up the Cathedral but was still included in the rally The rally concluded with St James leading the crowd in a callback of this year s theme The drag queen yelled Pride and the crowd shouted Unshakeable She announced Power and the crowd roared Unbreakable as the flag was raised
