And third, my personal favorite is about connecting. Second, it’s about advocating for full rights. First, it’s about celebrating achievements. When asked what the festival means personally to Wait, he says, “I look at the festival in three ways. We are not looking for special rights, just to be treated as equals. LGBTQ+ individuals are still being fired from jobs and denied access to housing. We had news coverage and TV cameras at the flag-raising on June 1 … that would not have happened 50 years ago… or 25 years ago.”Īll the same, we are still fighting for the same things we were in 1972 … having full rights and inclusion. Something that wasn’t even spoken about 50 years ago is now being celebrated. Regarding the celebration of 50 years and what that means to the community, Wait says, “It’s a good way to reflect on the progress we’ve made. The festival will feature four stages of entertainment, featuring over 150 entertainers, 140 vendor, nonprofit and sponsor booths, food trucks plus thousands of LGBTQ+ identified individuals coming together for equality We have more sponsors and more volunteers – it’s fantastic.”
Vendor booths sold out a month in advance, which has never happened. Says Dave Wait, Motor City Pride Chairman, “All things indicate that participation will exceed years past.
