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A CEREMONIAL RESOLUTION
21-210
IN THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
May 3, 2016
To recognize the importance of DC Black Pride to the community and to welcome visitors from this region, across the country, and around the world to the DC Black Pride festival and associated events.
WHEREAS, May 24, 2016 through May 30, 2016 marks the 26th annual DC Black Pride celebration;
WHEREAS, DC Black Pride is the oldest and one of the largest Black Pride events in the world, drawing thousands of visitors from around the globe;
WHEREAS, the mission of DC Black Pride is to increase awareness of, and pride in, the diversity of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender African American community, as well as support organizations that focus on health disparities, education, youth, and families;
WHEREAS, DC Black Pride is led by a volunteer advisory board that assists Earl D. Fowlkes, Jr. and Kenya Hutton with the coordination, planning, and execution of this annual event, and that consists of Andrea Woody-Macko, Shannon Garcon, Genise Chambers-Woods, Re’ginald Shaw-Richardson, and Gladece Knight;
WHEREAS, as the very first Black Pride festival, DC Black Pride fostered the beginning of the Center for Black Equity (formerly known as the International Federation of Black Prides, Inc. and the “Black Pride Movement,” which now consists of 40 Black Prides on 4 continents;
WHEREAS, DC Black Pride 2016 is a multi-day festival featuring an awards reception, HIV/AIDS and other community town hall meetings, educational workshops, the Black Pride Film Festival and Poetry Slam, faith services throughout the community, performances by musicians, dancers, and other artists, and the DC Black Pride Health and Wellness Expo, sponsored by the DC Black Pride Has Talent Contest and hosted by Frenchie Davis;
WHEREAS, DC Black Pride remains one of the world’s preeminent Black Pride celebrations, drawing more than 30,000 people to the nation's capital from across the United States as well as Canada, the Caribbean, South Africa, Great Britain, France, Germany, the Netherlands, and other countries; and
WHEREAS, the theme for this year’s celebrations is DC Black Pride 2016: “I AM U. U R ME. WE ARE PRIDE!”.
RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, That this resolution may be cited as the “DC Black Lesbian & Gay Pride Recognition Resolution of 2016”.
Sec. 2. The Council of the District of Columbia hereby honors the hard work of all those involved in organizing the 26th Annual DC Black Pride Celebration. The Council of the District of Columbia welcomes visitors from this region and across the country and the world to the 2016 DC Black Pride Festival and associated events.
Sec. 3. This resolution shall take effect immediately upon the first date of publication in the District of Columbia Register.
