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A CEREMONIAL RESOLUTION
20-37
In the Council of the District of Columbia
April 9, 2013
To recognize the importance of Black Lesbian & Gay Pride Day, Inc. (“DC Black Pride”) to the community and welcome visitors from this region, across the country, and around the world to the festival and associated events.
WHEREAS, May 24, 2013 through May 26, 2013 marks the 23rd Annual DC Black Pride celebration;
WHEREAS, the theme for this year’s celebrations is, “Step Up & Be Heard”;
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 in the 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 Board of Directors that coordinates this annual event and consists of: Andrea Woody-Macko ;Derrick Dunning; Earl Fowlkes, Jr; June Spence; Kenneth Hopson; Kenya Hutton; Lauren Morris; Leandrea Gilliam; Marc Morgan; and Robert “Harold” Dinkins;
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 2013 is a multi-day festival featuring, an opening reception, community town hall meetings, basketball tournament, educational workshops, poetry slam, film festival, church service, musical performances, dancers, and other artists, and the Health and Wellness Expo, which serves as the culminating event of DC Black Pride; and
WHEREAS, DC Black Pride is widely considered to be 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, and the Netherlands.
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 2013”.
Sec. 2. The Council of the District of Columbia hereby honors the hard work of all those involved in organizing the 23rd Annual DC Black Pride Celebration.
Sec. 3. This resolution shall take effect immediately upon the first date of publication in the District of Columbia Register.
