CHICAGO (CBS) — Pride isn’t just confined to Chicago’s North Side.
Right now, there’s a motion to focus on what the South Side has to supply as effectively, as efforts simply continue to grow. CBS 2’s Steven Graves has extra on what it means to those that put all of it collectively.
Five years in the past, it simply began out as a picnic. Now, Jae Rice Co-Organizer of Pride South Side, has created a pressure. How would he describe it?
“It’s more intentional. It’s a lot deeper. It is magical.”
Growing up in Evanston, Rice noticed a have to make an area for he and his companion that set itself aside from what we usually see as Pride on Chicago’s North Side.
“I think people seem to forget that the South Side has a huge concentration of Black Queer, Black Trans, Black gender non-conforming folks,” Rice stated.
That historical past dates again to the Thirties, seen in photos of queer cabarets and Drag Shows. Rice stated the South Side’s largest battle continues to be entry to sources within the Black queer neighborhood.
“First thing that comes to mind usually is HIV, STI treatment and prevention.”
Channyn Parker is with Howard Brown Health, which has a clinic in Englewood. For the primary time, the well being system is a important sponsor for this 12 months’s Black Pride, a weekend of occasions with sources, actions and talks centered at Washington Park’s DuSable Museum.
Parker stated upwards of 35,000 primarily LGBTQ folks go to facilities like this one in a 12 months. But not everybody seeks assist, which makes occasions like Black Pride important.
“We want to provide equitable healthcare regardless of your ability to pay,” Parker stated.
It is an uphill battle, stated Parker, to battle the stigma of dwelling queer and popping out within the Black neighborhood. The hope is for Black Pride to proceed to encourage folks with its development. Maybe even a parade sometime.
“Let’s keep our fingers crossed for that!”
People from throughout the nation are anticipated for this weekend’s occasions. It begins Friday and goes by Sunday. Click here for details on events.
