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Dear Baton Rouge Pride Friends and Family,
On behalf of the Baton Rouge Pride Board, it is with great sadness we announce the decision to cancel our annual pride fest in lieu of postponing for later this year. We know the importance of Pride to the community; however, as we cancel our normal pride festivities of June due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we encourage the Baton Rouge LGBTQ+ community and its allies to stand with our Black and Brown family members and the Black Lives Matter Movement. After all, the first Pride was a riot led by Marsha P Johnson, a black trans woman who objected to the continued harassment of the LGBTQ community by the NYPD. Since the Stonewall Riots and the Christopher Street Liberation, we have used Pride as a celebration to stand together as a colorful, diverse community. We want Baton Rouge Pride Fest and our other community events to be a safe place for all to come together and not feel torn apart. We understand that everyone is different in their own way, but those differences make the human race beautiful and amazing. In the end, we want everyone, LGBTQ+ and Allied, of any color, religion, or gender identity to feel unified, welcomed, and most of all LOVED. Our LGBTQ+ Community has a deep understanding of oppression, violence, and discrimination, especially those whose lives exist at the crossroads of race, sexual orientation, and gender identity. We must all stand up to hatred together, now and FOREVER. For we cannot be a stronger community if we aren’t a community together. With this, we encourage members of our colorful LGBTQ+ community to support our Black and Brown family members and support the Black Lives Matter Movement. Here are a few ways you can help:
I’d also like to encourage everyone to make a visit to our online apparel store, every dollar earned from our store sales in the months of June, July, and August 2020 will be donated to The LGBTQ Freedom Fund. The Baton Rouge Pride Board and I stand as a united, colorful, multi-racial group committed to helping the LGBTQ+ Community and to fight for our black family members, today and into the future. We are committed to the betterment of the lives of LGBTQ+ Individuals of the Greater Baton Rouge Area through multiple events and meetups later this year. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram as details emerge. I hope you will join us. Together, we will fight oppression, racism, discrimination, and hatred. With LOVE and Pride, Christopher Bradford Chairman Dear Baton Rouge Pride Friends and Family
For the past 13 years, Baton Rouge Pride has helped the LGBTQ+ Community of South Louisiana grow and prosper. The Baton Rouge Pride organization is dedicated to continuing to do that now and into the future. With the current landscape, and our world changing daily in a means to adapt to COVID-19, Baton Rouge Pride is committed to ensuring all members of our community are safe and able to reach the resources they need. As of today, we have sadly decided to postpone Pride Fest until we are able to set a date that will allow for all members of our community to safely attend. If you are a sponsor, resource fair vendor, advertiser or queerative market vendor who has submitted an application with payment, we will be contacting you directly via email or telephone. Though the years, the LGBTQ+ community has adapted to the challenges we face as the world changes. Today is no different. Today, more than ever, we must all remember why PRIDE was created: to show strength and solidarity among the LGBTQ+ community. Pride is about being compassionate for each other, being determined to make a change, and being a voice for those who don’t have one. We are all connected through the rainbow of life that makes our community whole. Though we may be postponing Pride Fest, Baton Rouge Pride is committed to providing resources. In the coming days, we will have a few Facebook Groups up and running.
With Love and Pride, Christopher Bradford and the Baton Rouge Pride Team Dear Baton Rouge Pride Friends and Family,
This is a moment in time when we must once again call upon the strength of our community to address a public health issue. The spread of the novel coronavirus, COVID-19, is impacting global health, and it is incumbent upon all of us to take seriously our personal responsibility with regards to public health. Though as of this email, the Greater Baton Rouge Area does not have any individuals diagnosed with COVID-19, we feel the need to start taking measures to ensure that the LGBTQ+ Community is safe. In ongoing conversations with local and state health officials, Baton Rouge Pride will abide by their guidance to help prevent the spread of the virus. We understand the challenges that these changes will bring to many of us and are deeply appreciative of your support as we all work to navigate this ever-shifting landscape. Due to this, we will, unfortunately, be postponing our annual Bear Night event on March 27 as our special guest host is no longer able to attend. We will be working with George’s Place to reschedule this event as many look forward to it. We do have several other events planned out in the coming months and will be assessing those events closer to their dates. As of today, all other events are still scheduled to go on as planned. With Baton Rouge Pride over four months away, event planning will still move forward with informed and cautious optimism. We will continue to monitor COVID-19 and to keep everyone updated on any developments that may impact or change our plans. I believe in our community's ability to address this new challenge with integrity and compassion. We must combat this new virus with a calm and measured response that honors our most vulnerable. We will fight this together, and Together We Rise. With Love and Pride, Christopher Bradford Pronouns: He/Him/His Chairman  Baton Rouge Pride, now the largest LGBTQ+ organization in the Greater Baton Rouge area, is holding Business After Hours, a free and open event for LGBTQ+ Owned and Allied Businesses. As seen on businessreport.com, this is the third mixier of an ongoing series with a goal of “expanding economic opportunities and advancements for LGBTQ+ people in Baton Rouge and this cannot be achieved without keeping Businesses and organizations in mind” says Baton Rouge Pride Board Member Robyn Vie Carpenter-Brisco. Vie Carpenter-Brisco goes on to say “our first event was at Strobes Downtown and brought a variety of businesses and organizations out, it was truly magnificent to see community support for us.” In addition to drawing attention to businesses, Baton Rouge Pride is hoping to help grow its LGBTQ+ Business Directory through the event, which it launched earlier this year. “The goal is to help us draw attention to the businesses in the area which support equality in our community. All businesses are vetted by the Baton Rouge Pride Board to ensure they meet standards and ensure they are truly LGBTQ+ owned or allies. The more resources the vibrant LGBTQ+ Community of Greater Baton Rouge has the better.” said Baton Rouge Pride Chair, Christopher Bradford. The LGBTQ+ Business Directory now lists over 50 businesses and continues to grow.
 Baton Rouge Pride, now the largest LGBTQ+ organization in the Greater Baton Rouge area, is holding Business After Hours, a free and open event for LGBTQ+ Owned and Allied Businesses.
As seen on businessreport.com, this is a second meeting of an ongoing series with a goal of “expanding economic opportunities and advancements for LGBTQ+ people in Baton Rouge and this cannot be achieved without keeping Businesses and organizations in mind” says Baton Rouge Pride Board Member Robyn Vie Carpenter-Brisco. Vie Carpenter-Brisco goes on to say “our first event was at Strobes Downtown and brought a variety of businesses and organizations out, it was truly magnificent to see community support for us.” In addition to drawing attention to businesses, Baton Rouge Pride is hoping to help grow their LGBTQ+ Business Directory through the event, which it launched earlier this year. “The goal is to help us draw attention to the businesses in the area which support equality in our community. All businesses are vetted by the Baton Rouge Pride Board to ensure they meet standards and ensure they are truly LGBTQ+ owned or allies. The more resources the vibrant LGBTQ+ Community of Greater Baton Rouge has the better.” say Baton Rouge Pride Chair, Christopher Bradford. We ask you to join us for cocktails and conversations as we talk about building a vibrant and active LGBTQ+ and allied business community here in Baton Rouge on Thursday, October 24, 2019 at Coyote Moon Crystals and Gifts from 7:00 pm till 9:00 pm. Light refreshments to be provided. If you are a business owner or organization leader and wish to partner with Baton Rouge Pride, please email contactus@brpride.org. |
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