The birthplace of the queer civil rights movement, New York City is home to arguably the most extensive and vibrant Pride Festival in the country. Originally a days-long riot that ensued following a police ambush of the Stonewall Inn in Greenwich Village, NYC Pride has since evolved into a multifaceted, four-week celebration that uplifts and gives visibility to queer and underserved communities---particularly the trans community and people of color.
Starting the second week of June, the city comes alive with activities, marches, events, concerts and more, with people of all ages and walks of life taking to the streets to show their colors.
The theme of this year's pride is "Unapologetically Us." Its goal is to spotlight and recognize all who have bravely come out as their authentic selves, particularly amid the global strife of the last two years. When the world shut down for almost a year, people far and wide took the time to self reflect and assess what is truly important, with many coming to the realization that would live their lives truthfully and unapologetically.
“Our community has been through tremendous hardships over the past few years ... Compounding these struggles is the onslaught of legislation around the country that directly targets LGBTQIA+ individuals. In spite of these challenges and attacks, we are here to tell the country and the world: we will not be erased. We will continue to love and live our truth and be our full and complete selves - and we are not going to apologize for it.” --- NYC Pride Director Sandra Perez
The 2022 visual campaign for the event spotlights several queer, trans, and BIPOC members of the LGBTQIA+ community, including Julian Gavino, Sicily Sierra, B. Hawk Snipes, and Kirill Kabachenko.
While there is an extensive calendar of events going on throughout the city this month, here are a few standouts worth considering.
The Battery
Hosted by drag icon, star, and legend Miss Richfield 1981, this family-friendly movie screening will be held under the stars at Battery Park. This year's feature film is the Disney smash hit, "Moana"! Collectible Pride blankets will be available for purchase.
74 Wythe (Williamsburg, BK)
Celebrate Juneteenth and Pride in tandem at this special brunch event, catered by five Black LGBTQIA+ chefs. Along with food and drinks, the brunch will feature a story time with local Black business leaders, an award ceremony, networking, and more.
Pier 17
The outdoor market showcases dozens of LGBTQIA+ vendors selling food, clothing, handcrafted goods, and more. Local organizations will also be present, including NYC Pride itself and Dave's Lesbian Bar, which is currently gathering funds to open the only lesbian bar in queens.
Central Park
Geared toward LGBTQIA+ teens, the concert celebration features headliner Taylor Bennett, a multi-genre artist and queer activist. There will also be performances from several local drag queens and queer performers, along with the cast of TREVOR the musical.
Greenwich Village
If there is one event that truly captures the spirit and vibrancy of NYC Pride, it's Pridefest. The festival encompasses every street in Greenwich Village, as well as all of Washington Square Park, with most if not all local restaurants, bars, and clubs, joining in on the festivities. It is also a great location to watch the official NYC Pride Parade. Be sure to stop by the place where it all began: The Historic Stonewall Inn.
A Year-round Commitment
As enjoyable as Pride Month events are, we at Brown Harris Stevens believe in celebrating and advocating for LGBTQIA+ people year-round. We also believe everyone deserves equal protection under the law, regardless of who they love. For this reason, we are proud to be a member of the Human Rights Campaign’s Business Coalition for the Equality Act, a group of 300+ leading U.S. employers supporting bipartisan legislation to provide the same protections to LGBTQIA+ people as are provided to other protected groups under federal law.
To learn more, visit https://www.bhsusa.com/pride.