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Pride Week officially kicks off in Vancouver
Pride Week officially kicks off in Vancouver
Four parade marshals named
John Ackermann Jul 25, 2011 17:55:23 PM
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VANCOUVER (NEWS1130) - It is officially Pride Week in Vancouver, and some pioneers of the gay rights movement are being honoured as grand marshals in Sunday's parade.
Mayor Gregor Robertson was joined by councillors and leaders of Vancouver's LGBTTQ community in making the proclamation on the north steps at 12th and Cambie.
Vancouver Pride Society President Ken Coolen was there to name this year's grand marshals: Local activist Joan-E, former MP Bill Siksay, AIDS Vancouver co-founder Bob Tivey and pioneering L.A. Gay Pride founder Pat Rocco.
Coolen calls Tivey, who passed away earlier this year, a hero.
"Back in the `80s, when [AIDS] hit our community like no other tragedy ever had before... he was one of the leaders," Coolen tells News1130.
Rocco is being honoured as the parade's International Role Model for his part in founding the very first Gay Pride festival in Los Angeles back in 1970.
"There were only about 500 people in it and we fought for six months with City Hall and the mayor and the police department to get a permit," he says. "They were not about to give us one."
In addition to the usual Pride Week festivities, Vancouver is also hosting the second annual North America Out Games this year.
Hundreds of thousands are expected to attend the parade, which starts at noon at Robson and Thurlow Streets on Sunday. Click here to view the parade route. |
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發表於 2011-7-25 17:48
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