MIAMI – Miami’s Wynwood Pride kicked off on Thursday as it has now been going strong for five years in support of the rights of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer communities.
The non-profit organization’s events this year are raising funds for Equality Florida, a non-profit civil rights advocacy group that is politically involved.
“For the first time, we are doing four weekends across the month of June and we are claiming daytime, nighttime, in true Miami fashion,” said Jose Atencion, the co-founder of Wynwood Pride.
Miami-Dade County Commissioner Danielle Cohen Higgins attended a kickoff event on Thursday, the first day of Pride Month, at The Arlo, a hotel at 2217 NW Miami Ct., where there will be a pool party on Saturday.
“There are a lot of challenges facing this community, whether it’s international or local, and I think coming together to support Wynwood Pride during Pride Month is an excellent opportunity to show support,” the commissioner said.
Pride Month was born out of historic protests in New York. A police raid prompted a fiery 5-day protest at a New York City gay bar on June 28, 1969, and a year later the “Christopher Street Gay Liberation Day” march in NYC marked the anniversary of the protest.
The LGBTQ+ rights movement celebrated the legal recognition of same-sex marriage in 2015, but most recently new laws targeting gender-affirming medical care for minors, transgender athletes, and drag shows are a reminder that more work needs to be done.
In Florida, the laws have fueled a feud between Gov. Ron DeSantis, who is seeking the Republican nomination to run for president in 2024, and the Walt Disney Co., which has stood up against his Parental Rights in Education law, which critics now refer to as the ”Don’t Say Gay” bill because of its limits on sexual orientation and gender identity education.
The new Florida laws also prompted The Human Rights Campaign, a national advocacy group, to back Equality Florida’s travel advisory in May.
“We want everyone to know that down in Wynwood, everyone is welcome,” Atencion said.
As of Thursday afternoon, Wynwood Pride ticket sales to benefit Equality Florida were open for three events. Organizers plan to announce more events throughout the month.
Here are the tickets on sale:
Saturday
- Daytime Rendezvous + VIP Pool Party is at 3 p.m., at The Arlo. Tickets range from about $28 to $37.
Friday, June 9
- Toto’s FunDimension + G Spot is at 7 p.m., at FunDimension, at 2129 NW First Court. Tickets are about $19.
Saturday, June 10
- Tinashe, Ty Sunderland + more is at 5 p.m., at Oasis Wynwood, at 2335 N. Miami Ave. Tickets range from about $28 to $93.
For more information about Pride Month events, visit this page.