Denver Pride Liberation March to Take Place This Sunday

This Sunday, June 14, some of the same organizers who created Denver’s Dyke Rally are teaming up with Black Lives Matter 5280 (the local Denver chapter) to present a Pride Liberation March. Inviting the expansive and intersectional LGBTQ tribe to join the protests, rallies, and marches that have been going on in Denver over the last couple weeks, Sundays march will be led by queer Black and other People of Color members of the community.

The rally, starting at Cheesman Park Pavilion and ending at the west steps of the capitol, is a call to queer folks, Black, Latinx, and Chicano community members and allies to peacefully proclaim their solidarity with the #blacklivesmatter movement.

Representative Leslie Herod, Representative Brianna Titone, and Denver School Board Director Tay Anderson will be speaking along with other community members.

Organizers released this statement on the purpose of Sunday’s event: “We march with our black family, we march with our trans family, we march for our city, we march to fight systemic racism, we march with PRIDE”.

Sundays events will kick off at 4:30 and the schedule breaks down like this;

4:30 PM – 5:30 PM: Opening Discussion, Queer Speaker

5:30 PM – 6:30 PM: March to Civic Center

6:30 PM – 7:30 PM: BLM Speakers at Civic Center

7:30 PM – 8:00 PM: Vigil and Moment of Silence for those lost

Organizers urge attendees to abide by COVID-19 safety rules by wearing face coverings and socially distancing when possible. As someone who has attended many of the protests in Denver, I can tell you what to expect.

Do bring, water, snacks, sunblock, signs, dogs, and children. Yes, children! I’ve seen many families at protests throughout the month in Denver, and it’s important for us to educate the next generation on these issues.

Don’t bring, weapons, marijuana, alcohol, or a bad attitude.

The following weekend will host Denver’s Dyke March, which is a breakaway event from Denver’s usual PrideFest that organizers felt was a little too male-centric. Last year organizers celebrated the event’s 10 year anniversary.

“The Denver Dyke March & Rally is open to self-identified dykes, femmes, butches, queers (with cheers), studs, stems, AGs, lesbian and other feminists, tomboys, womyn of color, bi-dykes, boi-dykes, trans folks of all flavors, labia lovers, supporters of any and all types…you know what we are getting at here…WE WANT YOU!” reads their website.

The Dyke March will be held on Saturday, June 20th, beginning again at Cheesman Park and marching down Colfax to the State Capitol building where there will be a rally held on the west steps.