Michael dithers

by Michael Mahler

Thank you to everyone who voted this past month! Erie Gay News is very proud to continue this important service to our community. We were also honored that The Central Voice, which is based out of the Harrisburg region, asked to reprint the statewide portion of our Voters Guide. Please remember to vote on November 6!

Please note that the start times have changed for Pride Parade and Pride Fest this year! The Pride Parade steps off at noon from the Zone, 133 W 18th St, and Pride Fest will begin at 1 PM in Perry Square.

Although Erie celebrated 25 years of Pride last year, this year actually marks the 20th anniversary of the very first Pride Rally. Before 1998, the only Pride event locally was the picnic. Some of us got together to plan in January of that year. We weren't sure how it would go, but we had 300 people or so turn out for the first Pride Rally in October of 1998.

Hats off to TransFamily of NW PA for working on Prism, an LGBTQ Youth group. I went along to a meeting. They will next be meeting on June 2 at the Downtown YMCA Teen Center at 2 PM and then meeting every other week. If you can help youth become aware of this, that would be great!

I recently had an email from one in New York state who wanted to know if Erie PA is a friendly community. I wrote back about the various groupos and activities here, and some of our history, so it looks like we may be gaining some new people in Erie County.

Drenched Fur 14 was a fun weekend. For some odd reason, pretty much all of the other groups that I am active with ended up having a meeting the same weekend. UPMC Hamot's Diversity and Inclusion committee met that Friday, The Erie County Democratic Party had a committee Saturday morning, followed immediately by a NW PA Pride Alliance board meeting. I joked that my major goal for the weekend was to make it through to Sunday and not end up in a coma.

See you at Pride on June 30! Remember, the deadline is June 1 if you want to have a table at Pride Fest or want to be listed on the banner as a Pride donor!