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• ST PETE PRI CELEBRAT 20 YEARSPRI MONTH OFFICIALLY BEGAN ST. PETERSBURG JUNE 1 AS HAS FOR YEARS, WH SUPPORT OM LOL LEARSHIP.DATEJUNE 16, 2022BY : RYAN WILLIAMS-JENTJUNE 16, 2022PRI MONTH OFFICIALLY BEGAN ST. PETERSBURG JUNE 1 AS HAS FOR YEARS, WH SUPPORT OM LOL LEARSHIP. LGBTQ ADVOT AND ALLI OM THROUGHOUT TAMPA BAY GATHERED TO HONOR THE REGN’S MMENT TO EQUALY BY RAISG THE PROGRSIVE PRI FLAG ABOVE CY HALL.THE CEREMONY ALSO MEMORATED TWO S OF ST PETE PRI, THE NONPROF THAT EXISTS TO STRENGTHEN THE CY’S LEGACY OF CLN. “BY CHAMPNG EQUY AND REPRENTATN, WE AIM TO CREATE AN OPEN AND PASSNATE MUNY WHERE PEOPLE ARE EMPOWERED TO THRIVE,” THE ANIZATN EXPLAS. “NO MATTER WHO THEY ARE.”ITS FOUNRS FIRST WELED AN UNPRECENTED 10,000 SUPPORTERS TO THE CY’S GRAND CENTRAL DISTRICT 2003, LNCHG AN ALMOST ENTIRELY ANNUAL GATHERG NOW BILLED AS FLORIDA’S LARGT LGBTQ PRI CELEBRATN. ITS LAST TRADNAL GATHERG WAS HELD 2019, WELG MORE THAN 265,000 PEOPLE TO ST. PETERSBURG AND CREATG AN ENOMIC IMPACT OF $67.2 LN ON THE CY AHEAD OF THE PANMIC.FTIVI WERE POSTPONED 2020 BUT RETURNED LAST YEAR FOR A COVID-NSC CELEBRATN. AN TIMATED 22,000 PEOPLE ATTEND ST PETE PRI 2021, WHICH FEATURED FOUR WEEKS OF DRAMATILLY SLED-BACK EVENTS LI OF PRI’S SIGNATURE PARA AND FTIVAL.“OUR BIG TAKEAWAY WAS JT HOW WELL THOSE EVENTS WERE RECEIVED, PECIALLY NSIRG THAT WE WERE A COVID YEAR,” ST PETE PRI PRINT TIFFANY FREISBERG TOLD WATERMARK MARCH. “TURNOUT WAS CREDIBLE. THE VIBE WAS CREDIBLE. SO THERE ARE THGS THAT WE’RE GOG TO NTUE TO LAYER THIS YEAR.”THIS YEAR’S CELEBRATN OFFICIALLY BEGAN WH THE FLAG RAISG, LED FOR THE FIRST TIME BY ST. PETERSBURG MAYOR KEN WELCH. THE LONGTIME LGBTQ ALLY REFLECTED ON THE ANIZATN’S CYWI IMPACT AND MORE.“LET’S TAKE A MOMENT TO REMEMBER HOW FAR WE’VE E THIS CY OM ST PETERSBURG’S FIRST PRI PARA AND CELEBRATN 2003,” WELCH SHARED. “IN THOSE 20 YEARS ST. PETERSBURG HAS CREATED AND IMPLEMENTED MEANGFUL CHANGE AND PROGRS FOR ALL WHO INTIFY AS LGBTQ+.“TODAY WE ARE A CY PROUD OF OUR DIVERSY, FOCED ON CLIVY AND TENTNAL OUR EMBRACE OF EQUY. THIS FLAG REPRENTS WHO WE ARE, ALL OF ,” HE NTUED. “WHEN WE SAY WE ARE ST. PETE, IS A NFIRMATN OF OUR RE PRCIPLE OF CLN. WE ARE A CY WHERE THERE’S A PLACE FOR EVERYONE, WHERE EVERY PERSON IS VALUED AND EVERY VOICE IS HEARD. IN ST PETERSBURG, WE ARE MTED TO EQUALY FOR ALL. FULL STOP.”ST PETE PRI’S FOUNRS REMEMBER A TIME WHEN THAT WASN’T THE SE, NOTG THAT THE CY WAS VERY DIFFERENT WHEN THEY ME TOGETHER FOR THEIR FIRST EVENT. AS ST PETE PRI MARKS 20 YEARS, WE EXAME THE CELEBRATN’S ORIGS, S JUNE 2022 OUTG AND THE NONPROF’S FUTURE.LOOKING BACKTHE FOUNDG OF ST PETE PRI FOLLOWED THE NTROVERSIAL LLAPSE OF TAMPA BAY PRIFT, THE AREA’S PRIMARY LGBTQ CELEBRATN AT THE TIME. THE TAMPA-CENTRIC GATHERG WAS LAST HELD 2002 AND CLUD NO EE FTIVI.“THE JULY 4 WEEKEND EVENT WAS ROUNDLY CRICIZED FOR MISSG THE PRI MARK BY A UNTRY E,” WATERMARK REPORTED 2003. “EVERYTHG ST MONEY TO GET , THERE WAS AN UNUAL PENNCE ON PORN ACTORS FOR ENTERTAMENT AND THERE WAS NO PARA.“ACROSS THE BAY, MOVERS AND SHAKERS RURGENT ST. PETERSBURG SPECULATED THAT A MOST MUNY-BASED CELEBRATN THE CREASGLY GAY GRAND CENTRAL DISTRICT MIGHT RONATE WH AREA GAYS AND LBIANS,” THE REPORT NTUED. “THE MORE THEY TALKED, THE MORE PEOPLE BEME ENTHED AND BEGAN TO OFFER THEIR OWN IAS.”THAT GROUP CLUD TAMPA BAY ACTIVIST AND ENTREPRENR BRIAN LONGSTRETH, WHO WOULD BEE ST PETE PRI’S FOUNDG -CHAIR. “RIGHT OM THE START, EVERYONE SEEMED TO BE ON THE SAME WAVELENGTH,” HE TOLD WATERMARK.“THE CIRCU PARTI AND PORN STARS ARE ALL WELL AND GOOD, BUT FOR MOST OF THAT DON’T REPRENT PRI,” HE NTUED. “WE FELT THAT ST. PETERSBURG HAD TAKEN SOME BIG STRIS EMBRACG THE LGBTQ MUNY AND WE WANTED TO SHOWSE OUR CY.”MORE THAN 100 PEOPLE ATTEND ST PETE PRI’S FIRST ANIZATNAL MEETG, HELD THE GRAND CENTRAL DISTRICT FEB. 2003. DOZENS OF SPONSORS DONATED $25,000 SH AND $50,000 SERVIC, CLUDG WATERMARK, LEADG TO A ROBT CELEBRATN BY JUNE. IT WAS HELD DURG THE LAST WEEKEND OF PRI MONTH HONOR OF THE STONEWALL RTS.“THERE WAS ONGOG DISAPPOTMENT THE DIRECTN OF TAMPA BAY PRIFT,” LONGSTRETH RELLS. “IT WAS SUCH GREAT TIMG, I THK – SO MANY PEOPLE FELT THE SAME AND WANTED TO DO SOMETHG DIFFERENT. WE WANTED TO GO BACK TO THE ROOTS OF WHAT A PRI CELEBRATN MEANT.”LONGSTRETH WAS JOED BY ELLEN LEVETT AS -CHAIR, WHO HAD PREVLY WORKED WH NEW YORK’S CHRISTOPHER STREET LIBERATN DAY COMMTEE THE EARLY 80S. SHE MOVED TO ST. PETERSBURG 1992 AND WAS EAGER TO SEE THE CY CELEBRATE S LGBTQ RINTS.“MY IEND ROB HANKS TOLD ME THEY WERE FORMG A PRI MTEE HERE, SO I WENT TO AN ANIZG MEETG,” SHE EXPLAS. “I WANTED TO SEE A PRI CELEBRATN ST. PETE. INIALLY I WAS NOT ON THE BOARD, BUT WH A FEW MONTHS ROB – WHO WAS THE -CHAIR – BEME ILL AND UNABLE TO NTUE. I WAS ASKED TO REPLACE HER AND I ACCEPTED.“IT WAS AMAZG TO WATCH ALL E TOGETHER,” LEVETT NTU. “BRIAN HAD BROUGHT TOGETHER A DIVERSE GROUP WHO EACH HAD A PERTENT TALENT TO NTRIBUTE.”PRI’S FOUNDG BOARD OF DIRECTORS WAS ROUND OUT BY ROD HOTON, WHO SERVED AS SECRETARY AND GERRY BROUGHMAN, WHO SERVED AS TREASURER. ADDNAL BOARD MEMBERS AND MTEE CHAIRS CLUD PL ANATER, ED CASSIDY, CLDIA COLE, ROBERT DANIELSON, ROB HANKS, CARL KUTTLER, CHRIS LOVETT, GEE SHNSY, GREG STEMM AND ROBERT VICTOR.WHILE COLE, HANKS, KUTTLER AND SHNSY HAVE PASSED AWAY, THEIR LEGACY LIV ON THROUGH ST PETE PRI. STEMM, WHO WAS RECED AS THE CELEBRATN’S FIRST PARA CHAIR BEE HE HAD EXPERIENCE PRODUCG PARAS, CREDS THE FOUNRS’ DITN TO THE MUNY THEY SOUGHT TO SERVE.“I GUS YOU ULD SAY ALL OF WERE IALISTS WHO REGNIZED WE HAD A GREAT RPONSIBILY TO GET RIGHT OM THE START,” HE EXPLAS. “WE WERE VERY AWARE AND UT BEE WE KNEW EVERYTHG WE DID WOULD SET PRECENT.“WE GREW TO BE VERY CLOSE AS WELL,” STEMM ADDS. “I BELIEVE WAS THE VERY FIRST TIME ANYONE REFERRED TO ANY OF AS ‘GAY ACTIVISTS!’”JT FOUR MONTHS AFTER THEIR IAL MEETG, PARASOLS ON PARA – WHICH WOULD EVENTUALLY EVOLVE TO S FULL-SLE PARA – BEGAN AT 11 A.M. THERE WERE NO FLOATS, BUT NEARLY 1,000 MARCHERS REPRENTG MORE THAN 60 BARS, BS AND ANIZATNS MA THEIR WAY THROUGH THE CY’S HISTORIC KENWOOD NEIGHBORHOOD TO THE GRAND CENTRAL DISTRICT.UP TO 800 MARCHERS ALSO RRIED A MASSIVE PRI FLAG ACROSS TWO BLOCKS, CHEERED AND JOED BY ONLOOKERS. MORE THAN 100 VENDORS PARTICIPATED THE SUBSEQUENT STREET FTIVAL. ORGANIZERS WERE AWE.“CARL KUTTLER, THE FIRST STREET FTIVAL CHAIR AND I WERE LERALLY PICKG EACH OTHER UP AND TWIRLG EACH OTHER AROUND THE MIDDLE OF CENTRAL AVENUE WH THE UNBELIEVABLE 10,000 PEOPLE AROUND ,” STEMM RELLS. “JT PICTURE TWO, 250-POUND QUEENS TWIRLG AROUND TEARS WH A HELIPTER TAKG PICTUR OF ALL OF . I JT REMEMBER BOTH SHOUTG, ‘I N’T BELIEVE WE DID THIS!’”BROUGHMAN SAYS THAT WHILE HE DIDN’T HAVE MANY DAY-OF RPONSIBILI AS ST PETE PRI’S TREASURER, HE STILL FELT THE CROWD’S IMPACT.“I WAS SO AMAZED AT ALL OF THE NEWS TCKS,” HE REMEMBERS. “IT FELT LIKE THERE WERE PEOPLE ON EVERY RNER, TERVIEWG WHAT I WOULD LL ‘NORMAL PEOPLE’ WHO WERE JT THERE FOR PRI. I REMEMBER THKG, ‘THIS IS WHY I LOVE ST. PETE. YOU DON’T HAVE TO HI OR BE ASHAMED AND THIS IS A GREAT WAY FOR THE STRAIGHT WORLD TO MEET .’”BROUGHMAN SAYS MASTREAM NEWS VERAGE THAT EVENG PRIMARILY PATED A DIFFERENT PICTURE, HOWEVER, FOCG LARGE PART ON A SGLE PROTTOR AND RERCG STEREOTYP.“THIS WAS [FORMER ST. PETERSBURG MAYOR RICK] BAKER’S ERA,” HE NOT. “THERE WAS A NSERVATIVE SI OF THGS.”BAKER BARELY ACKNOWLEDGED ST PETE PRI, DISPARAGG WHEN HE DID. INSTEAD, THEN-COUNCILMEMBER RICK KRISEMAN – THE LONGTIME LGBTQ ALLY WHO WOULD SERVE TWO TERMS AS ST. PETERSBURG MAYOR BEGNG 2014 – REGNIZED AND CELEBRATED THE GURAL EVENT ALONGSI THE MUNY.“THERE WILL ALWAYS BE A PLACE FOR HIM MY HEART FOR THAT,” LEVETT SAYS.THE CY’S PROCLAMATN IS ONE OF THE THGS HOTON REMEMBERS MOST FONDLY. PRI’S FORMER SECRETARY SAYS THAT “HAVG THE CY UNCIL CLARE JUNE AS LGBT MONTH SPE THE MAYOR’S OBJECTNS WAS A BIG W FOR . I FELT VERY PROUD.”OTHER MOMENTS OM THE FIRST CELEBRATN STICK OUT TO LONGSTRETH, LIKE THE YOUNG FAY WHO BROUGHT THEIR CHILDREN TO THE PROCSNAL TO TEACH THEM ABOUT DIVERSY. TWO G OUT STORI ALSO RONATE.“THERE WAS AN 80-YEAR-OLD WIDOWER, WHO SAID HE FALLY FELT FORTABLE G OUT AFTER HIS WIFE HAD PASSED,” LONGSTRETH SAYS, “AND A TEENAGER WHO SAID HE ME OUT TO WORK BY ASKG OR AN EXTRA DAY OFF FOR PRI. I FELT PROUD ABOUT WHAT WE ACPLISHED AND THE DIVERSY OF WHO WE REACHED.”WHILE THE ANIZATN HAS UNRGONE SIGNIFINT CHANG THE LAST TWO S, OM S LEARSHIP TO THE LOTN OF S PARA, ST PETE PRI’S MISSN TO REACH THE MUNY SERV IS STRONGER THAN EVER. LONGSTRETH SAYS HE’S THANKFUL THE ANIZATN HAS REACHED 20 YEARS.“IT’S BEEN GREAT TO SEE GROW SO FAST, EVEN WH SOME OF THE UAL GROWG PAS AND STGGL,” HE SAYS. “I’M HUMBLED AND GLAD TO HAVE PLAYED A PART AND PLEASED TO SEE MANY NEW LEARSHIP POSNS AND THE DIVERSY OF THE BOARD THIS YEAR.”MARCHING FORWARDTO PREPARE FOR ST PETE PRI’S 20TH YEAR – AND TO POSN THE ANIZATN FOR S NEXT 20 – THE NONPROF WELED ALMOST ENTIRELY NEW LEARSHIP 2022. SERVG NOT ONLY AS PRINT BUT AS ACTG EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, FREISBERG LED THE SEARCH FOR A FULL-TIME EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AND CURRENT BOARD AS HER TENURE BEGAN.ST PETE PRI’S LAST EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR VATED THE POSN LATE 2019. THE POSN’S UPDATED SCRIPTN NOTED THEY WERE SEEKG “A PASSNATE, STRATEGIC AND LLABORATIVE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR TO HELP STEWARD THE ANIZATN THROUGH S 20TH YEAR AND BEYOND.”“AS ST PETE PRI SETS S SIGHTS ON LEADG THE TRANSFORMATN OF ST. PETERSBURG TO ONE OF THE NATN’S PREMIERE LGBTQ+ STATNS, THE ED WILL BE RPONSIBLE FOR IMPLEMENTG ANIZATNAL STCTURE AND MATAG THE FANCIAL AND OPERATNAL WELL-BEG OF THE ANIZATN,” ALSO READ.THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OVERSE ST PETE PRI’S OPERATNS, FUNDRAISG, MARKETG, MUNITNS, MUNY PARTNERSHIPS AND EVENT STRATEGI ARE BEG EFFECTIVELY IMPLEMENTED. APPLINTS WERE REQUIRED TO HAVE EXTENSIVE EXPERIENCE PROGRSIVE LEARSHIP AND FOR-PROF BUDGET MANAGEMENT, AS WELL AS AN “THENTIC PASSN FOR CELEBRATG DIVERSY, EQUY AND CLN.”“FOR OUR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR WHO’S STEERG THE SHIP, WAS REALLY SENTIAL THAT WE FD SOMEONE WHO WAS POLISHED BUT APPROACHABLE AND WHO WAS A MEMBER OF THE QUEER MUNY OR HAD A PERSONAL EXPERIENCE THAT RELATED TO THE QUEER MUNY, SO WOULD BE MORE THAN JT A JOB,” FREISBERG EXPLAS.THEY FOUND THAT OPENLY LGBTQ ACTIVIST NILE BERMAN. SHE RELOTED OM WASHGTON JANUARY, HAVG MOST RECENTLY SERVED AS THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR A DOMTIC VLENCE AND SEXUAL ASSLT SERVIC AGENCY.“TIFFANY SHARED THAT ST PETE PRI WANTED TO BE TENTNALLY MORE CLIVE AND ACCSIBLE AND TO VT THE ST. PETE MUNY YEAR AROUND,” BERMAN TOLD WATERMARK AFTERWARDS. “SO WASN’T JT ABOUT THOSE 300,000 PEOPLE YOU’RE WORKG TO BRG , BUT REALLY WHAT WE DO FOR THE RE MUNY THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.“I LOVE THE PARTY, BUT THE IA OF BEG A CULTURAL STUTN THAT BENEFS THE MUNY YEAR-ROUND REALLY SPOKE TO ME,” SHE NTUED. “ST PETE PRI ISN’T ABOUT THE BOARD OR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR. IT’S NOT THEIR PRI OR MY PRI. IT’S ST. PETE’S PRI.”THAT’S SOMETHG EVERY ST PETE PRI VOLUNTEER AGRE WH. THE ANIZATN’S EXECUTIVE MTEE ALSO CLUS TREASURER STANLEY SOLOMONS, WHO HAS SERVED VAR PACI SCE 2008 AND SECRETARY MOLLY ROBISON, WHO OFFICIALLY JOED 2020.FERNANDO CHONQUI, CAREY MEARS, GABE ALV-TOMKO, CLIFFORD HOBBS, DARI LIGHTSEY, STEPHANIE ME AND BYRON GREEN ROUND OUT THE BOARD. THEY EACH JOED THIS OR LAST YEAR, EAGER TO GUI THE ANIZATN THROUGH S LANDMARK CELEBRATN.“THIS IS THE MOST ENTHIASTIC GROUP OF PEOPLE ON THE BOARD THAT I’VE SEEN QUE A WHILE,” SOLOMONS SAYS AS THE BOARD’S LONGT-SERVG MEMBER. “NONE OF ARE DOG THIS FOR A PARTY, ALTHOUGH WE DO ENJOY A PARTY. THE ONLY THG YOU SHOULD GET OUT OF PRI FOR YOURSELF IS THE JOY OF SEEG HAPPEN, AND WE’RE DOG FOR THE RIGHT REASONS.”MISS ST PETE PRI 2022 OFFICIALLY KICKED OFF PRI’S 20TH SEASON MAY 22. TEN NTTANTS SOUGHT THE TLE, A TRADN THAT FIRST BEGAN 2009, BUT TAMPA BAY ENTERTAER DELOR T. VAN-CARTIER TOOK THE CROWN.“IT WAS A STUNNG EVENG AND THE PERFECT START TO OUR 20TH ANNIVERSARY PRI SEASON,” ST PETE PRI SHARED AFTERWARDS. “WE ARE EPLY GRATEFUL TO ALL THE NTTANTS, JUDG AND VOLUNTEERS FOR HELPG CREATE SUCH A SPECIAL EVENG.”VAN-CARTIER SUBSEQUENTLY PERFORMED HER OFFICIAL PACY JUNE 1 DURG THIS YEAR’S KICK-OFF-PARTY. SUPPORTERS GATHERED AT THE START OF PRI MONTH FOLLOWG THE FLAG RAISG, AN ANNUAL TRADN.SHE SAYS SHE’S EXCED TO REPRENT ST PETE PRI THROUGH S 20TH YEAR BEE “THE ALLIANCE IS SEND TO NONE. I’M SO HAPPY TO BE A PART OF THAT AND SEE THE HISTORY BEHD . THERE’S SO MUCH LOVE.”THE ENTERTAER, WHO HAS PERFORMED FOR 27 YEARS AND CURRENTLY LLS HAMBURGER MARY’S CLEARWATER HER HOME BASE, SE DRAG AS A HEALG OUTLET. “THERE ARE SO MANY BAD THGS GOG ON THE WORLD AND ’S NICE SOMETIM TO JT BREAK AWAY OM ALL,” VAN-CARTIER SAYS. “LET’S ALL HAVE FUN AND BE SAFE THIS YEAR, REMEMBERG WHAT PRI IS REALLY ALL ABOUT.”ST PETE PRI’S 20-YEAR CELEBRATN NTU THROUGHOUT JUNE, WH AN EXPECTED 300,000 ATTEN. ORGANIZERS HAVE WORKED DILIGENTLY TO TRODUCE NEW EVENTS AS WELL AS HER THE RETURN OF OLD FAVOR.“LAST YEAR WE WERE THE MIDST OF COVID BUT THIS YEAR IS DIFFERENT,” FREISBERG SAYS. “WE N MAKE THE BT AND BIGGT CELEBRATN POSSIBLE FOR OUR 20TH ANNIVERSARY AND WE’RE A UNIQUE POSN TO DO SO.”LIKE LAST YEAR, ST PETE PRI WILL ENTERTA THE MASS WH EVENTS EACH WEEKEND THROUGH THE END OF JUNE. CELEBRY GUTS CARSON KRSLEY AND SANDRA BERNHARD WILL RPECTIVELY HOST NEW MIL AND EDIC EVENTS JUNE 11-12 WHILE THE STONEWALL RECEPTN AND A FAY-FOCED EVENT WILL RETURN JUNE 17 AND 18.“THERE’S AN APPETE FOR THE TYP OF EVENTS,” FREISBERG EXPLAS. “FAY DAY WAS VERY POPULAR LAST YEAR, SO WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE RETURNED, PECIALLY GIVEN THAT FLORIDA HAS BEE THE NATNAL EPICENTER FOR LGBTQ BACKLASH AT THE MOMENT.”ON JULY 1, THE STATE’S “PARENTAL RIGHTS EDUTN” LAW WILL GO TO EFFECT, WILY KNOWN AS FLORIDA’S “DON’T SAY GAY OR TRANS” BILL. BACKED BY GOV. RON DESANTIS, THE MEASURE HAS DRAWN TERNATNAL DISDA AND WILL LIM CLASSROOM DISCSN OF SEXUAL ORIENTATN AND GENR INTY SCHOOLS.NEW EVENTS TENTNALLY CENTERG BIPOC MEMBERS OF THE MUNY WILL ALSO BE HELD JUNE 17-19. THE FIRST WILL BE HELD PARTNERSHIP WH THE TAMPA BAY BLACK LBIANS GROUP AND THE SEND WILL WELE CELEBRY GUT TS MADISON CELEBRATN OF JUEENTH, PLANNED BY BOARD MEMBERS DARI LIGHTSEY AND CLIFFORD HOBBS. READ OUR TERVIEW WH THE HOSTS ON P. 39.THE CELEBRATN “HONORS THE EMANCIPATN OF ENSLAVED AIN AMERINS AND IS A DAY OF CELEBRATN AND REFLECTN,” LIGHTSEY EXPLAS. “LIKE PRI, JUEENTH HONORS EEDOM AND LOVE OF PERSONS.”MADISON AND OTHER PERFORMERS WILL “EMBODY ALL OF THOSE QUALI,” HE ADDS. “IT WILL BE A WONRFUL MUNY EVENT THAT WILL BRG ALL TOGETHER A TIME WHERE WE NEED MORE LOVE AND UNRSTANDG THAN EVER BEFORE.”ST PETE PRI’S SIGNATURE EVENTS LAST HELD 2019 – THEIR FRIDAY NIGHT NCERT, SATURDAY PARA AND SUNDAY STREET FTIVAL THE CELEBRATN’S BIRTHPLACE – WILL RETURN JUNE 24-26.CELEBRY HEADLERS TODRICK HALL AND PSY RT WILL LEAD FTIVI JUNE 24, PLEMENTED BY LOL PERFORMERS. FREISBERG SAYS THE TERNATNALLY ACCLAIMED ACTS WILL BRG A RENEWED ENERGY AND SENSE OF LGBTQ ACTIVISM TO ST. PETE.THIS YEAR’S PARA WILL ONCE AGA BE LED BY THE TRANSPRI MARCH JUNE 25, SIGNED TO ELEVATE TRANSGENR MEMBERS OF THE MUNY. ST. PETERSBURG DEPUTY MAYOR STEPHANIE OWENS AND LGBTQ LIAISON JIM NIXON WILL PARTICIPATE AS MAYOR WELCH PREPAR TO RI HIS MOTORCYCLE THROUGH THE ROUTE THE PARA.“I AM MOST EXCED TO SHARE THIS EXPERIENCE WH THE NEW ADMISTRATN,” NIXON SAYS. “THIS YEAR WILL BE THE FIRST TIME THE WELCH ADMISTRATN WILL BE TOGETHER FOR ST PETE PRI AND I’M LOOKG FORWARD TO SEEG THEM EXPERIENCE THE JOY AND LOVE THAT PRI BRGS.“IT’S A BIG EVENT, BUT PARTICIPATG OM THE PARA ROUTE IS UNLIKE ANYTHG YOU HAVE EXPERIENCED BEFORE,” HE NTU. “IT FILLS YOU WH SUCH PRI WHO WE ARE AND WHY ST. PETERSBURG IS A LEAR FOR ALL CI TO MOL.”THE PARA PROMIS TO BE ST PETE PRI’S LARGT TO DATE, HIGHLIGHTG 20 GRAND MARSHALS OM THEIR PAST, PRENT AND FUTURE. ITS NCURRENT FTIVAL WILL BEG AT 2 P.M. WH STEP-OFF AT 4 P.M. THE PROCSNAL WILL N OM VOY PARK TO ALBERT WHTARD PARK ALONG BAYSHORE DR. DOWNTOWN. NORTH AND SOUTH STRB PARKS WILL OFFER ENTERTAMENT AND MORE THROUGH 10 P.M.IN A FIRST RECENT YEARS, WILL ALSO WELE PARA PARTICIPANTS WHO ENTERED AT NO ST, A SCHOLARSHIP BORNE OM THE PEOPLE’S COUNCIL, PRI’S EQUY, DIVERSY AND INCLN MTEE. THE IATIVE EXISTS TO HOLD THE NONPROF ACUNTABLE TO THE ENTIRE MUNY WAS SIGNED TO SERVE AND IS LED BY INDIA TORREZ AND ROCKY BUTLER.BUTLER IS THE CEO OF 9 COLORS INIATIVE, INC., A LOL ANIZATN THE FOC ON AMPLIFYG MARGALIZED VOIC WH THE LGBTQ MUNY.“I WAS PRENTED THE NEW OPPORTUNY TO WORK WH ST PETE PRI UNR NEW LEARSHIP HOP TO START WORKG TOWARD RIGHTG THE WRONGS OF PAST LEARS AND TO HELP REBUILD THE BRIDGE BETWEEN THE MORY MUNI,” HE EXPLAS. “ALONGSI INDIA WE BEGAN THE PEOPLE’S COUNCIL TO HELP FORM AN IATIVE TO MAKE ST PETE PRI MORE CLIVE AND DIVERSE.“WE FELT THE PRI PARA SCHOLARSHIP WAS NECSARY NOT AS A CHARY TO THE APPLINTS BUT TO LAY THE FIRST BRICK FOR THE BRIDGE WE TEND TO REBUILD,” HE NTU. “TO START TO GA TST FOR THIS MUNY THAT WE FELT WAS NOT REPRENTED THE PAST THE PRI PARA.”“THAT WAS JT ONE OF THEIR GREAT SUGGTNS,” BERMAN ADDS. THIS YEAR’S PARA WILL FEATURE MORE THAN 50 FLOATS AND AROUND 150 GROUPS WILL PARTICIPATE.PRI WILL SUBSEQUENTLY RETURN TO WHERE ALL BEGAN ON JUNE 26. THE PRI GRAND CENTRAL STREET CARNIVAL WILL CLU VENDORS, FOOD TCKS, AN OPEN NTAER ZONE AND STREET PERFORMANC HIGHLIGHTED BY COCKTAIL’S MA STAGE. THE LGBTQ HOTSPOT WILL WELE PERFORMERS CECE PENISTON, CRYSTAL WATERS AND “RUPL’S DRAG RACE” ALUM ROSé.“THIS IS THE 20TH ANNIVERSARY OF ST PETE PRI GRAND CENTRAL AND WILL BE BIGGER THAN EVER,” GCD PROMIS. IN A FIRST, NE FULL BLOCKS OF CENTRAL AVE. WILL CLOSE OM 22ND TO 31ST ST. OM 11 A.M.-5 P.M.“I BELIEVE THAT GCD NEEDS TO PROMOTE AND SELL THE WHOLE DISTRICT AS A UNIQUE AND FUN NSUMER EXPERIENCE STATN,” GCD ASSOCIATN EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR DAVID FOOTE SAYS. “THEN THE BS AS A WHOLE ARE SUCCSFUL BY BEG A PART OF DISTRICT. ST PETE PRI PLAYS A BIG ROLE HELPG MAKE GCD A DISTRICT-WI EXPERIENCE.“WE DON’T HAVE A BEACH OR A PIER. SO ’S VAL TO PARTNER WH EVENT ANIZATNS AND NEIGHBORHOODS TO ENHANCE OUR ECLECTIC, QUIRKY, DIVERSE, CLIVE AND FUN IMAGE,” HE NTU. “HERE’S TO 20 MORE.”“THE THEME FOR OUR 20TH ANNIVERSARY IS REALLY HONORG AND SHOWG GRATU FOR HOW WE GOT HERE,” BERMAN SAYS. “THE GRAND CENTRAL DISTRICT N’T BE LEFT OUT OF THAT. WE’RE REALLY EXCED TO PARTNER WH THEM AND HAVE AN EVENT BACK WHERE ALL STARTED.”WHILE THE DISTRICT WAS ALSO THE ORIGAL SE OF THE ST PETE PRI PARA, LEARS OM THE ANIZATN, GCD AND CY AGREE S RETURN WOULD BE A LOGISTIL IMPOSSIBILY. THEY CE THE GROWTH OF THE PARA AND THE DISTRICT SELF.“THERE HAS BEEN A LOT OF NTENT BATE ABOUT ST PETE PRI’S PARA MOVG DOWNTOWN,” LGBTQ LIAISON NIXON SAYS. “I HAVE SEEN RENEWED LLABORATN BETWEEN ST PETE PRI AND THE GRAND CENTRAL DISTRICT, AND THE PARTNERSHIP CREATED FOR THIS YEAR’S STREET RNIVAL IS A PRODUCT OF THAT. THIS, THE 20TH ANNIVERSARY, IS A PERFECT TIME TO PUT THAT DIVID HISTORY BEHD AND CELEBRATE ALL OVER THE CY AND ALL MONTH LONG.”ST PETE PRI’S 20-YEAR CELEBRATN WILL CLOSE WH TWO FAL EVENTS. TRANSTASTIC, WHICH CELEBRAT TAMPA BAY’S TRANSGENR AND NONBARY MUNY WILL RETURN TO THE MM OF FE ARTS JUNE 28 AND A WRAP-UP PARTY WILL CLOSE OUT PRI MONTH JUNE 30, CELEBRATG THE ANIZATN’S VOLUNTEERS.“WE’RE ANTICIPATG OUR LARGT EVENT YET WH BEG OUR 20TH AND OUR FIRST PARA SCE COVID,” BERMAN SAYS. “WE HOPE ’S GOG TO BE FUN AND ENTERTAG, BUT WE ALSO WANT TO KEEP THE SPIR ALIVE AS TO WHY PRI WAS CREATED.“WE BELONG HERE. WE’RE NOT GOG ANYWHERE. WE’RE NOT GOG TO S QUIETLY WHILE OUR RIGHTS ARE BEG THREATENED,” SHE NCLUS. “WE’RE GOG TO CELEBRATE AND BE PROUD OF WHO WE ARE, WHERE WE ME OM AND WHERE WE’RE GOG.”AS FOR LONGSTRETH, HIS MSAGE FOR PRIGOERS AS ST PETE PRI TURNS 20 IS SIMPLE.“DON’T FET THE ORIGS,” HE SAYS. “THIS ISN’T JT A PARA AND A PARTY. GET VOLVED … YOU N MAKE A DIFFERENCE.”‍‍READ THE ORIGAL ARTICLE THE WATERMARKSUBSCRIBESIGN UP FOR UPDAT!
• ST. PETE PRI GAY FLORIDA TRAVEL GUI

ST PETE PRI CELEBRAT 20 YEARSPRI MONTH OFFICIALLY BEGAN ST. PETERSBURG JUNE 1 AS HAS FOR YEARS, WH SUPPORT OM LOL LEARSHIP.DATEJUNE 16, 2022BY : RYAN WILLIAMS-JENTJUNE 16, 2022PRI MONTH OFFICIALLY BEGAN ST. PETERSBURG JUNE 1 AS HAS FOR YEARS, WH SUPPORT OM LOL LEARSHIP. LGBTQ ADVOT AND ALLI OM THROUGHOUT TAMPA BAY GATHERED TO HONOR THE REGN’S MMENT TO EQUALY BY RAISG THE PROGRSIVE PRI FLAG ABOVE CY HALL.THE CEREMONY ALSO MEMORATED TWO S OF ST PETE PRI, THE NONPROF THAT EXISTS TO STRENGTHEN THE CY’S LEGACY OF CLN. “BY CHAMPNG EQUY AND REPRENTATN, WE AIM TO CREATE AN OPEN AND PASSNATE MUNY WHERE PEOPLE ARE EMPOWERED TO THRIVE,” THE ANIZATN EXPLAS. “NO MATTER WHO THEY ARE.”ITS FOUNRS FIRST WELED AN UNPRECENTED 10,000 SUPPORTERS TO THE CY’S GRAND CENTRAL DISTRICT 2003, LNCHG AN ALMOST ENTIRELY ANNUAL GATHERG NOW BILLED AS FLORIDA’S LARGT LGBTQ PRI CELEBRATN. ITS LAST TRADNAL GATHERG WAS HELD 2019, WELG MORE THAN 265,000 PEOPLE TO ST. PETERSBURG AND CREATG AN ENOMIC IMPACT OF $67.2 LN ON THE CY AHEAD OF THE PANMIC.FTIVI WERE POSTPONED 2020 BUT RETURNED LAST YEAR FOR A COVID-NSC CELEBRATN. AN TIMATED 22,000 PEOPLE ATTEND ST PETE PRI 2021, WHICH FEATURED FOUR WEEKS OF DRAMATILLY SLED-BACK EVENTS LI OF PRI’S SIGNATURE PARA AND FTIVAL.“OUR BIG TAKEAWAY WAS JT HOW WELL THOSE EVENTS WERE RECEIVED, PECIALLY NSIRG THAT WE WERE A COVID YEAR,” ST PETE PRI PRINT TIFFANY FREISBERG TOLD WATERMARK MARCH. “TURNOUT WAS CREDIBLE. THE VIBE WAS CREDIBLE. SO THERE ARE THGS THAT WE’RE GOG TO NTUE TO LAYER THIS YEAR.”THIS YEAR’S CELEBRATN OFFICIALLY BEGAN WH THE FLAG RAISG, LED FOR THE FIRST TIME BY ST. PETERSBURG MAYOR KEN WELCH. THE LONGTIME LGBTQ ALLY REFLECTED ON THE ANIZATN’S CYWI IMPACT AND MORE.“LET’S TAKE A MOMENT TO REMEMBER HOW FAR WE’VE E THIS CY OM ST PETERSBURG’S FIRST PRI PARA AND CELEBRATN 2003,” WELCH SHARED. “IN THOSE 20 YEARS ST. PETERSBURG HAS CREATED AND IMPLEMENTED MEANGFUL CHANGE AND PROGRS FOR ALL WHO INTIFY AS LGBTQ+.“TODAY WE ARE A CY PROUD OF OUR DIVERSY, FOCED ON CLIVY AND TENTNAL OUR EMBRACE OF EQUY. THIS FLAG REPRENTS WHO WE ARE, ALL OF ,” HE NTUED. “WHEN WE SAY WE ARE ST. PETE, IS A NFIRMATN OF OUR RE PRCIPLE OF CLN. WE ARE A CY WHERE THERE’S A PLACE FOR EVERYONE, WHERE EVERY PERSON IS VALUED AND EVERY VOICE IS HEARD. IN ST PETERSBURG, WE ARE MTED TO EQUALY FOR ALL. FULL STOP.”ST PETE PRI’S FOUNRS REMEMBER A TIME WHEN THAT WASN’T THE SE, NOTG THAT THE CY WAS VERY DIFFERENT WHEN THEY ME TOGETHER FOR THEIR FIRST EVENT. AS ST PETE PRI MARKS 20 YEARS, WE EXAME THE CELEBRATN’S ORIGS, S JUNE 2022 OUTG AND THE NONPROF’S FUTURE.LOOKING BACKTHE FOUNDG OF ST PETE PRI FOLLOWED THE NTROVERSIAL LLAPSE OF TAMPA BAY PRIFT, THE AREA’S PRIMARY LGBTQ CELEBRATN AT THE TIME. THE TAMPA-CENTRIC GATHERG WAS LAST HELD 2002 AND CLUD NO EE FTIVI.“THE JULY 4 WEEKEND EVENT WAS ROUNDLY CRICIZED FOR MISSG THE PRI MARK BY A UNTRY E,” WATERMARK REPORTED 2003. “EVERYTHG ST MONEY TO GET , THERE WAS AN UNUAL PENNCE ON PORN ACTORS FOR ENTERTAMENT AND THERE WAS NO PARA.“ACROSS THE BAY, MOVERS AND SHAKERS RURGENT ST. PETERSBURG SPECULATED THAT A MOST MUNY-BASED CELEBRATN THE CREASGLY GAY GRAND CENTRAL DISTRICT MIGHT RONATE WH AREA GAYS AND LBIANS,” THE REPORT NTUED. “THE MORE THEY TALKED, THE MORE PEOPLE BEME ENTHED AND BEGAN TO OFFER THEIR OWN IAS.”THAT GROUP CLUD TAMPA BAY ACTIVIST AND ENTREPRENR BRIAN LONGSTRETH, WHO WOULD BEE ST PETE PRI’S FOUNDG -CHAIR. “RIGHT OM THE START, EVERYONE SEEMED TO BE ON THE SAME WAVELENGTH,” HE TOLD WATERMARK.“THE CIRCU PARTI AND PORN STARS ARE ALL WELL AND GOOD, BUT FOR MOST OF THAT DON’T REPRENT PRI,” HE NTUED. “WE FELT THAT ST. PETERSBURG HAD TAKEN SOME BIG STRIS EMBRACG THE LGBTQ MUNY AND WE WANTED TO SHOWSE OUR CY.”MORE THAN 100 PEOPLE ATTEND ST PETE PRI’S FIRST ANIZATNAL MEETG, HELD THE GRAND CENTRAL DISTRICT FEB. 2003. DOZENS OF SPONSORS DONATED $25,000 SH AND $50,000 SERVIC, CLUDG WATERMARK, LEADG TO A ROBT CELEBRATN BY JUNE. IT WAS HELD DURG THE LAST WEEKEND OF PRI MONTH HONOR OF THE STONEWALL RTS.“THERE WAS ONGOG DISAPPOTMENT THE DIRECTN OF TAMPA BAY PRIFT,” LONGSTRETH RELLS. “IT WAS SUCH GREAT TIMG, I THK – SO MANY PEOPLE FELT THE SAME AND WANTED TO DO SOMETHG DIFFERENT. WE WANTED TO GO BACK TO THE ROOTS OF WHAT A PRI CELEBRATN MEANT.”LONGSTRETH WAS JOED BY ELLEN LEVETT AS -CHAIR, WHO HAD PREVLY WORKED WH NEW YORK’S CHRISTOPHER STREET LIBERATN DAY COMMTEE THE EARLY 80S. SHE MOVED TO ST. PETERSBURG 1992 AND WAS EAGER TO SEE THE CY CELEBRATE S LGBTQ RINTS.“MY IEND ROB HANKS TOLD ME THEY WERE FORMG A PRI MTEE HERE, SO I WENT TO AN ANIZG MEETG,” SHE EXPLAS. “I WANTED TO SEE A PRI CELEBRATN ST. PETE. INIALLY I WAS NOT ON THE BOARD, BUT WH A FEW MONTHS ROB – WHO WAS THE -CHAIR – BEME ILL AND UNABLE TO NTUE. I WAS ASKED TO REPLACE HER AND I ACCEPTED.“IT WAS AMAZG TO WATCH ALL E TOGETHER,” LEVETT NTU. “BRIAN HAD BROUGHT TOGETHER A DIVERSE GROUP WHO EACH HAD A PERTENT TALENT TO NTRIBUTE.”PRI’S FOUNDG BOARD OF DIRECTORS WAS ROUND OUT BY ROD HOTON, WHO SERVED AS SECRETARY AND GERRY BROUGHMAN, WHO SERVED AS TREASURER. ADDNAL BOARD MEMBERS AND MTEE CHAIRS CLUD PL ANATER, ED CASSIDY, CLDIA COLE, ROBERT DANIELSON, ROB HANKS, CARL KUTTLER, CHRIS LOVETT, GEE SHNSY, GREG STEMM AND ROBERT VICTOR.WHILE COLE, HANKS, KUTTLER AND SHNSY HAVE PASSED AWAY, THEIR LEGACY LIV ON THROUGH ST PETE PRI. STEMM, WHO WAS RECED AS THE CELEBRATN’S FIRST PARA CHAIR BEE HE HAD EXPERIENCE PRODUCG PARAS, CREDS THE FOUNRS’ DITN TO THE MUNY THEY SOUGHT TO SERVE.“I GUS YOU ULD SAY ALL OF WERE IALISTS WHO REGNIZED WE HAD A GREAT RPONSIBILY TO GET RIGHT OM THE START,” HE EXPLAS. “WE WERE VERY AWARE AND UT BEE WE KNEW EVERYTHG WE DID WOULD SET PRECENT.“WE GREW TO BE VERY CLOSE AS WELL,” STEMM ADDS. “I BELIEVE WAS THE VERY FIRST TIME ANYONE REFERRED TO ANY OF AS ‘GAY ACTIVISTS!’”JT FOUR MONTHS AFTER THEIR IAL MEETG, PARASOLS ON PARA – WHICH WOULD EVENTUALLY EVOLVE TO S FULL-SLE PARA – BEGAN AT 11 A.M. THERE WERE NO FLOATS, BUT NEARLY 1,000 MARCHERS REPRENTG MORE THAN 60 BARS, BS AND ANIZATNS MA THEIR WAY THROUGH THE CY’S HISTORIC KENWOOD NEIGHBORHOOD TO THE GRAND CENTRAL DISTRICT.UP TO 800 MARCHERS ALSO RRIED A MASSIVE PRI FLAG ACROSS TWO BLOCKS, CHEERED AND JOED BY ONLOOKERS. MORE THAN 100 VENDORS PARTICIPATED THE SUBSEQUENT STREET FTIVAL. ORGANIZERS WERE AWE.“CARL KUTTLER, THE FIRST STREET FTIVAL CHAIR AND I WERE LERALLY PICKG EACH OTHER UP AND TWIRLG EACH OTHER AROUND THE MIDDLE OF CENTRAL AVENUE WH THE UNBELIEVABLE 10,000 PEOPLE AROUND ,” STEMM RELLS. “JT PICTURE TWO, 250-POUND QUEENS TWIRLG AROUND TEARS WH A HELIPTER TAKG PICTUR OF ALL OF . I JT REMEMBER BOTH SHOUTG, ‘I N’T BELIEVE WE DID THIS!’”BROUGHMAN SAYS THAT WHILE HE DIDN’T HAVE MANY DAY-OF RPONSIBILI AS ST PETE PRI’S TREASURER, HE STILL FELT THE CROWD’S IMPACT.“I WAS SO AMAZED AT ALL OF THE NEWS TCKS,” HE REMEMBERS. “IT FELT LIKE THERE WERE PEOPLE ON EVERY RNER, TERVIEWG WHAT I WOULD LL ‘NORMAL PEOPLE’ WHO WERE JT THERE FOR PRI. I REMEMBER THKG, ‘THIS IS WHY I LOVE ST. PETE. YOU DON’T HAVE TO HI OR BE ASHAMED AND THIS IS A GREAT WAY FOR THE STRAIGHT WORLD TO MEET .’”BROUGHMAN SAYS MASTREAM NEWS VERAGE THAT EVENG PRIMARILY PATED A DIFFERENT PICTURE, HOWEVER, FOCG LARGE PART ON A SGLE PROTTOR AND RERCG STEREOTYP.“THIS WAS [FORMER ST. PETERSBURG MAYOR RICK] BAKER’S ERA,” HE NOT. “THERE WAS A NSERVATIVE SI OF THGS.”BAKER BARELY ACKNOWLEDGED ST PETE PRI, DISPARAGG WHEN HE DID. INSTEAD, THEN-COUNCILMEMBER RICK KRISEMAN – THE LONGTIME LGBTQ ALLY WHO WOULD SERVE TWO TERMS AS ST. PETERSBURG MAYOR BEGNG 2014 – REGNIZED AND CELEBRATED THE GURAL EVENT ALONGSI THE MUNY.“THERE WILL ALWAYS BE A PLACE FOR HIM MY HEART FOR THAT,” LEVETT SAYS.THE CY’S PROCLAMATN IS ONE OF THE THGS HOTON REMEMBERS MOST FONDLY. PRI’S FORMER SECRETARY SAYS THAT “HAVG THE CY UNCIL CLARE JUNE AS LGBT MONTH SPE THE MAYOR’S OBJECTNS WAS A BIG W FOR . I FELT VERY PROUD.”OTHER MOMENTS OM THE FIRST CELEBRATN STICK OUT TO LONGSTRETH, LIKE THE YOUNG FAY WHO BROUGHT THEIR CHILDREN TO THE PROCSNAL TO TEACH THEM ABOUT DIVERSY. TWO G OUT STORI ALSO RONATE.“THERE WAS AN 80-YEAR-OLD WIDOWER, WHO SAID HE FALLY FELT FORTABLE G OUT AFTER HIS WIFE HAD PASSED,” LONGSTRETH SAYS, “AND A TEENAGER WHO SAID HE ME OUT TO WORK BY ASKG OR AN EXTRA DAY OFF FOR PRI. I FELT PROUD ABOUT WHAT WE ACPLISHED AND THE DIVERSY OF WHO WE REACHED.”WHILE THE ANIZATN HAS UNRGONE SIGNIFINT CHANG THE LAST TWO S, OM S LEARSHIP TO THE LOTN OF S PARA, ST PETE PRI’S MISSN TO REACH THE MUNY SERV IS STRONGER THAN EVER. LONGSTRETH SAYS HE’S THANKFUL THE ANIZATN HAS REACHED 20 YEARS.“IT’S BEEN GREAT TO SEE GROW SO FAST, EVEN WH SOME OF THE UAL GROWG PAS AND STGGL,” HE SAYS. “I’M HUMBLED AND GLAD TO HAVE PLAYED A PART AND PLEASED TO SEE MANY NEW LEARSHIP POSNS AND THE DIVERSY OF THE BOARD THIS YEAR.”MARCHING FORWARDTO PREPARE FOR ST PETE PRI’S 20TH YEAR – AND TO POSN THE ANIZATN FOR S NEXT 20 – THE NONPROF WELED ALMOST ENTIRELY NEW LEARSHIP 2022. SERVG NOT ONLY AS PRINT BUT AS ACTG EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, FREISBERG LED THE SEARCH FOR A FULL-TIME EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AND CURRENT BOARD AS HER TENURE BEGAN.ST PETE PRI’S LAST EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR VATED THE POSN LATE 2019. THE POSN’S UPDATED SCRIPTN NOTED THEY WERE SEEKG “A PASSNATE, STRATEGIC AND LLABORATIVE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR TO HELP STEWARD THE ANIZATN THROUGH S 20TH YEAR AND BEYOND.”“AS ST PETE PRI SETS S SIGHTS ON LEADG THE TRANSFORMATN OF ST. PETERSBURG TO ONE OF THE NATN’S PREMIERE LGBTQ+ STATNS, THE ED WILL BE RPONSIBLE FOR IMPLEMENTG ANIZATNAL STCTURE AND MATAG THE FANCIAL AND OPERATNAL WELL-BEG OF THE ANIZATN,” ALSO READ.THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OVERSE ST PETE PRI’S OPERATNS, FUNDRAISG, MARKETG, MUNITNS, MUNY PARTNERSHIPS AND EVENT STRATEGI ARE BEG EFFECTIVELY IMPLEMENTED. APPLINTS WERE REQUIRED TO HAVE EXTENSIVE EXPERIENCE PROGRSIVE LEARSHIP AND FOR-PROF BUDGET MANAGEMENT, AS WELL AS AN “THENTIC PASSN FOR CELEBRATG DIVERSY, EQUY AND CLN.”“FOR OUR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR WHO’S STEERG THE SHIP, WAS REALLY SENTIAL THAT WE FD SOMEONE WHO WAS POLISHED BUT APPROACHABLE AND WHO WAS A MEMBER OF THE QUEER MUNY OR HAD A PERSONAL EXPERIENCE THAT RELATED TO THE QUEER MUNY, SO WOULD BE MORE THAN JT A JOB,” FREISBERG EXPLAS.THEY FOUND THAT OPENLY LGBTQ ACTIVIST NILE BERMAN. SHE RELOTED OM WASHGTON JANUARY, HAVG MOST RECENTLY SERVED AS THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR A DOMTIC VLENCE AND SEXUAL ASSLT SERVIC AGENCY.“TIFFANY SHARED THAT ST PETE PRI WANTED TO BE TENTNALLY MORE CLIVE AND ACCSIBLE AND TO VT THE ST. PETE MUNY YEAR AROUND,” BERMAN TOLD WATERMARK AFTERWARDS. “SO WASN’T JT ABOUT THOSE 300,000 PEOPLE YOU’RE WORKG TO BRG , BUT REALLY WHAT WE DO FOR THE RE MUNY THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.“I LOVE THE PARTY, BUT THE IA OF BEG A CULTURAL STUTN THAT BENEFS THE MUNY YEAR-ROUND REALLY SPOKE TO ME,” SHE NTUED. “ST PETE PRI ISN’T ABOUT THE BOARD OR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR. IT’S NOT THEIR PRI OR MY PRI. IT’S ST. PETE’S PRI.”THAT’S SOMETHG EVERY ST PETE PRI VOLUNTEER AGRE WH. THE ANIZATN’S EXECUTIVE MTEE ALSO CLUS TREASURER STANLEY SOLOMONS, WHO HAS SERVED VAR PACI SCE 2008 AND SECRETARY MOLLY ROBISON, WHO OFFICIALLY JOED 2020.FERNANDO CHONQUI, CAREY MEARS, GABE ALV-TOMKO, CLIFFORD HOBBS, DARI LIGHTSEY, STEPHANIE ME AND BYRON GREEN ROUND OUT THE BOARD. THEY EACH JOED THIS OR LAST YEAR, EAGER TO GUI THE ANIZATN THROUGH S LANDMARK CELEBRATN.“THIS IS THE MOST ENTHIASTIC GROUP OF PEOPLE ON THE BOARD THAT I’VE SEEN QUE A WHILE,” SOLOMONS SAYS AS THE BOARD’S LONGT-SERVG MEMBER. “NONE OF ARE DOG THIS FOR A PARTY, ALTHOUGH WE DO ENJOY A PARTY. THE ONLY THG YOU SHOULD GET OUT OF PRI FOR YOURSELF IS THE JOY OF SEEG HAPPEN, AND WE’RE DOG FOR THE RIGHT REASONS.”MISS ST PETE PRI 2022 OFFICIALLY KICKED OFF PRI’S 20TH SEASON MAY 22. TEN NTTANTS SOUGHT THE TLE, A TRADN THAT FIRST BEGAN 2009, BUT TAMPA BAY ENTERTAER DELOR T. VAN-CARTIER TOOK THE CROWN.“IT WAS A STUNNG EVENG AND THE PERFECT START TO OUR 20TH ANNIVERSARY PRI SEASON,” ST PETE PRI SHARED AFTERWARDS. “WE ARE EPLY GRATEFUL TO ALL THE NTTANTS, JUDG AND VOLUNTEERS FOR HELPG CREATE SUCH A SPECIAL EVENG.”VAN-CARTIER SUBSEQUENTLY PERFORMED HER OFFICIAL PACY JUNE 1 DURG THIS YEAR’S KICK-OFF-PARTY. SUPPORTERS GATHERED AT THE START OF PRI MONTH FOLLOWG THE FLAG RAISG, AN ANNUAL TRADN.SHE SAYS SHE’S EXCED TO REPRENT ST PETE PRI THROUGH S 20TH YEAR BEE “THE ALLIANCE IS SEND TO NONE. I’M SO HAPPY TO BE A PART OF THAT AND SEE THE HISTORY BEHD . THERE’S SO MUCH LOVE.”THE ENTERTAER, WHO HAS PERFORMED FOR 27 YEARS AND CURRENTLY LLS HAMBURGER MARY’S CLEARWATER HER HOME BASE, SE DRAG AS A HEALG OUTLET. “THERE ARE SO MANY BAD THGS GOG ON THE WORLD AND ’S NICE SOMETIM TO JT BREAK AWAY OM ALL,” VAN-CARTIER SAYS. “LET’S ALL HAVE FUN AND BE SAFE THIS YEAR, REMEMBERG WHAT PRI IS REALLY ALL ABOUT.”ST PETE PRI’S 20-YEAR CELEBRATN NTU THROUGHOUT JUNE, WH AN EXPECTED 300,000 ATTEN. ORGANIZERS HAVE WORKED DILIGENTLY TO TRODUCE NEW EVENTS AS WELL AS HER THE RETURN OF OLD FAVOR.“LAST YEAR WE WERE THE MIDST OF COVID BUT THIS YEAR IS DIFFERENT,” FREISBERG SAYS. “WE N MAKE THE BT AND BIGGT CELEBRATN POSSIBLE FOR OUR 20TH ANNIVERSARY AND WE’RE A UNIQUE POSN TO DO SO.”LIKE LAST YEAR, ST PETE PRI WILL ENTERTA THE MASS WH EVENTS EACH WEEKEND THROUGH THE END OF JUNE. CELEBRY GUTS CARSON KRSLEY AND SANDRA BERNHARD WILL RPECTIVELY HOST NEW MIL AND EDIC EVENTS JUNE 11-12 WHILE THE STONEWALL RECEPTN AND A FAY-FOCED EVENT WILL RETURN JUNE 17 AND 18.“THERE’S AN APPETE FOR THE TYP OF EVENTS,” FREISBERG EXPLAS. “FAY DAY WAS VERY POPULAR LAST YEAR, SO WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE RETURNED, PECIALLY GIVEN THAT FLORIDA HAS BEE THE NATNAL EPICENTER FOR LGBTQ BACKLASH AT THE MOMENT.”ON JULY 1, THE STATE’S “PARENTAL RIGHTS EDUTN” LAW WILL GO TO EFFECT, WILY KNOWN AS FLORIDA’S “DON’T SAY GAY OR TRANS” BILL. BACKED BY GOV. RON DESANTIS, THE MEASURE HAS DRAWN TERNATNAL DISDA AND WILL LIM CLASSROOM DISCSN OF SEXUAL ORIENTATN AND GENR INTY SCHOOLS.NEW EVENTS TENTNALLY CENTERG BIPOC MEMBERS OF THE MUNY WILL ALSO BE HELD JUNE 17-19. THE FIRST WILL BE HELD PARTNERSHIP WH THE TAMPA BAY BLACK LBIANS GROUP AND THE SEND WILL WELE CELEBRY GUT TS MADISON CELEBRATN OF JUEENTH, PLANNED BY BOARD MEMBERS DARI LIGHTSEY AND CLIFFORD HOBBS. READ OUR TERVIEW WH THE HOSTS ON P. 39.THE CELEBRATN “HONORS THE EMANCIPATN OF ENSLAVED AIN AMERINS AND IS A DAY OF CELEBRATN AND REFLECTN,” LIGHTSEY EXPLAS. “LIKE PRI, JUEENTH HONORS EEDOM AND LOVE OF PERSONS.”MADISON AND OTHER PERFORMERS WILL “EMBODY ALL OF THOSE QUALI,” HE ADDS. “IT WILL BE A WONRFUL MUNY EVENT THAT WILL BRG ALL TOGETHER A TIME WHERE WE NEED MORE LOVE AND UNRSTANDG THAN EVER BEFORE.”ST PETE PRI’S SIGNATURE EVENTS LAST HELD 2019 – THEIR FRIDAY NIGHT NCERT, SATURDAY PARA AND SUNDAY STREET FTIVAL THE CELEBRATN’S BIRTHPLACE – WILL RETURN JUNE 24-26.CELEBRY HEADLERS TODRICK HALL AND PSY RT WILL LEAD FTIVI JUNE 24, PLEMENTED BY LOL PERFORMERS. FREISBERG SAYS THE TERNATNALLY ACCLAIMED ACTS WILL BRG A RENEWED ENERGY AND SENSE OF LGBTQ ACTIVISM TO ST. PETE.THIS YEAR’S PARA WILL ONCE AGA BE LED BY THE TRANSPRI MARCH JUNE 25, SIGNED TO ELEVATE TRANSGENR MEMBERS OF THE MUNY. ST. PETERSBURG DEPUTY MAYOR STEPHANIE OWENS AND LGBTQ LIAISON JIM NIXON WILL PARTICIPATE AS MAYOR WELCH PREPAR TO RI HIS MOTORCYCLE THROUGH THE ROUTE THE PARA.“I AM MOST EXCED TO SHARE THIS EXPERIENCE WH THE NEW ADMISTRATN,” NIXON SAYS. “THIS YEAR WILL BE THE FIRST TIME THE WELCH ADMISTRATN WILL BE TOGETHER FOR ST PETE PRI AND I’M LOOKG FORWARD TO SEEG THEM EXPERIENCE THE JOY AND LOVE THAT PRI BRGS.“IT’S A BIG EVENT, BUT PARTICIPATG OM THE PARA ROUTE IS UNLIKE ANYTHG YOU HAVE EXPERIENCED BEFORE,” HE NTU. “IT FILLS YOU WH SUCH PRI WHO WE ARE AND WHY ST. PETERSBURG IS A LEAR FOR ALL CI TO MOL.”THE PARA PROMIS TO BE ST PETE PRI’S LARGT TO DATE, HIGHLIGHTG 20 GRAND MARSHALS OM THEIR PAST, PRENT AND FUTURE. ITS NCURRENT FTIVAL WILL BEG AT 2 P.M. WH STEP-OFF AT 4 P.M. THE PROCSNAL WILL N OM VOY PARK TO ALBERT WHTARD PARK ALONG BAYSHORE DR. DOWNTOWN. NORTH AND SOUTH STRB PARKS WILL OFFER ENTERTAMENT AND MORE THROUGH 10 P.M.IN A FIRST RECENT YEARS, WILL ALSO WELE PARA PARTICIPANTS WHO ENTERED AT NO ST, A SCHOLARSHIP BORNE OM THE PEOPLE’S COUNCIL, PRI’S EQUY, DIVERSY AND INCLN MTEE. THE IATIVE EXISTS TO HOLD THE NONPROF ACUNTABLE TO THE ENTIRE MUNY WAS SIGNED TO SERVE AND IS LED BY INDIA TORREZ AND ROCKY BUTLER.BUTLER IS THE CEO OF 9 COLORS INIATIVE, INC., A LOL ANIZATN THE FOC ON AMPLIFYG MARGALIZED VOIC WH THE LGBTQ MUNY.“I WAS PRENTED THE NEW OPPORTUNY TO WORK WH ST PETE PRI UNR NEW LEARSHIP HOP TO START WORKG TOWARD RIGHTG THE WRONGS OF PAST LEARS AND TO HELP REBUILD THE BRIDGE BETWEEN THE MORY MUNI,” HE EXPLAS. “ALONGSI INDIA WE BEGAN THE PEOPLE’S COUNCIL TO HELP FORM AN IATIVE TO MAKE ST PETE PRI MORE CLIVE AND DIVERSE.“WE FELT THE PRI PARA SCHOLARSHIP WAS NECSARY NOT AS A CHARY TO THE APPLINTS BUT TO LAY THE FIRST BRICK FOR THE BRIDGE WE TEND TO REBUILD,” HE NTU. “TO START TO GA TST FOR THIS MUNY THAT WE FELT WAS NOT REPRENTED THE PAST THE PRI PARA.”“THAT WAS JT ONE OF THEIR GREAT SUGGTNS,” BERMAN ADDS. THIS YEAR’S PARA WILL FEATURE MORE THAN 50 FLOATS AND AROUND 150 GROUPS WILL PARTICIPATE.PRI WILL SUBSEQUENTLY RETURN TO WHERE ALL BEGAN ON JUNE 26. THE PRI GRAND CENTRAL STREET CARNIVAL WILL CLU VENDORS, FOOD TCKS, AN OPEN NTAER ZONE AND STREET PERFORMANC HIGHLIGHTED BY COCKTAIL’S MA STAGE. THE LGBTQ HOTSPOT WILL WELE PERFORMERS CECE PENISTON, CRYSTAL WATERS AND “RUPL’S DRAG RACE” ALUM ROSé.“THIS IS THE 20TH ANNIVERSARY OF ST PETE PRI GRAND CENTRAL AND WILL BE BIGGER THAN EVER,” GCD PROMIS. IN A FIRST, NE FULL BLOCKS OF CENTRAL AVE. WILL CLOSE OM 22ND TO 31ST ST. OM 11 A.M.-5 P.M.“I BELIEVE THAT GCD NEEDS TO PROMOTE AND SELL THE WHOLE DISTRICT AS A UNIQUE AND FUN NSUMER EXPERIENCE STATN,” GCD ASSOCIATN EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR DAVID FOOTE SAYS. “THEN THE BS AS A WHOLE ARE SUCCSFUL BY BEG A PART OF DISTRICT. ST PETE PRI PLAYS A BIG ROLE HELPG MAKE GCD A DISTRICT-WI EXPERIENCE.“WE DON’T HAVE A BEACH OR A PIER. SO ’S VAL TO PARTNER WH EVENT ANIZATNS AND NEIGHBORHOODS TO ENHANCE OUR ECLECTIC, QUIRKY, DIVERSE, CLIVE AND FUN IMAGE,” HE NTU. “HERE’S TO 20 MORE.”“THE THEME FOR OUR 20TH ANNIVERSARY IS REALLY HONORG AND SHOWG GRATU FOR HOW WE GOT HERE,” BERMAN SAYS. “THE GRAND CENTRAL DISTRICT N’T BE LEFT OUT OF THAT. WE’RE REALLY EXCED TO PARTNER WH THEM AND HAVE AN EVENT BACK WHERE ALL STARTED.”WHILE THE DISTRICT WAS ALSO THE ORIGAL SE OF THE ST PETE PRI PARA, LEARS OM THE ANIZATN, GCD AND CY AGREE S RETURN WOULD BE A LOGISTIL IMPOSSIBILY. THEY CE THE GROWTH OF THE PARA AND THE DISTRICT SELF.“THERE HAS BEEN A LOT OF NTENT BATE ABOUT ST PETE PRI’S PARA MOVG DOWNTOWN,” LGBTQ LIAISON NIXON SAYS. “I HAVE SEEN RENEWED LLABORATN BETWEEN ST PETE PRI AND THE GRAND CENTRAL DISTRICT, AND THE PARTNERSHIP CREATED FOR THIS YEAR’S STREET RNIVAL IS A PRODUCT OF THAT. THIS, THE 20TH ANNIVERSARY, IS A PERFECT TIME TO PUT THAT DIVID HISTORY BEHD AND CELEBRATE ALL OVER THE CY AND ALL MONTH LONG.”ST PETE PRI’S 20-YEAR CELEBRATN WILL CLOSE WH TWO FAL EVENTS. TRANSTASTIC, WHICH CELEBRAT TAMPA BAY’S TRANSGENR AND NONBARY MUNY WILL RETURN TO THE MM OF FE ARTS JUNE 28 AND A WRAP-UP PARTY WILL CLOSE OUT PRI MONTH JUNE 30, CELEBRATG THE ANIZATN’S VOLUNTEERS.“WE’RE ANTICIPATG OUR LARGT EVENT YET WH BEG OUR 20TH AND OUR FIRST PARA SCE COVID,” BERMAN SAYS. “WE HOPE ’S GOG TO BE FUN AND ENTERTAG, BUT WE ALSO WANT TO KEEP THE SPIR ALIVE AS TO WHY PRI WAS CREATED.“WE BELONG HERE. WE’RE NOT GOG ANYWHERE. WE’RE NOT GOG TO S QUIETLY WHILE OUR RIGHTS ARE BEG THREATENED,” SHE NCLUS. “WE’RE GOG TO CELEBRATE AND BE PROUD OF WHO WE ARE, WHERE WE ME OM AND WHERE WE’RE GOG.”AS FOR LONGSTRETH, HIS MSAGE FOR PRIGOERS AS ST PETE PRI TURNS 20 IS SIMPLE.“DON’T FET THE ORIGS,” HE SAYS. “THIS ISN’T JT A PARA AND A PARTY. GET VOLVED … YOU N MAKE A DIFFERENCE.”‍‍READ THE ORIGAL ARTICLE THE WATERMARKSUBSCRIBESIGN UP FOR UPDAT!

Petersburg’s Central Avenue and 25th Street beme even more lorful, when an LGBTQ Pri-themed, rabow-striped mural was pated there on July Grand Central District is a ftg lotn for the mural, as the gay-iendly neighborhood was the birthplace of the first St.

ST. PETE PRI GAY FLORIDA TRAVEL GUI

Petersburg’s first LGBTQ Pri march sce the onslght of the Covid-19 panmic, and jt three months after Florida’s ernor signed what crics ll the “Don’t Say Gay” law.

Along wh rabow hats, eye makp, clothg and flags, there were prott signs the sea of Pri revelers, cludg those that said “We say gay” and "Bans off our bodi. The measure, which crics dubbed the “Don’t Say Gay” law, prohibs classroom stctn on genr inty and sexual orientatn Florida classrooms for stunts “ krgarten through gra 3 or a manner that is not age appropriate or velopmentally appropriate for stunts acrdance wh state standards.

McKeon hosted a booth where he sold water bottl, T-shirts and stickers wh “Jt Say Gay” emblazoned across the ont of each em.

In the week until the “Don’t Say Gay” law tak effect — and a moment time that for many queer people has brought a sense of unease about their future — the ever-faiar “pri as prott” rea lored how many celebrated the largt event of s kd Florida, a state that has propelled self to the center of the latt culture war. “If you’re gog to be gay anywhere Florida, St. Dpe the 90-gree heat and humidy that ntued to the early eveng hours and a smatterg of anti-gay protters holdg signs that said “J Lov You” and “How Can I Pray for You, ” patrons stayed for hours after the para, visg vendors and lol bs, and dancg North Strb Park.