ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) — In Our Own Voices, a center serving the LGBTQ+ people of color community in Albany, has renamed its annual pride event. The family-friendly event will now be called Black, Indigenous, & People of Color (BIPOC) Pride.
The event was formerly known as Black & Latin@ Gay Pride and was renamed in its 17th year to be more inclusive of communities of color beyond Black & Latinx, said In Our Own Voices. “We didn’t just want to change the name,” said Rhonda Daniel, In Our Own Voices Board President. “We wanted to be more intentional in reaching BIPOC communities.”
The BIPOC Pride event is set for Saturday, June 10 from noon to 5:30 p.m. in Albany’s Washington Park. The event takes place a day before The Pride Center of the Capital Region’s 2023 Capital PRIDE Parade and Festival.
The BIPOC Pride event celebrates and recognizes the contributions, resilience, and struggles of LGBTQIA+ BIPOC people and families in the Capital Region. Attendees can enjoy food and entertainment, and there will be a kids’ activities corner.
Musical performances by Grammy-nominated singer Angie Stone and a DJ set by Nina Sky will headline the event. The lineup also includes performances by Taína Asili, London Jae Precise, Ultra Violet, Hallison Monteiro Sodré, and LaLa Myaira. DJ Jeminii and Jewel the Gem will be the 2023 BIPOC Pride emcee and DJ.
This marks In Our Own Voices’ 25th year of providing support to LGBTQIA+ BIPOC communities. In that time, the organization has served over 600,000 people locally and nationally.