News :: GLBT
Despite the weather, the tree lit up with pride by Krittiya Wongtavavimarn
contributing writerThursday Jun 11, 2009 For the first time in its history, the 16th annual Pridelights concert and tree-lighting ceremony was moved indoors due to inclement weather. But that didn’t stop more than 300 LGBT people from celebrating their pride at Club Café on June 9.
Organized and sponsored by AIDS Action Committee (AAC), the event marked the unofficial kickoff of the Pride festivities in the city. It also served as AAC’s official kickoff of some of the agency’s intensive prevention and education initiatives that occur during Boston Pride.
"I’m really thrilled to be here as we kick off the 39th year of Pride in Boston," said Rebecca Haag, executive director of AAC. "This is the great week in which we as a community get to celebrate how wonderful and how special we are."
As a Boston Pride tradition since 1995, Pridelights once again offered back-to-back entertaining performances and the presentation of special awards, but the hallmark of the event, the lighting of the tree in front of the Boston Center for the Arts Plaza, had to be reworked to compensate for the weather. As a proxy for that tree, organizers placed a fake tree on the Club Café stage, adorned with the trademark Pridelights pink mini lights. Once the legendary Hat Sisters, Timothy O’Connor and John Michael Groy, flipped the giant pink switch to light the tree on stage, the 40-foot pine tree decorated with pink Sylvania LED lights in front of the BCA Plaza also lit up the South End.
"This event helps to acknowledge the fact that we are part of a bigger community of Boston, and the Pride celebration helps to unify the community as well," said AAC marketing manager Keith Orr, who also served as master of ceremonies.
Once drag diva Verna Turbulence appeared on stage in her sparkling pink beaded mini dress, the crowd packed into the back room of Club Café and clapped, hollered and hooted along to her performance. Showstoppers also included Mizery, Kris Knievil, Raquel Blake and Fena Barbitall, who wowed the audience with their lip-syncing and dynamic dance moves.
AAC also presented its Spirit of Stonewall Award to the Imperial Court of Massachusetts, a fundraising organization dedicated to raising money on behalf of AIDS and LGBT charitable causes. The Sprit of Service Award was presented to Peter Urban, a well-known South End photographer who has lived with AIDS for over two decades. The Men’s Action Life Empowerment (MALE) Center also presented a special award to AAC volunteer Ronald Brankley for his outstanding contribution and commitment to the AAC.
"I’m very ... very proud," said Urban, who has worked on photo campaigns and art auctions for ACC for the last 15 years. "I think they gave the award to me because I’ve done a lot of stuff for them for a long time. Simple as that. And you don’t do these kind of things for recognition but you do it because it makes you feel good."
Urban has received extraordinary support from AAC and the people surrounding him, he said. The veteran photographer suggested those hiding in the closet come out and not be afraid to live their lives.
"I think you have to keep being a presence, do things and get busy. You have to surround yourself with people who are supportive. You have to let go of your inhibition and understand that you are worth being proud of. And that makes things start to change - your goals, your projects - for the better," he said.
Later that night, Mayor Thomas Menino also showed support for the LGBT community when addressing the crowd.
"Boston will show the whole country that we are the city that understands the issue about GLBT and we are proud of it. We are not hiding. We will show America that there’s nothing wrong about same-sex marriage," he said.
"Gay marriage is good for the soul, just like chicken soup. It’s a civil right, an equality issue. For all of those struggling, come to Boston. And we will show you what a difference we have made in people’s lives," added Menino.
Eddie Baker, who came to Pridelights for the second time, said Boston makes him feel good and proud of himself.
"It’s a big celebration and a way we can come together as a community. It means being proud of who you are. It means being equal in the community. It means being equal as a human being," he said.
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