Southwest Florida Celebrates Pride

10 YEARS AFTER PRIDE MONTH WAS ESTABLISHED IN 1999. THE FESTIVITIES CAME TO FORT MYERS WITH THE FIRST PRIDE SOUTHWEST, FLORIDA. THE EVENT HAS BECOME AN ANNUAL TRADITION ATTRACTING THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE. WTC IS KATE KRONON CAPTURED THE SIGHTS AND THE SOUNDS FROM THIS YEAR'S CELEBRATION. MUSIC. >> DANCING AND LAUGHTER ARE ALL FILLING THE STREETS OF DOWNTOWN FORT MYERS. IT'S PRIDE MONTH WITH CELEBRATIONS STARTING OUTSIDE THE SIDNEY AND BERNE DAVIS ART CENTER THEN SPILLING OUT ACROSS FIRST STREET. IT IS SOUTHWEST FLORIDA'S LARGEST LGBTQ+ PRIDE CELEBRATION. ACCORDING TO ORGANIZERS PRIDE, SOUTHWEST FLORIDA, A NONPROFIT DEDICATED TO HONORING DIVERSITY AND PROMOTING INCLUSIVITY. THE FESTIVITIES ARE KICKED OFF BY THE FLORIDA CALENDAR GIRLS. WITH DANCERS ALL OVER AGE 50. THEY SET THE STAGE FOR ALL AGES TO ENJOY SOUTHWEST FLORIDA. PRIDE. AND THEY'RE REPRESENTING ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT ASPECTS OF PRIDE, INCLUSIVITY. FIRST AMBER FREY AND CRY TO SOUTHWEST FLORIDA IS PARTNERED WITH THE VISUAL ALA T A NONPROFIT CO-FOUNDED BY ARLENE GOLDBERG. OUR MISSION IS TO TO KEEP THE LGBT. >> INDIVIDUALS SAY ED. >> TOGETHER AND BEING ABLE TO JUST BE THEMSELVES. GOLDBERG IS A PILLAR OF THE LGBTQ+ COMMUNITY IN FLORIDA WHO WAS AT THE FOREFRONT OF BRING THE RIGHT TO MARRIAGE TO FLORIDA. >> SHE WAS ONE OF 8 PLANTIFFS IN A GROUND BREAKING LAWSUIT WITH THE AMERICAN CIVIL LIBERTIES UNION THAT STRUCK DOWN FLORIDA SAME MARRIAGE BAN IN 2015. THE SHOW THAT WE HAD OF OURSELVES. >> I'D WEAR NOT AFRAID TO BE OUT >> DIVERSE REPRESENTATION IS ANOTHER KEY PART OF PRIDE, ESPECIALLY FOR DRAG QUEEN EMMA ROSE WHO HOLDS THE TITLE OF MS CAPE CORAL PRIDE 2026, I THINK WHAT GOT ME INTO DRIVES THE SAME THING THAT MOTIVATES ME IS MY FIRST TIME GOING THROUGH A DRAG SHOW AND GETTING THAT FEELING OF EXCITEMENT. AND I JUST. >> I STILL REMEMBER THAT FEELING. AND WHEN I STEP ON STAGE AND I SEE PEOPLE GIVE ME THAT, LOOK, IT'S THE SAME LOOK. AND I HAD MY FIRST JACK. SO. >> JOYCE KNOWN VISITS PRIDE EVENTS ACROSS THE COUNTRY. >> UNFORTUNATELY, WE STILL LIVE IN A WORLD WHERE PEOPLE ARE MARGINALIZED AT. THERE'S NOT A SITUATION WHERE WE LIVE IN QUALITY YET. AND SO I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO HIGHLIGHT THOSE PEOPLE AND TO LIFT THEM UP WITH MARRIAGE EQUALITY ESTABLISHED IN FLORIDA JUST OVER 10 YEARS AGO. >> PRIDE IS EMPOWERING THE LGBTQ+ COMMUNITY ENSURING ALL VOICES ARE HEARD. FOR WGCU NEWS, I'M KATE CRONIN.