A Sneak Peek at Naples Pride

>> PRIDE MONTH IS NOT UNTIL JUNE, BUT SOME FLORIDA COUNTIES ARE GEARING UP TO CELEBRATE EARLY. >> NAPLES PRIDE FEST IS SET FOR APRIL 18TH IN CAMBIER PARK AND WILL TAKE PLACE DESPITE AN ONGOING LAWSUIT BETWEEN PRIDE FEST AND THE ACLU AGAINST THE CITY OF NAPLES FOR AN UPDATE ON THE LEGAL FIGHT, I'M NOW JOINED WITH NAPLES PRIDE BOARD MEMBER AND ATTORNEY CALLAN SOLD A BEANIE. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US. >> THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HAVING US. >> CAN YOU PLEASE EXPLAIN THE PURPOSE OF PRIDE FEST AND WHY THIS EVENT IS SO IMPORTANT TO NAPLES? >> ABSOLUTELY. NAPLES PRIDE AND OUR FESTIVAL SO MUCH MORE THAN JUST A FESTIVAL. WE REALLY SEE IT AS A LIFELINE, NOT ON THESE A DAY OF CELEBRATION, BUT IT'S A FUNDRAISER TO SUPPORT A LOT OF THE PROGRAMS THAT NAPLES PRIDE OFFERS NAPLES ON THE SOUTHWEST FLORIDA COMMUNITY. SO WE'RE ABLE TO PROVIDE MENTAL-HEALTH PROGRAMS. WE CONNECT PEOPLE WITH RESOURCES AND CREATE A SAFE SPACE FOR IN DOUBLE INDIVIDUALS WHO OFTEN DON'T HAVE ELSEWHERE TO GO. BESIDES NAPLES, PRIDE. THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE HERE, ESPECIALLY YOUNG PEOPLE WHO WALK IN OR CENTER AFTER BEING REJECTED OR ISOLATED BY THE ONES WHO ARE SUPPOSED TO LOVE THEM AND CARE FOR THEM. AND THEY'RE JUST LOOKING FOR ONE THINGS SIMPLY A PLACE WHERE THEY CAN FEEL SEEN AND ACCEPTED WHAT WE DO IS HELP PEOPLE WHO COME TO US REBUILD THAT CONFIDENCE AND STABILITY IN COMMUNITY. WHEN PEOPLE FEEL SUPPORTED, THEY DON'T JUST SURVIVE. THEY CONTRIBUTE IN WORK AND CREATE AND GIVE BACK. SO THE IMPACT ISN'T JUST PERSONAL. REALLY RIPPLES ACROSS ALL OF SOUTHWEST FLORIDA. SO WE LIKE TO SAY THAT PRIDE FEST IS ONE DAY WHERE WE CELEBRATE VISIBLY IN SUPPORT OF OUR NAPLES PRIDE MISSION OVERALL. >> IF YOU ARE DEEPLY PASSIONATE ABOUT THE MISSION, YOU ARE ALSO SUING THE CITY OF NAPLES ALONG WITH THE ACLU. CAN YOU EXPLAIN WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF THE LAWSUIT? WHAT BROUGHT IT ABOUT AND THEN UPDATE US ON WHERE IT STANDS AS WE SPEAK. AT ITS CORE ARE. >> LAWSUIT AGAINST THE CITY OF NAPLES IS REALLY ABOUT THE FIRST AMENDMENT. IT'S WHETHER A CITY CAN RESTRICT PROTECTED EXPRESSION, NOT BECAUSE IT'S UNSAFE, BUT BECAUSE SOME PEOPLE JUST DON'T LIKE IT. AND A FEDERAL JUDGE HAS ALREADY RECOGNIZE IT. OUR DRAG PERFORMANCES ARE EXPRESSIVE ACTIVITY AND PROTECTED BY THE CONSTITUTION. SO THIS ISN'T ABOUT ASKING ANYONE TO AGREE WITH PRIDE OR TO AGREE WITH DRAG OR CLEAR OUR IT'S ABOUT WHETHER THE GOVERNMENT CAN PICK AND CHOOSE WHICH VIEWPOINTS ARE ALLOWED IN PUBLIC SPACES. AND IN THIS COUNTRY, THE ANSWER SHOULD ALWAYS BE NO. AND IF YOU BELIEVE THAT THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD BE ABLE TO PICK AND CHOOSE, WHICH HE POINTS ARE ALLOWED IN PUBLIC SPACES. WE ENCOURAGE YOU TO REFLECT ON WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOUR VIEWPOINTS. OUR NEXT ON THE CHOPPING BLOCK. >> WHAT IS YOUR ULTIMATE HOPE FOR THE OUTCOME OF THE LAWSUIT IN THE FUTURE OF PRIDE FEST? WE HOPE THE CITY. >> WHAT WE HOPE FOR THE CITY WHEN WE WENT TO THEM BACK IN JANUARY OF 2026. 2 AND APPROVE OUR PERMIT. WE HOPE THAT THE CITY WOULD RETURN TO WHAT IT DID FOR YEARS BEFORE THIS MANUFACTURED OUTRAGE AGAINST THE DRUG COMMUNITY. WE ASKED THEM TO APPROVE THE PERMIT AND TREAT NAPLES PRIDE LIKE ANY OTHER COMMUNITY EVENTS. AND APPROVE OUR PERMIT AS WE REQUESTED WITH OUR DROUGHT PERFORMANCES, FAMILY-FRIENDLY OUT ON THE STAGE. TO US, IT'S REALLY ABOUT. IT'S ABOUT WHETHER PEOPLE ARE ALLOWED TO EXIST FULLY AND EQUALLY IN A PLACE THAT THEY CALL HOME. AND WHAT WE'RE EXPECTING IS THAT THE COURTS, THE FEDERAL DISTRICT COURT WILL RULE IN OUR FAVOR AND AGREE THAT THIS THAT DRAG IS CONSTITUTIONALLY PROTECTED SPEECH. AND EVEN IF SOME DON'T AGREE WITH IT, THAT THE FIRST AMENDMENT RIGHTS ARE PROTECTED FOR ALL. THIS IS. SOMETHING WE WANT PEOPLE TO EXPECT IN APRIL IS THAT OUR PRIDE FEST IS NOT ABOUT POLITICS. IT'S ABOUT PEOPLE HERE IN OUR COMMUNITIES BOUT. WEATHER. SOMEONE MAY BE DIFFERENT FROM YOU AND WHO LIVES IN OUR COMMUNITY. IT'S ABOUT THEM. IT'S TO MAKE THEM FEEL SEEN AND COMFORTABLE AND FEEL INCLUDED AND SUPPORTED IN THIS BEAUTIFUL PLACE THAT WE ALL CALL HOME. IT'S ABOUT WEATHER. YOU PROTECT THE RIGHT TO BE DIFFERENT FROM ONE ANOTHER. EVEN WHEN IT'S UNCOMFORTABLE. AND IT'S ABOUT REMEMBERING SOMETHING REALLY SIMPLE THAT A STRONG COMMUNITY. ISN'T BUILT BY SILENCING EACH OTHER'S DIFFERENCES. IT'S BUILT BY MAKING SPACE FOR EACH OTHER. AND SO OUR PRIDE CELEBRATION, A BILL IS ALL ABOUT CELEBRATING THE BEAUTIFUL AND DIVERSE AND WONDERFUL COMMUNITY THAT WE ALL LIVE IN. >> THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR SHARING ALL THIS INFORMATION. IN YOUR PERSPECTIVE TODAY. THANK YOU FOR JOINING US TODAY. >> YES, ABSOLUTELY. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.