LIHU‘E — There will be a Pride Parade, Saturday, announced a group of Kaua‘i Pride Parade Committee members, Thursday, when the group accepted proclamations from Mayor Derek S.K. Kawakami, and the Kaua‘i County Council as a whole announcing that June is celebrated as Kaua‘i LGBTQ+ Pride Month.
“It’s the first one after we had to adapt to the global pandemic,” said Betsy Ashley. “We’re staging at Vidinha Stadium, and marching on Rice Street, ending at the historic County Building where there will be a festival following until 2 p.m.”
Motorists are reminded that Rice Street will be closed from 8:30 a.m. until after the parade ends around 10 a.m. The Pride Parade with approximately 30 floats is scheduled to start at 9 a.m. on Rice Street.
Kawakami, in his proclamation, said the Kaua‘i Pride Parade Committee was formed to create a family-friendly event to celebrate its LGBTQ+ community members, and for young people to see themselve reflected in their community and know that they belong.
Following a successful inaugural event in 2019, a creative virtual “Pride Inside” event in 2020 at the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic, and a drive-through parade in 2021, the committee is back this year to host a parade for the community, Kawakami said.
The Kaua‘i County Council borrowed from the Library of Congress in stating “the commemorative month of June is meant to recognize the sweeping impact that Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer+ individuals, advocates, and allies have on history in the United States and around the globe.”
“Don’t forget the food trucks,” said Maureen Mo Nuccio-Hiraga. “There are at least three different varieties of food, and more at the festival. This is the first festival since 2019, and the fourth since the Kaua‘i Pride Parade Committee was formed in 2018.”
Ashley said the festival that runs until 2 p.m. will have local resource tables, artists, vendors, an aerial dancer, taiko, drag performances, hula, and much more.
Kawakami said he is excited to be participating in the event since he witnessed the excitement from the 2021 event where motorists had rainbow flags hanging from their car windows as they passed the different stations set up on the street. His excitement was shared by members of the County Council whose calendars were open to participate in the event.
Since the 1969 Stonewall riots in New York City that was considered the first push towards the gay liberation movement, the LGBTQ+ communities and their allies have joined together to march in the streets and bring attention to the discrimination against LGBTQ+ people.
Renae Hamilton-Cabeilh, the YWCA of Kaua‘i executive director, said this movement and support has grown to where Kaua‘i was able, for the first time, to present $1,500 scholarships to two individuals — Jacob Lester and Athena Gardenia.
“Despite our progress here on Kaua‘i and throughout our state, discrimination still exists in our world, and in some places it’s rampant,” the mayor said “That is why it is so important now as it was in 1969 to come together in unity, treat each other fairly and with respect, love one another without judgement, and continue to stand up for equal rights for all people of all ethnicities, sexual orientations, and gender identities.”
Matthew Houck, accepting the proclamations, said to mark your calendars for the 2023 parade that will take place June 3, 2023.
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Dennis Fujimoto, staff writer and photographer, can be reached at 245-0453 or dfujimoto@thegardenisland.com.
