Against the countless voices crying out that such a thing had no place in this town, hundreds in the Prescott-area came out to celebrate pride month with House of Hues this past June of 2023. The campus of the Suze's Prescott Center for the Arts Studio Theater was bustling with all manner of celebration for our inaugural Pride Festival.
In the face of the small group of protestors outside, the spirit of the festival prevailed, thanks in part to the presence of Free Mom Hugs near the entrance. The vibrant atmosphere and the overwhelming positivity from the hundreds of attendees overshadowed any negativity from the protestors. Once stepping into a world of glitter tattoos and rainbows, no guest was without a smile where the sense of acceptance and support within the festival grounds was palpable.
The event featured several local organizations that set up tables and provided engaging activities for festival-goers. Game On facilitated exciting board game sessions, while glitter tattoos and face painting allowed people of all ages to have fun and express their creativity. Colorful scavenger hunts and coloring pages added to the festivities, and a photobooth adorned with rainbows and pride flags became a hub of joy and laughter as people posed for their own photos. There were activities for all ages from bubbles to yoga with Pickles Lea to the chance to add to our Pride banner. Much gratitude is given to the many supportive organizations and businesses who tabled the event, from The LaunchPad Teen Center, Polara Health, Yavapai College Pride Club, Voter Choice Arizona, and more.
One particularly touching aspect of the festival was the GLSEN Rainbow Library, which showcased a collection of LGBTQ+ themed books. With a story featured right from said library came Drag Story Time with Mary Belle who read us Families, Families, Families by Suzanne Lang. The story emphasizes the importance of love, acceptance, and the different forms of family.
Every half hour there were fun performances from The Troupe, who dazzled our audiences with dance, live singing, poi ball choreography and an all ages catwalk open to all. Our performers, all local queer artists, brought the festival to life and created a lively, celebratory atmosphere.
The best defense for those marginalized under oppression is to build community. When pushed to the outskirts of society for an inherent part of one's identity, isolation is the oppressor's sharpest tool against us. The LGBTQ+ community is no stranger to how feeling lonely, overwhelmed and without support is a danger to the most vulnerable of us. We've all been there ourselves at one time or another.
This festival not only marked a significant milestone for the LGBTQ+ community but also reflected the progress that is being made in creating a more inclusive and supportive Prescott. House of Hues and the entire LGBTQ+ community in Prescott are determined to build upon this momentum and continue fostering an atmosphere where love and acceptance are the norm. The Pride Festival was merely the beginning, and the future holds countless possibilities for a town that is now actively embracing change. Despite any resistance we face, we shall prevail and we shall do it together.
House of Hues asked our Pride Festival guests...
What does PRIDE mean to you?
Here were the answers from our community:
Family without fear!
Being yourself
A holiday
Pride to means loving yourself + others unconditionally. Everyone needs love.
It means uplifting each other with no shame. We love. We accept. We unify! ♡
HAPPY! And they were roommates
family. Acceptance and who you want to be
Pride means inclusivity and kindness
Immense courage to go against the grain only to be true to yourself. Self-love!
Pride means anything and anyone is perfect and amazing
EMBRACING LOVE
Pride makes me feel like I belong
Being able to be proud of yourself and feel confident in who you love! Love who you want ♡
Pride means being your true self and being proud of it ♡
To be accepted. To be me.
ACTIVISM
A safe place to express ourselves + advocacy for inclusion.
Being me without reserve. ♡
Hope for the future
Being myself without fear or judgement. Loving those that I love most - in my own way ♡
Don't let yourself suffer
Being true to myself, and having others be true to themselves
Love
Pride means being yourself no matter what
The acceptance of yourself and celebrating others ♡
Being without fear
It means accepting and valuing all
Loving who you want to love
Pride means being yourself and finding love with any gender ♡
Pride to me means being who you are without caring and with love
Being and loving yourself
Pride means good, proud to be myself
Pride means family + friends and loving everyone! ♡
Inclusivity and accepting differences ♡
Being yourself no matter what!
♡ Community ♡
Don't be afraid to be yourself ♡
Pride means Freedom & Love ♡ Be Who You Are
To me it means being who you are and not being ashamed ♡
It means that I am seen and I feel safe. I get to be Me!
Pride is joy, showing we are here & still exist, honoring the POC trans women who came before us. Pride is community.
Pride to me means being proud of any aspect of you, overall being non-judgmental of yourself.
TO BE WHO I AM!
House of Hues was honored to share with the Prescott area our first ever Pride Festival of its kind. Thank you to everyone in our community who joined us for the celebration.
Story written by Sylvia Ximi
