"Ain't No Stopping Us Now!" That was the theme of the 2013 Portland PRIDE Festival & Parade. Many Multnomah County Community Justice staff and their families took part in this celebration of the LGBTQ community. The parade took place Sunday, June 16th in downtown Portland ending at the Pride Festival at Tom McCall Waterfront Park where DCJ staff manned a booth all weekend long. Many of the staff at the booth were members of Juvenile Services Cultural Diversity Committee. In addition to many booths, the festival also included live music/entertainment, food and drinks. There were more than 130 groups who marched in the parade including various non-profits, corporations, religious entities, Oregon dignitaries and many, many more. With thousands watching and cheering on, it was a very joyous, inclusive atmosphere.
DCJ Project Manager, Joslyn Baker, headed up the organizing of DCJ staff for the event. Joslyn said, "I've marched in the parade many years and this is my first time with DCJ. It was very exciting to see the level of enthusiasm with staff and to see so many staff with families participating." Joslyn also noted that many staff who responded to the after-festival survey said they were looking forward to next year’s festival and parade - which, by the way, is June 14-15, 2014.
A huge thanks to everyone who gave their time to actively participate and attend this terrific event!
July 9, 2013