This year’s theme was Pride as Protest Since 1776, and organizers say Pride will always be a protest.
The first weekend of Pride month was a celebration in the streets of Boston as thousands turned out, in every color of the rainbow, for the annual Boston Pride for the People Parade.
Three hundred different organizations with about 12,000 people were expected to participate, according to organizers, who chose this year’s theme as a reminder that before Pride was a party, it was a movement.
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Boston Pride for the People, the volunteer-led organization behind the largest Pride celebration in New England, kicked off its celebrations with an 11 a.m. parade that was accompanied by an all ages concert and festival on Boston Common.
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The route is nearly 2 miles.
It began in Copley Square and made its way through a number of streets in the South End and the Back Bay before ending on Charles Street between the Public Garden and the Common.
This year’s theme was Pride as Protest Since 1776, and organizers say Pride will always be a protest.
”There are still things that we are fighting for today, and so we want to remember those that fought before us,” said Adrianna Boulin.
“The fact that we are here, the fact that in the midst of what is really an attack LGBTQ people’s rights by legislatures across the country, by our own federal government — we’re here to protest and say we’re not going anywhere,” said Gary Daffin.
Rep. Ayanna Pressley, who marched in the parade, agreed.
“Pride is a protest,” she said. “And I love that that’s a theme for this year because that has always been the history of the LGBTQ community.”
“Everyone has to have a stake hold in each other’s freedoms, safety, dignity, humanity, and destiny,” Pressley added.
NBC10 Boston’s Sue O’Connell caught up at the parade with Gov. Maura Healey, who spoke about the importance of Pride in our state.
“With what’s going on in the country right now, we need this. And it’s so great to see so many people from around the state turn out in support of equality, in support of rights, something that as governor I’m proud to protect,” Healey said. “I want people to know if you come to Massachusetts you’ll be safe, you can live openly. We respect your rights. Happy Pride!”
The governor said in a social media post this week celebrating Pride month that Massachusetts has always been a place that believes in freedom — freedom to speak up, freedom to be yourself and freedom to love who you love.
O’Connell also spoke with Sen. Ed Markey as he marched along the parade route Saturday, with the senator echoing the governor’s message.
“The LGBTQ community, the transgender community, they’re under assault by Donald Trump, and today Boston is standing up and saying, “we have your back, we are there with you, we believe in equality, we believe in you, we love you.'”
Markey said he’s been in dozen of Pride parades, but none like this one “because Trump is attacking, and Boston and our LGBTQ community is responding, and everyone has their backs.”
“Every single day I’m ready to fight for the LGBTQ community on the floor of the senate, because when Trump is attacking, somebody’s gotta stand up and fight for them, and that’s what I try do every single day,” Markey added.
This year’s celebrations took place one week earlier than usual to accommodate FIFA World Cup activities happening in Boston next weekend.
The Boston stations of NBC and Telemundo are the proud media partners of the Boston Pride for the People Parade.
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