Newark-Essex Pride Celebrates Its Most Successful Year To Date

NEWARK, NJ, July 02, 2011

On June 6, 2011, Newark's Mayor Cory Booker, Councilman Darrin S. Sharif, Councilman Luis A. Quintana, and the LGBTQ Advisory Commission helped celebrate Newark-Essex Pride Week for the fifth consecutive year with the raising of the pride flag at city hall. This marked the beginning of Newark-Essex Pride Coalition's (NEPC) 7th annual pride festivities. Over 500 Newark residents participated in the standing-room only press conference that lead to the kick off of events, celebrating this year's theme, "Our Time to Shine."

"The city's LGBTQ Commission is honored to participate in pride week," said Perris Straughter, chairman of the LGBTQ Advisory Commission. "The flag raising ceremony exemplifies that the LGBTQ community is a celebrated segment of Newark. We are not silent -- we will be seen and we will be heard."

Keynote speaker Kenyon Farrow highlighted the beauty and diversity of the LGBT community during the press conference. Gary Paul Wright, executive director of the African-American Office of Gay Concerns, also opened with a live musical performance with his partner of 16 years, Peter Oates. A closing selection was rendered by Liberation in Truth Unity Fellowship Church, followed by a networking reception.

Other events scheduled throughout the week included: "Why Do You Write/Read, and How Do You Succeed?" a literary panel discussion which explored creative platforms and sources of inspiration that helped local writers connect with their own style and voice; "Let's Be Together," a conference sponsored by Rutgers' School of Social Work that augmented awareness on the issues and challenges facing LGBTIQ youth in Newark; an awards ceremony and dinner honoring Margaret L. Woods, Dr. Robert L. Johnson, MD FAAP, and the non-profit agency Project Wow; and, a pride parade finale culminated with "Pride Jam," where performers from the Tri-State area graced the stage in Washington Park and captivated a multitude of attendees.

On June 21, 2011, NEPC founder June Dowell-Burton was honored by Joseph N. DiVincenzo, Jr., Essex County Executive, with the Essex County Pride Award at the first annual Essex County LGBTQ Pride ceremony. Burton's tireless community activism and exemplary public service leadership is a major milestone and her recognition arrived on the heels of an invitation from The White House to attend the annual Pride Month Reception. LGBT leaders across the U.S. will be attending this official White House LGBT Pride Reception today in the East Room and Newark Essex Pride is proud to be in attendance of this milestone event. The event can be watched online on White House Live at 5:45 pm EDT/2:45 pm PDT.

"It is amazing that we have been invited to the White House to join a network of people from around the country to celebrate our community," said Theron Mallard, chairman of NEPC. "I am happy that NEPC will be one of the leading organizations representing Essex County during this historic event. We are going to keep moving forward because it really is our time to shine."

The overwhelming success and national recognition of NEPC falls in sync with Newark's plans to set a national standard for urban communities who are in a social and economical transformative process. "Our Time to Shine" is a bold call to action movement for LGBT communities and straight allies to come together and celebrate individuality, discuss human and civil rights issues, and combat homophobia.

Media Inquiries:
Tamara A. Fleming
Tfleming@newarkessexpride.org
(973) 280-1649

About Newark -Essex Pride Coalition
Newark-Essex Pride Coalition (NEPC) is a 501c3 organization working to ensure the social and cultural needs of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Intersex and Questioning (LGBTIQ) constituents in the city of Newark and Essex County are supported. The organization examines, exhibits and advances the socio-cultural environment of the LGBTIQ constituents in the city of Newark and the surrounding metropolitan area. To learn more about NEPC, visit http://www.newarkessexpride.org.