Pride celebrations have been held annually in Anchorage since 1977, though their scale has certainly increased over time. Photo Courtesy Anchorage Pride
June is LGBTQ+ Pride Month, annually commemorating the Stonewall riots in June 1969. Pride is about celebrating the LGBTQ+ community, culture and its history. Several events will be held this month at UAA and around the wider community to celebrate the occasion.
The first two of these events are the D Street PRIDE Block Party and the PRIDE Memorial Service, held June 3 and 5, respectively. The Block Party was the kickoff for the celebration, while the memorial was about educating and telling stories about advocates for the LGBTQ+ community in Anchorage.
Still to come is the Rainbow Run, a charity 5K held on June 14th. Proceeds will benefit the Alaskan AIDS Assistance Association and Choosing Our Roots, two organizations identified by organizers as “making a difference for LGBTQ+ Alaskans.”
The Rainbow Run will take place on the Ship Creek Trail in Anchorage, but there will also be a virtual option for interested participants who can’t attend in person. The virtual period begins on June 7 and runs until the completion of the in-person race on the 14th.
UAA’s largest Pride event is the Sunshine and Sandwiches Walk, which returns this year. The event invites UAA students to join for a walk around campus and “celebrate queerness.” After completing the roughly mile-long walk, participants can partake in sandwiches outside the Student Union. Wild Scoops will be providing ice cream sandwiches as well.
For members of the queer community, the Lavender Leaders Panel will be held via zoom on June 22 to connect to leaders within Anchorage and Alaska.
Finally, capping off the celebrations, the 4th Annual Pride Block Party will be held at the Writer’s Block Bookstore on June 25. The event will feature music, art, food and drinks in a family-friendly atmosphere.
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