While many celebrate the grand opening of a new LGBTQ+ community center in D.C.’s Shaw neighborhood, there’s a mix of feelings as the Kennedy Center recently canceled a week’s worth of WorldPride events.
WorldPride, which is set to begin in May, is hosted in D.C. every two years. With events scheduled throughout the nation’s capital, some 鈥� like the “Tapestry of Pride” festivities 鈥� were expected to be held at the Kennedy Center.
鈥淩egardless of what鈥檚 happening in local, national, geopolitical climates, we鈥檙e always going to be here for our community and we鈥檙e always going to be here to provide services,鈥� said Eddie Mansius, a board member at D.C.’s LGBTQ+ Community Center.
Speaking to the Kennedy Center’s cancellation of “Tapestry of Pride” events, Donald Burch III said,” it’s sad to me.”
Burch said even with the larger LGBTQ+ community center opening鈥�� a happy event 鈥� he thought the country was in a different place.听
鈥淓ven having the center and having the community, it鈥檚 still feeling like there鈥檚 a fight 鈥� that we have to fight and we have to continue to work and that we鈥檙e still struggling to survive. I, for one, naively thought maybe we were passed that,” Burch said.
Dee Tum-Monge told 海角社区app the situation was “unfortunate.”
While they were celebrating the new community center, Tum-Monge pointed out that 鈥渢here鈥檚 frustration in the community鈥� at what unfolded with the Kennedy Center.听
Other WorldPride events were switched from the Kennedy Center to other locations.听
鈥淲e shouldn鈥檛 let it stop us in any way in continuing to host events elsewhere,鈥� said Alex Fantasia, a community organizer with DMV Queers.听
Mansius said challenges are nothing new for the LGBTQ+ community.听
鈥淲e鈥檝e always had hurdles that come up that seem unsurmountable [sic], seem like it鈥檚 the end of the road. But it never is because we鈥檙e such a strong community,” Mansius said.听
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