HUDSON VALLEY PRIDE

Here in New York's Hudson Valley, there are LOTS of happenings in June centered around celebrating Pride and all of our LGBTQIA+ friends and family. While you know we love ourselves a good celebration, we also recognize that the origins of Pride we not celebratory and stemmed from a need to fight, protest, and survive. We collectively honor our LGBTQIA+ ancestors by ensuring that all programs listed are rooted in intersectionality, liberation and justice for all, and safety for those most impacted in our communities.

While you're here, please read and sign this accountability letter to the Hudson Valley LGBTQ Center here.

2023: on hold...

As an organization dedicated to intersectionality and to keeping marginalized creatives safe, healthy, and housed, it is no longer within our capacity to hold platform for this events calendar as many organizations have gone "back to normal" and are ignoring the lingering COVID-19 pandemic and need for event accessibility. It would not be aligned with our values to promote unsafe or inaccessible events, and we urge all organizers to reference our checklists and resource guides here so that all programming is designed with safety, access, and true inclusion in mind.

#HudsonValleyPride2022

A PSA from Team Celebrate as Pride approaches:

Lots of emotions these days. Excitement, grief, joy, fear… some preemptive, some happening now. As the pandemic lingers, grows, & directly affects us, we’ve had many deep conversations. We ask ourselves: How are we expected to show up this Pride? What does showing up look like as protocols dwindle? What do we owe our community during a time where physical & emotional health are imperative to survival?

Our government has proven they do not serve us, prioritizing profit over people historically & throughout the pandemic. To discard protocols now (as COVID costs us & long-COVID leaves millions disabled) is to discard so many friends we’ve made through this work; those who are without access to healthcare, disproportionately affected by the healthcare system, caretakers, parents, immunocompromised, chronically ill, so many others. All of whom are now built into the decisions we make. All of whom are valuable, wonderful, & worth accommodating.

We miss you. We are not here to police what anyone does this Pride season. We support you, full stop. We will continue to show up to events that meet our comfort levels & amplify work being done. We recognize the gravity of our platform & the short/long term effects of holding space. We also will not be holding in-person, indoor, unmasked programming at the moment & do not feel comfortable hosting our online Hudson Valley Pride calendar this year. We’ll continue to encourage all people & orgs holding programming to include detailed protocols in their marketing, are grateful to those who do so, & are not comfortable amplifying those who do not. We built a checklist for event organizers (click here) that centers COVID & accessibility & hope you’ll be upfront with attendees, as everyone deserves informed consent.

We all know the origins of Pride. Stonewall was a rebellion. As queer people, riots & protest have been among the most powerful tools we have to create change. The fight never ends, just shifts. We must all choose for ourselves how we show up & how best to honor our own bodies. For us, that looks like encouraging you to ask questions this Pride & to be as truly inclusive as possible if you’re organizing.

If we end up hosting any programming, it'll be listed here.
Big appreciation and love,
Team Celebrate

#HudsonValleyPride2021

The events listed were hosted by LGBTQIA+-centered organizations throughout the Hudson Valley. We collaborated with one another to present Pride programming that was safe and accessible for everyone in our communities.

2023: on hold...

​​​#HudsonValleyPride2022

​​#HudsonValleyPride2021

#HudsonValleyPride2022

#HudsonValleyPride2021