Perry Winkle is not just a qPDX poster child anymore but a Pride NW poster child too!
March 11, 2011, Portland OR – The Board of Pride Northwest is pleased to announce its theme for the 2011 Portland Pride Parade and Festival: “Make It Happen!” As we have seen across our country and around the world in recent months, when ordinary people come forward together and speak their truths, powerful forces can be unleashed that change the shape of things to come.
“We know that real lasting change comes from the bottom up. With our 2011 theme, ‘Make It Happen,’ we honor the work of activists everywhere, from the young person taking that brave first step in coming out to those who exercise their right to peacefully resist injustice,” stated Pride Executive Board member Mark Santillo.
“Each of us has the power to effect change in our own lives and to make a difference in the lives of others. This year’s theme challenges our community to make that critical decision to act.” For some this action may be humanitarian, for some it may be political and for others it may be intensely personal. Only you can Make It Happen. The Pride Festival itself is likewise possible because of the hundreds of volunteers and community organizations who “make it happen” every year, and the Board wishes to honor their support as well.
To better engage the community with our 2011 theme, Pride Northwest is awarding Parade prizes in several categories: “Best Implementation of Theme,” “Best Musical or other Performance,” “Most Enthusiasm,” and “Individual Stand-Out.” The first three awards will go to groups, while the last award is reserved for one person whose Pride shines brightest in the eyes of the judges.
Pride Northwest is also proud to announce its partnership with Willamette Week to publish the Official 2011 Pride Guide. The full-color guide will appear as in insert in the June 8 edition of Willamette Week. As part of its commitment, the regional weekly newspaper is also sponsoring the Pride Parade and Festival, as well as the “Pride 365” program throughout the year. Richard Meeker, Publisher of the Willamette Week, said they were “simply thrilled about this arrangement.”
This partnership offers powerful advantages not only for Pride Northwest but for our community as a whole to reach a much larger audience. Willamette Week is marshaling significant resources to produce the Pride Guide and the earlier distribution date and larger circulation of Willamette Week will allow for greater publicity of an expanding roster of Pride Week activities. “We believe the community will quickly realize tangible benefits from this partnership,” said Santillo of Pride Northwest, “and we’re delighted that the Willamette Week has extended its hand so enthusiastically. At the same time, we will continue to support minority-owned media, following the trail blazed for us by El Hispanic News over the past two years.” Pride Northwest will be contacting its community partners with details of this new agreement in the coming weeks.
For more information about the 2011 Portland Pride Parade and Festival, contact info@PrideNW.org. To register for the Parade, to obtain a Festival exhibition booth or to check on our expanding event listing and entertainment schedule, visit the website at www.PrideNW.org.
Mark A. Santillo
Outreach Coordinator
Board of Directors
Pride NW
it’s tough to be famous!
Can’t wait! Can’t imagine a bette way to celebrate my birthday.
(And looking good, Perry, looking good:) )
Just Out’s Marty Davis has some interesting points in her latest Page 3 Q&A (http://blogout.justout.com/?page_id=28356)
I take these things with a grain of salt and I don’t know the Pride Guide process but I do think she raises a good point.
For the last 2 years the guide has been put out by El Hispanic News, and before that The Mercury, which is pretty damn queer friendly.