ALLEGAN, Mich. — Allegan held its inaugural Pride celebration on Saturday.
Allegan Speak Up, a grassroots organization, hosted the event at the Riverfront Plaza.
It featured a drag queen story time and drag show in addition to local vendors, food, music, and games.
“We were tired of going to Grand Rapids, Chicago, or Kalamazoo for PRIDE and we really wanted to do something here, especially because we know there’s a really vibrant LGBTQIA+ community here,” said Eddie Quinoes-Walker.
Quinoes-Walker, his husband, Elvin Quinoes-Walker, and their friends, Landria and Parker Johnson organized the celebration.
They said their goal was to create a supportive, inclusive environment in an area in which it’s not always common.
“It’s so essential for us to have that moment where we feel the community, where we feel the bond between like people,” said Eddie Quinoes-Walker. “It’s pride and that sense of bringing the community together to support a certain demographic where it gives people the courage and the surety that they can be who they are and still live in their communities.”
A 2019 report found up to five percent of the LGBTQIA+ community lives in rural areas, like Allegan.
Researchers found the environment often amplified the impact of acceptance and rejection and sometimes led to fewer resources.
It went onto explain LGBTQIA+ people may be more vulnerable to discrimination because of a less supportive public opinion and fewer legal and policy protections.
“I think any time that it’s visible… and you see how much fun everybody is having and it’s not scary, I think it moves the understanding of who we are as people forward,” said Michael Jacobs, an attendee.
Paul Astorga, who was visiting from Costa Rica, said it was his first PRIDE event. He called the event “amazing”.
“I think it’s important to bring support,” said Astorga. “I’m from a small country and the PRIDE there is pretty small, so I think it’s pretty nice to be apart of the first pride.”
To learn more about Allegan Speak Up, click here.
