Last Updated on June 4, 2024, 12:05 PM | Published: June 2, 2024
OKLAHOMA CITY — Oklahoma Pride Alliance (OKPA) kicked off Pride Month at the Oklahoma Contemporary Arts Center on June 1 with a keynote by trans activist Susan Stryker, the reveal of PrideFest’s headliners, and the announcement of this year’s Grand Marshals.
The event included a toast, speeches on queer youth inclusion, and year-round pride programming. OKPA officials also celebrated their recent Hometown Hero award.
“Queer joy matters, Queer representation matters, Queer intersectionality matters, and this organization allows all of that to thrive here in this state,” Samantha Marchand, OKPA Vice President said.
A keynote from Susan Strkyer
Oklahoma native and trans advocate Susan Stryker delivered a keynote address. Stryker emphasized celebration amidst challenges, highlighting the queer community’s role in fostering inclusivity. She reflected on her journey from Oklahoma to San Francisco, acknowledging progress made by the Oklahoma LGBTQ+ community.
“You who stayed and the generations that have come up here since I left, you have all made Oklahoma a really different place than the one that I grew up in,” Stryker said.
Stryker highlighted LGBTQ+ figures from Oklahoma’s past, including Lynn Riggs, author of “Green Grow the Lilacs,” which inspired the musical “Oklahoma!” She also mentioned Eddie Joe Star Scott, an early trans autobiographer who left Oklahoma as a teenager. Stryker ended her speech by discussing the importance of bodily autonomy and urging listeners to embrace radical possibilities for a better world.
Year-round programming from OKPA, youth advocacy and upcoming events
OKPA has hosted various events throughout the year, including drag shows, concerts, and wellness activities.
OKPA’s new sports committee organizes Queer Soccer, Pick-Up Volleyball, Pickleball, and a Walking Group at Mesta Park. Founder Henry LaVictoire said he started the programming to emphasize inclusivity and wellness in an alcohol and drug-free environment.
“It is incredibly powerful to be able to move your body and be in your body at the same time,” LaVictoire said.
OKPA’s youth committee also organizes monthly meet-ups and events like the recent Pride Prom. Members like Cameron Roberts and Avery Jouris-Chavez discussed the importance of empowering Queer youth.
“We have lost too many young people to the different trials that Oklahoma brings to us as a community, and I don’t want any more of it,” Roberts said. “What we’re gonna do is continue to create spaces for us to come and be who you are, love who you love, and look how you want to look.”
“Indigiqueer” youth Twelve and their mother, Sarah Adams, shared their experiences with Cousins, an organization for Queer youth, focusing on but not limited to Queer Indigenous youth.
They highlighted activities like trauma healing, printmaking, and Two-Spirit PowWows and praised Cousins’ role in fostering safety, learning, and community.
They also discussed the intersection of LGBTQ+ and Indigenous identities, particularly after the death of Nex Benedict, a non-binary Indigenous student. Benedict’s death sparked a national outcry, renewing efforts against bullying and discrimination.
“Without safety, we will lose more of our indigenous relatives like Nex,” Twelve said. “We’re living in a very scary time, and I think it’s important to be there for each other.”
During the event, speakers addressed Benedict’s death and ongoing attacks on the LGBTQ+ community, highlighting the denial of gender-affirming medical care for trans youth and OKPA’s advocacy efforts.
“We’ve dealt with such wild legislation against our Queer community, and, every year I think ‘can it get any worse?’” OKPA President Kylan Durant said. “Somehow, it does, but, in spite of that, Oklahoma Pride Alliance has worked to celebrate Pride 365 days a year.”
Upcoming Events
OKPA’s June Pride lineup is packed with exciting events in collaboration with partner organizations. Upcoming events include The Southern Plains Productions’ Rent from June 7 to 9 and RuPaul’s Drag Race Season 16 runner-up Sapphira Cristal’s performance at Tower Theatre on August 3. Other events include the OKC Zoo’s Sip and Stroll on June 21 at 6 p.m., Pride on the Plaza on June 13 at 3 p.m., and the OKC Dyke March on June 29 at 7 p.m.
Looking forward to PrideFest 2024
PrideFest, from June 28-30 at Scissortail Park, celebrates LGBTQ+ identity under the theme “Queer Justice: Colors of Change,” highlighting the fight for equality. Vendors will be available all weekend, with the Community Zone featuring booths from organizations like the Diversity Center of Oklahoma on Saturday. VIP tickets offer exclusive perks, and afterparties at Ponyboy are set for Friday and Saturday nights. The announcement of Pride Headliners added to the excitement for attendees.
- Friday, June 28:
- Naomi Smalls, renowned drag queen known for fashion sense and appearances on RuPaul’s Drag Race, performs at 8:30 p.m.
- At 10 p.m., the iconic Big Freedia, credited with popularizing the New Orleans genre of hip hop called bounce music, takes the stage.
- Saturday, June 29:
- DJ Shaun Ross, the first professional male model with albinism, known for his work in fashion and music, performs at 10 p.m.
The 2024 Pride Parade on June 30 at 11:00 a.m. at Scissortail Park will feature Lance McDaniel and James Cooper as Grand Marshals, symbolizing “legend” and “rebel” respectively, honoring OKCPA’s 2019 theme “Legends and Rebels.”
Lance McDaniel, CEO of McDaniel Entertainment and an Emmy-nominated filmmaker, was named “Legend” Grand Marshal. He thanked the Oklahoma Pride Alliance for the honor and emphasized the importance of creating a safe and inclusive Pride Month. McDaniel recalled his first Pride Parade thirty years ago, focusing on finding a cure for AIDS. He highlighted subsequent marches for LGBTQ+ rights and inclusivity, urging everyone to be loud and proud in the ongoing fight for equality.
“Today, the march continues,” McDaniel said, “We have made great strides, but we are still under attack. Now is not the time to retire and be quiet. Now is the time to be loud, to be proud and to be openly queer.”
Councilman James Cooper, “Rebel” Grand Marshal for 2024 PrideFest, highlighted LGBTQ history. He teaches English and film studies at Oklahoma City University, resides in OKC’s Paseo arts district, and serves on OCU’s advisory board and the Central Oklahoma Transportation and Parking Authority Board. He emphasized pivotal moments like the 2003 Lawrence vs. Texas case, which decriminalized same-sex relationships, and praised activists like Paul Thompson and Scott Wilson, advocating for education on these stories of resistance and courage.
“They will not teach that to our children in K-12 schools, So we must be the ones as a community who share the stories of resistance,” Cooper said.
The event concluded with a toast, officially beginning Pride Month, as rainbow-clad attendees celebrated the start of festivities with enthusiasm.
Correction — In the original version of this report we misspelled the name of Avery Jouris-Chavez. It has been corrected with our apologies to Avery.
Zoe Elrod covers events and happenings around Oklahoma City for Free Press bringing her skill as a reporter and photographer. Zoe has spent her career covering local musicians, artists, politicians, and everyday folks.