Kansas City Center for Inclusion hosts NOH8 photo shoot

The Kansas City Center for Inclusion (KCCI), Kansas City’s only LGBTQ+ community center, will host a NOH8 Campaign photo shoot. The NOH8 Campaign is a photographic collection created by celebrity photographer Adam Bouska and partner Jeff Parshley.

KCCI will partner with UMB Bank’s PRIDE Business Resource Group for the photo shoot on October 11, coinciding with National Coming Out Day.

The NOH8 Campaign was created to show the personal side of the effects of the 2008 passage of California’s Proposition 8, which outlawed same-sex marriage in that state. Since that time, the NOH8 photographers have taken more than 55,000 photos of people, including Kansas City’s own celebrities, Major Sly James and Congressman Emanuel Cleaver.

The campaign, which started seven years ago, began with portraits of everyday Californians from all walks of life.

It rose to include politicians, military personnel, newlyweds, law enforcement, artists, celebrities and many more from across the globe.

While inspired by the passage of Prop 8 and the fight for marriage equality, the scope of the NOH8 Campaign has grown to stand against discrimination and bullying of all kinds. The message of 'No Hate' can be interpreted and applied broadly, and everyone can relate to the message of NOH8 in their own way.

The NOH8 Campaign has received overwhelming support from around the world, and has appeared in various local and national news programs and publications. The images are widely used on various social networking sites such as Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to proudly show support for equal rights.

To date, the NOH8 Campaign has hosted official photo shoots in 48 of the 50 United States (plus D.C.) and 20 countries around the world.

“It has always been a desire of mine to bring the NOH8 Campaign back to the Kansas City area,” said Trevor French, chair of the UMB Bank PRIDE Business Resource Group. “We’re excited to be able to get the NOH8 photographers to come to Kansas City on a day where individuals are encouraged to ‘come out’ and identify as their authentic selves.”

The community center previously hosted NOH8 in 2012 and 2015.

“Bringing NOH8 back to the Kansas City area was one of my personal visions for the Center,” said David Lopez, KCCI board member and events chairperson.

The KCCI NOH8 Campaign photo shoot will be held October 11 at 6 p.m. at KCCI, 3911 Main Street, Kansas City, Mo. For questions about the upcoming NOH8 photo shoot, contact KCCI at (816) 753-7770 during business hours: Monday to Thursday, 4-8 p.m. and Friday to Sunday, 1-5 p.m. or visit www.inclusivekc.org.

Copyright The Gayly – October 3, 2017 @ 1:15 p.m. CDT.