What makes OKC Pride work?

by Michael Clark
President, OKC Pride

The other day someone asked me, “Are you worried about making Pride happen this year?” The short answer is that I worry every day. The logistics, finances and activity necessary to put together the largest privately held event in the state of Oklahoma and one of the largest in this region of the country are mind-boggling. However, once I took a moment to catch my breath and realize what really makes this thing called OKC Pride work, I realized that this event always comes together because of the people who care about it.

We had our first big kick-off meeting for OKC Pride 2015 at the beginning of March and saw a room full of new people who spent their free evening coming together because they care about this event and what it does for our community. The response from the community has been overwhelming. Not a week goes by when someone I have never met walks up to me, introduces themselves and offers to help.

We have been contacted by local businesses and international corporations about sponsoring Pride. Our webfin site (www.OKCPride.org) and Facebook page (www.Facebook.com/OKCPrideFan) have messages daily from individuals looking to volunteer or participate in some way. These people combined with our amazing Board of Directors are why I know OKC Pride 2015 will be a tremendous success!

If you are taking the time to read this column, then you are one more reason Pride has and will be a success. We have opportunities for you wherever your interests and skills may lie. We will need more than 200 volunteers just the week of Pride, June 15-21. Those are the wonderful folks who work the gates, help with the concert, set up tents, clean up trash, sell beer, promote t-shirt sales, serve food, entertain VIPs, take photographs, direct traffic, set up festival booths, work in the children’s area, perform on stage, keep other volunteers stocked with water or just offer to fill in wherever needed.

But before we get to Pride week, we need dozens more volunteers to help with promoting the parade, soliciting donations, raising funds, planning the festival, finding artists, contacting food trucks, working with non-profits, selling booth space, arranging entertainment and handling public relations and communications.

It is a huge undertaking to put on this large of an event—and this year looks to be the biggest year OKC Pride has ever had. Turning out a crowd of 75,000 people over a few days is fun and exciting. It is terribly expensive and loads of work. But it is also hugely important to show how large an impact the LGBT community has in this city and state.

It is important for LGBT youth to see that they are not alone. It is important to let our political leaders know how strong a force we are in the community. It is important to show business leaders how much financial impact this community has. And it is important to celebrate where we have been, how far we have come and where the future has yet to lead us.

Please join us at OKC Pride to help put on the biggest, best party in Oklahoma City and show this city and the entire state of Oklahoma just how important the LGBT community is to all of us!

Join OKC Pride at www.OKCPride.org or www.Facebook.com/OKCPrideFan.

 The Gayly – April 18, 2015 @ 2pm.