This Pride season, the Capital Pride Alliance brought WorldPride to Washington, DC. for the first time, and only the second WorldPride in the U.S.
Capital Pride also marked 50 years of Washington DC Pride, which went from a humble street party to now numerous Pride events, celebrations and activities that encompass the diversity of the LGBTQ+ communities in the DMV and beyond.
“WorldPride wasn’t just a protest of resilience, defiance, and joy – it was a call to action. We welcomed the world to DC and together we demonstrated the power of community, inclusion, unity, and visibility,” said Capital Pride Alliance’s Executive Director Ryan Bos.
Strengthening Queer Identity During Pride Month
But for all the large events and activities, Pride is always a very personal experience. My first DC Pride was in 2023, and I’ll never forget how it made me feel. Back home in Houston, Texas, I was in the closet. I knew who I was, but I didn’t feel free to be open about it. Sure, there were pride parades in Houston, but I always felt like I had to watch from the sidelines, quiet, guarded, and hidden. Being queer in the South can feel like walking on eggshells. It’s like carrying a part of yourself that no one is allowed to see, and over time, that weight gets heavy. I was sick of not being myself, so I took a trip to D.C with a friend and the rest was history.
It wasn’t just about going for the parade– it was about me celebrating life, love, resistance, and pure Black girl joy. From walking around the city, seeing people dancing in the streets, waving flags, holding hands, and chanting, just existing as themselves, it reminded me of what I’ve always loved about D.C. It’s a city where you can figure out the kind of person you want to be.
Two years later, I’m now an intern at the National LGBTQ Task Force, living out a dream I never thought would come true. I went from being the quiet girl in the crowd taking pictures to capturing Pride 2025 for the Task Force, seeing it all through a new lens.
It was an amazing moment to be in the presence of Grammy Award-winning guests Cynthia Erivo and Doechii during WorldPride Concert, along with other amazing performers, and having fabulous comedian and writer Amber Ruffin as the Capital Honors host.
Celebrating Community in Action
This year’s Capital Pride was essential and important for our community and our allies to see, happening during a challenging and frightening time, as our communities are under attack at all levels but especially our trans and non-binary siblings.
But that didn’t stop the crowd from growing and going. The show must go on, and baby, it did! Including some recognition of our Task Force family. You can read all about our President, Kierra Johnson, who was honored at the annual BET Black and Iconic Awards.
On Thursday, June 5, Cathy Renna, our director of communications at the Task Force,was recognized with a Capital Pride Hero Award along with other heroes like Jerry St. Louis, a licensed independent clinical social worker and certified sex therapist, and community advocate; Ernest Hopkins, the last living co-founder of the inaugural Black Gay and Lesbian Pride Day in 1991; and Pastor Donna Claycomb Sokol, pastor of Mount Vernon Place United Methodist Church, who has made a significant impact on the lives of the LGBTQ+ community.
Seeing so many heroes on one stage together was inspiring as they were recognized and rewarded for years of hard work.
“Being recognized as a Capital Pride ‘hero’ at the annual honors event meant so much to me, especially with so many of my colleagues and chosen family there to share the recognition. I would have never become the person I am without the formative and life-changing years I spent in Washington, DC, where I began my journey as an activist,” Renna said. “In DC, I was able to meet, work alongside, and be mentored by so many people I would call heroes and whose shoulders I know I stand.”
This was a lesson in what real activism looks like. Her story, her decades of service, and the way she uplifts others showed me what activism can be. It can be consistent, creative, and rooted in community care. As a photojournalist, moments like these inspire me to keep capturing our stories not just for today, but so future generations can look back and see the beauty of our movement. Cathy’s journey reminds me why my work matters.
“I am so grateful to everyone who has supported me and helped shape not just what I do as an advocate for queer communities but how I do the work – from my early days at glaad to now, as part of the Task Force staff in this critical time for our movement and our democracy,” she said.
Waltzing Through Washington: The WorldPride Parade
What’s Pride without the WorldPride Parade? It was a reminder that we are still here, and we are still fighting for our queer rights. The rain clouds soon passed by as colorful floats made their way down T Street. The crowd was showered with beads, stickers, and Pride flags, and it was a blast collecting as many as you could. It was almost a competition to see who could gather the most by the end of the day.
The air was filled with moments of bliss as people and families from all over the world came together to celebrate one thing: freedom to just be who you are. Being there with the National LGBTQ Task Force reminded me that Pride is more than a parade. It’s a commitment. A commitment to protecting and amplifying the most vulnerable in our community. Seeing so many icons at the Honors Award get their spotlight made me feel a glow of happiness because we don’t only just celebrate progress, we fight to keep it, expand it, and make it accessible to everyone.
“From parades and performances to conversations and collaborations, we honored our past, celebrated our present, and laid the groundwork for a more inclusive future,” Bos said.
Editor’s Note: As part of the Task Force’s Pride Month coverage, this story is written by Task Force Communications Intern Tiera Williams.
