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Pride Celebrations Move Online During COVID-19

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Pride flag at the Dallas Gay Pride Parade in 2017.

Many of the annual Pride celebrations that take place in June aren't happening in person this year because of COVID-19.

Last year's Trinity Pride Fest was a night of music and celebration in Fort Worth's Near Southside. On Saturday, people will have to tune in to the virtual version from home.

Veronica Duron, a Trinity Pride board member, said the group can reach a broader audience online, but some things will be missing.

"It does lack the element of physically connecting, and there’s something very special in being surrounded by — physically surrounded by people that support you,” she said.

Saturday's event will feature a drag show and giveaways with prizes from local black-owned businesses, like Black Coffee and Carpenter’s Cafe. It’s in recognition of the Black Lives Matter movement.

For Trinity Pride Board President Tyler Long, the two causes go hand in hand. 

"There's been the belief for a long time that we had to fight for one thing at a time, and we could only do this at this time, and we can't bring everybody with us,” Long said. “And I think what we're seeing is those days are over."

Dallas Voice is hosting its own online Pride party on Sunday, and Dallas Pride will hold a virtual celebration in late July.

Some people still plan to gather in person to combine Pride and anti-racism protests. A DFW Pride for #BlackLivesMatter protest is scheduled in Dallas on Sunday.

Got a tip? Email Reporter Miranda Suarez at msuarez@kera.org. You can follow her on Twitter @MirandaRSuarez.

KERA News is made possible through the generosity of our members. If you find this reporting valuable, consider making a tax-deductible gift today. Thank you.

Miranda Suarez is KERA’s Tarrant County accountability reporter. Before coming to North Texas, she was the Lee Ester News Fellow at Wisconsin Public Radio, where she covered statewide news from the capital city of Madison. Miranda is originally from Massachusetts and started her public radio career at WBUR in Boston.