When the Princeton Pride Parade takes place this Saturday people will gather together to celebrate love, share in joy, and show support to the LGBTQIA+ community while marching the streets of Princeton.
The parade, march, and afterparty have been organized by the Bayard Rustin Center for Social Justice (BRCSJ). The parade begins at 11 a.m. at the Princeton Municipal Building on 400 Witherspoon St. on June 14.
With Pride flags waving and Pride colors worn attendees and supporters will march from Witherspoon Street to Paul Robeson Place where the after party occurs at the Princeton YMCA great field.
The theme for this year’s Pride Parade and afterparty is “Pride Saves Lives”.
Sam Chawla-Rios, who is BRCSJ Pride Lt. and safe-space host, said during the Pride Flag raising ceremony in Princeton on May 30 that “Pride Saves Lives” is not an exaggeration.
“Each year too many people, especially queer youth, are told that they are not enough, that they are not accepted, not worthy of human dignity or rights,” Chawla-Rios said. “Too many lose their will to live and that is why Pride matters and that is why this month matters.””
BRCSJ organized Princeton’s first Pride parade in 2019 but the parade went virtual for the following years in 2020 and 2021 because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Princeton Pride returned back in person in 2022 to more than 4,000 participants and observers.
