WATCH NOW: Kenosha Pride 10th anniversary celebration a call to action as officials urge participants to vote in wake of Roe vs Wade blow | Local News

By Lynn Sommers Last updated Jul 11, 2022

Kenosha Pride’s 10th annual celebration Sunday supported LGBTQ rights in the community, and featured a call to action following the US Supreme Court’s overturning of the landmark Roe vs. Wade decision.

The event began as a crowd of more than 200 people gathered at the war memorial in Library Park late Sunday morning. It stepped off with a procession that concluded at the Veterans Memorial Park near Lake Michigan. An outdoor festival followed.

The celebration had both a decidedly festive and urgent tone, however, as event and elected officials looked to promote the importance of voting in elections.

Last month, the high court overturned Roe v. Wade, a decision nearly 50 years ago that established a woman’s constitutional right to an abortion. That move has the LGBTQ community and their supporters mobilized as they fear the next domino will include their rights to same sex marriage, made legal just seven years ago.

“You know, with the recent decision by the US Supreme Court, we’ve also taken a stance because women’s reproductive rights are LGBTQ rights,” said Kenosha Pride Inc. President Dan Seaver. “Our lesbian siblings, our trans siblings, our non-binary and gender-non-conforming siblings are under attack with the reversal of abortion rights. We have to fight back.

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“We need everybody that is eligible to vote to get out and vote,” Seaver said.

Lt. Governor speaks

Supporting the local Pride event was Wisconsin Lt. gov. Mandela Barnes, who was among the elected officials in attendance.

“We’re facing these challenges together and that’s what they call `The Beautiful Struggle’ and I’m so glad to be a part of it with you,” he said. Barnes reminded the crowd that Pride wasn’t always the celebration that it has become.

“The origin story of Pride, it wasn’t a happy thing,” he said, “but look what it has become.”

Barnes called the overturning of Roe vs. Wade a “horrendous” decision.

“As I stand here in Kenosha today, after so many struggles and so many challenges that we’ve been through as a community, I think about the attacks on voting rights. I think of the other side of that struggle, as well,” he said. “I know that with each and every one of you right alongside, arm in arm, together, we will celebrate like we have never celebrated before.”

Barnes said that is needed to change the “course of the country for the better.”

“(We do it) so that nobody is left behind, nobody feels like they’re excluded … so that nobody feels like they don’t have a place,” he said.

He reminded the crowd that Wisconsin marked many firsts when it came to many rights. Wisconsin was the first to ratify women’s right to vote in the 19th Amendment, the first to declare the Fugitive Slave Act unconstitutional, the first to ban discrimination based on ability, and the first to ban discrimination based on sexual orientation, he said.

“In the state of Wisconsin we have been on the forefront of bold change in this country,” he said.

Other speakers

Other dignitaries in attendance were State Sen. Robert Wirch, D-Kenosha, state representatives Tip McGuire and Tod Ohnstad, both Kenosha Democrats, Mayor John Antaramian, and Alds. Jan Michalski and Anthony Kennedy. Kennedy served as the parade’s grand marshal as he did 10 years at the first local Pride event.

Antaramian congratulated the local Pride organization.

“Ten years of Kenosha Pride and you have a right to be proud. The community has the right to be proud and we are proud of everyone who is here today to continue to support Kenosha Pride,” he said.

The mayor urged those gathered to become involved in the political process through voting as they seek change.

“Everyone here needs to get out to vote,” he said. “Because if you do not, we’re going to see … rights of individuals continue to be lost, because we didn’t vote.”

Kennedy, who was the last to speak before leading the march for Kenosha Pride, spoke of how far the rights of the LGBTQ community have come. Kennedy, whose 83-year-old mother is gay, grew up attending gay pride parades in New York City. He recalled how he ran into one of his teachers in 1978. His teacher was gay, but had not come out to the students he’d taught.

“That person was enjoying themselves, saw me and became ashen, scared, because if you were gay in 1978 and a teacher in 1978, you would be fired,” Kennedy said. “I introduced him to my mother and life was great.”

Kennedy said he brought up the story because of people who had a “bold vision.”

“I use the words audacity of hope,” he said, borrowing from President Barack Obama’s autobiography. “They knew that they were not outsiders. They knew they were not marginalized. They knew they were part of this society. No matter how many people told them they were less than, they said, “No!”

“What you see here today … is a (visualization) of a dream,” he said, describing how he and his mother were often alienated by society.

“Well, I hate to break it to you sweetie, but look around you,” he said to extended applause. “What you see here is love and diversity and we will win and you will die and your old habits will die with you.”

He had told those in power there was “a change a-coming.”

“That revolution will not be televised,” he added, “but it will be fabulous.”

Kenosha Pride Celebration 2021

Miss Kenosha Pride Abigail Beverly Hillz, left and Tanya McLean, right, of Leaders of Kenosha, lead a cheer during the 2021 Kenosha Pride Celebration as participants march along Sheridan Road. This year’s parade is Sunday.

Kenosha Pride Celebration 2021

Ben Dominquez makes a sketch as he waits for the start of the Kenosha Pride Celebration Parade Sunday at Library Park

Kenosha Pride Celebration 2021

Dan Seaver, President of Kenosha Pride, speaks Sunday to participants in the Kenosha Pride Celebration before they march from Library Park to Veterans Memorial Park, for the rest of the celebration that featured entertainment, a children’s area and a marketplace with vendors.

Kenosha Pride Celebration 2021

Molly Clark claps as she listens to a speaker during the 2021 Kenosha Pride Celebration.

Kenosha Pride Celebration 2021

Miss Kenosha Pride Abigail Beverly Hillz speaks Sunday to participants in the Kenosha Pride Celebration.

Kenosha Pride Celebration 2021

Tanya McLean of Leaders of Kenosha, leads a cheer as participants in the Kenosha Pride Celebration march long Sheridan Road Sunday as the parade from Library Park to Veterans Memorial Park, for the rest of the pride celebration that featured entertainment, a children’s area and a marketplace with vendors.

Kenosha Pride Celebration 2021

Volunteers from Spirit Alive Church hands out water Sunday to participants in the Kenosha Pride Celebration.

Kenosha Pride Celebration 2021

Robin Neeson, left, her daughter, Kennedy Nelson, and Karen Wilbanks chant Sunday as the march with other participants in the Kenosha Pride Celebration Parade along Sheridan Road.

Kenosha Pride Celebration 2021

A couple holds hands Sunday in the Kenosha Pride Celebration march.

Kenosha Pride Celebration 2021

Devynn Johnson raises her hand as horns are honked as participants in the Kenosha Pride Celebration march along Sheridan Road.

Kenosha Pride Celebration 2021

Kayla Bacewicz cheers while participating in the Kenosha Pride Celebration Parade along Sheridan Road;

Kenosha Pride Celebration 2021

Participants march during the 2021 Kenosha Pride Celebration. This year’s parade is Sunday, starting in Library Park.

Kenosha Pride Celebration 2021

Ben Dominquez makes a sketch as he waits for the start of the Kenosha Pride Celebration Parade Sunday at Library Park

Kenosha Pride Celebration 2021

Molly Clark claps as she listens to a speaker during the 2021 Kenosha Pride Celebration.

Kenosha Pride Celebration 2021

Miss Kenosha Pride Abigail Beverly Hillz speaks Sunday to participants in the Kenosha Pride Celebration.

Kenosha Pride Celebration 2021

Volunteers from Spirit Alive Church hands out water Sunday to participants in the Kenosha Pride Celebration.

Kenosha Pride Celebration 2021

Robin Neeson, left, her daughter, Kennedy Nelson, and Karen Wilbanks chant Sunday as the march with other participants in the Kenosha Pride Celebration Parade along Sheridan Road.

Kenosha Pride Celebration 2021

A couple holds hands Sunday in the Kenosha Pride Celebration march.

Kenosha Pride Celebration 2021

Devynn Johnson raises her hand as horns are honked as participants in the Kenosha Pride Celebration march along Sheridan Road.

Kenosha Pride Celebration 2021

Kayla Bacewicz cheers while participating in the Kenosha Pride Celebration Parade along Sheridan Road;

Kenosha Pride Celebration 2021

Participants march during the 2021 Kenosha Pride Celebration. This year’s parade is Sunday, starting in Library Park.

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