Monday, September 15, 2014

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The

Cavalier Daily online | print | mobile

Monday, September 15, 2014

Vol. 125, Issue 7

Katie Carr, Kylie Grow and Zoe Toone | The Cavalier Daily

Third annual Charlottesville Pride festival brings thousands to Lee Park, aims to celebrate local LGBTQ community Katherine Wilkin and Ella Shoup News Writers

Thousands of people from Charlottesville LGBTQ communities and their supporters came together Saturday in Lee Park, adjacent to the Downtown Mall, for the third annual CVille Pride Festival. Amy Sarah Marshall, CVille Pride Community Network president, said the event was an opportunity for LGBTQ people to feel a sense of belonging. “The festival gives people, not just in Charlottesville proper but the region, an opportunity to be in a safe place, where they know that being in this park on this day for this many hours, they can be completely themselves without fear of recrimination,” Marshall said. The festival began at 11 a.m. with a statement from Attorney General Mark Herring, who expressed his support LG-

Board of Visitors meeting recap PAGE 3

Fifth Congressional district race breakdown PAGE 3

BTQ people rights. “I truly believe that we are on the doorstep of a landmark case that will end the marriage discrimination and these bans all across the country,” Herring said. “When we win, we will continue to fight discrimination in adoption, in the workplace, in housing and wherever we see it in our communities.” Festival goers enjoyed a variety of food vendors and live music. Various LGBTQ allies also set up booths at the festival to provide information about their organization as a safe space for people of all sexual orientation. “We’re a very safe space for the LGBTQ community,” said Carrie Ryan, community relations chair for Charlottesville Derby Dames — a roller derby club. “People are people, is kind of the way we look at it. We welcome anybody.” Marshall said more than 70 vendors were at the event, including religious organizations, businesses and social or-

Love Connection: Nathaniel and Darnisha PAGE 14

ganizations. When the festival in Lee Park ended at 5 p.m., the celebration moved to the Main Street Arena for Pride After Dark — an afterparty lasting until 2 a.m. The event featured acrobats, a drag show and performances from musical acts Wicked Jezebel and DJ Grind. Cville Pride was formed in 2012 and began holding the Pride Festival at Lee Park that year. Close to 4,000 people attended last year’s festival. Marshall said final numbers were not in for this year, but she suspected several thousand turned up, despite the inclement weather. Marshall said a large number of those in attendance were heterosexual, which was an important part of establishing Charlottesville as a welcoming

see PRIDE, page 23

To Write Love on Her Arms holds awareness week PAGE 12

Musicians on Call bring tunes to local patients PAGE 15


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