2024 Pride Guide by Fargo-Moorhead PRIDE

AUGUST 8-11

AUG 8-11

WELCOME!

Welcome to Fargo-Moorhead Pride 2024!

I am thrilled to have you join us for this year’s Pride celebration! All of our events are a powerful reminder of who we are and the strength we share as a community.

Pride is about more than just a celebration— it’s a statement of our commitment to equality, acceptance, and love. It’s a time to honor the trailblazers who paved the way and to celebrate the vibrant diversity that makes us unique.

Thank you to everyone who made these events possible. From our amazing committee, volunteers, and sponsors, your support and dedication are the heartbeat of our community.

As we come together to celebrate, let’s remember that the spirit of Pride lives in each of us every day. Let’s carry this energy forward and continue advocating for a world where everyone can live authentically and without fear.

Here’s to a joyful and empowering Pride!

Thane Solberg

2024 FM Pride Planning Committee Chair chair@fmpride.com

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS

2024 PROUD SPONSORS

MEET THE 2024 PRIDE PARADE GRAND MARSHALS

O UR YEAR IN REVIEW BY THE RED RIVER RAINBOW SENIORS

CREATING A SAFE SPACE FOR LGBT YOUTH

2024 PRIDE PARADE ROUTE

MARRIAGE EQUALITY PROJECT - HCSCC

PRIDE BLOCK PARTY ENTERTAINMENT

PRIDE

WEDNESDAY, AUG 7

Thursday Pride Kickoff Event

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS

PCCC OPEN HOUSE | 6PM

Pride Collective & Community Center 1105 1st Ave S, Fargo

FAMILY FUN NIGHT | 6:30PM

Thunder Road • 2902 Thunder Rd S, Fargo

TRIVIA & KARAOKE NIGHT | 8PM

Rhombus Guys Pizza • 606 Main Ave, Fargo

PRIDE VINYL NIGHT | 8PM

Front Street Taproom • 614 Main Ave, Fargo

Friday

Saturday

Sunday

YOUTH PRIDE ALL - AGES DRAG SHOW | 7PM

CMU Ballroom • MSUM • 615 14th St S, Moorhead

PRIDE DANCE PARTY | 10PM

Drekker Brewing Company • 1666 1st Ave N, Fargo

PRIDE 5K FUN RUN | 8:30AM

Viking Ship Park at Hjemkomst Center • 202 1st Ave N, Moorhead

PRIDE IN THE PARK | 11AM

Bluestem Center for the Arts • 801 50th Avenue South, Moorhead

PRIDE PATIO PALOOZA | 2PM

Wild Terra Cider • 6 12 St N, Fargo

PRIDE BLOCK PARTY | 7PM

UP District Festival Field • 329 5th Ave N, Fargo

PRIDE INTERFAITH SERVICE | 12:30PM

Fargo Theatre • 314 Broadway N, Fargo

PRIDE PARADE | 2PM

NP Ave and Broadway • Downtown Fargo

2024 PROUD SPONSORS GOLD PLATINUM

SILVER

FRIENDS OF PRIDE

Equality with Wisdom.

GRAND MARSHALS 2024 Meet the

How did the group react when you were told that the RRRS were selected to be the 2024 Pride Parade Grand Marshals? Were you all surprised?

We were elated. It’s so exciting to be recognized by the larger LGBTQ+ community!

Can you tell us a little bit about the Red River Rainbow Seniors and what the group does?

The organization is dedicated to providing advocacy, education, support and fun to the 50+ LBGTQ+ community in the Red River Valley. We believe that everyone deserves to live their lives with dignity, respect, and joy.

We provide a variety of activities, including social events, educational sessions, and interest groups. Our goal is to help LGBTQ+ seniors live their best lives and feel connected to their community. Equality with Wisdom.

We understand that one of the flagship projects that the RRRS has done is the Breaking Barriers: Harvesting LGBTQ Stories from the Northern Plains. Can you elaborate more on what this project is and the process the group went through during the project.

In May 2017, the Red River Rainbow Seniors began our Oral History project, to gather the history of older LGBTQ+ people and our allies in North Dakota and Northern Minnesota in our own words. We began by asking ourselves what we would want others to know about our lives and what do we wish we knew about the lives of others like ourselves. It was also very helpful to get training in how to do oral history interviews from Dr. Angela Smith at NDSU.

What was it like to interview all the individuals who participated and be able to capture that history? What was one of the most memorable interviews?

It has been a remarkable and moving privilege to have people share their stories, their joys, their heartaches, their challenges, and their triumphs with us. We see this as a sacred trust to save and cherish these individual stories of a hidden minority who were viewed negatively by the culture in general as well as by many religious groups. Our interviewees were a generation of “firsts” who blazed new paths, broke new ground, wrote new rules, and provided new models. Because we’ve interviewed almost 200 people so far, it would be hard to choose a most memorable interview. However, the people we interviewed who shared their precious stories and have died since they were interviewed are some that touch us most deeply: Roger Schobinger, Robert Stone, Allan Nelson, Nelson Richardson, Lenny Tweeden, Jim Kaplan, Ron Matthies, John Frisch, Tom Williams, Diane Gira, Marc Wing, Jay Goerger, Brad Denton-Graber, Kevin Casella, Dave Lanpher, Marlon Davidson, John Klai, and Margie Emery-Ginn.

Another big project between the RRRS and the Historical and Cultural Society of Clay County was the At Last: 10th Anniversary of Marriage Equality in Minnesota exhibit at the Hjemkomst Center in Moorhead. Can you explain more about this exhibit and what it meant to be a part of it.

In August 2020, Robert Stone and Tammy Lanaghan from the Red River Rainbow Seniors Oral History Committee drafted a proposal to the Historical and Cultural Society of Clay County (HCSCC) to document and celebrate the 10th anniversary of the first same-sex marriages in Moorhead, Minnesota, on August 1, 2013. HCSCC director, Maureen Kelly Jonason, received a grant from the Minnesota Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund for transcribing the interviews with 34 people. Their stories as couples celebrating their love by legal marriage that night, as joy-filled friends, and as fully supportive judges, were the foundation for the HCSCC exhibit, “At Last: 10th Anniversary of Marriage Equality in Minnesota.”

The evening was a marvelous celebration with more than 130 people of all ages attending. The festivities included music, refreshments, viewing of the exhibit, and socializing, as well as remarks by state and local elected officials and other dignitaries. Many of the remarks were deeply moving as speakers related challenges such as surviving the early AIDS era to having the opportunity to marry.

We understand that youth outreach is very important to the RRRS. Can you tell us a few of the ways in which you are giving back to LGBTQIA+ youth in the area?

The RRRS have given small grants to LGBTQ+ youth groups the past two years. These organizations have used the money for pizza, t-shirts, books, and more, that we know of. Meeting with the groups was the biggest plus, for us and especially for them. They got to learn a little history, hear our stories, and ask us questions. Seeing us as functional adults has been an inspiration to some. Seeing the youth of today – so out and proud - gives us hope that their lives will be better and successful.

What advice do you have for those that are struggling with gender identity?

Find a way to love yourself. What are your interests, skills, dreams? Embrace who you are. Know that you are not alone, not the first to question, that there are people like you everywhere. Find “your” people.

How can someone who is interested in joining the group or learning more about the amazing ways the RRRS are giving back to the LGBTQ+ get more information?

Stop by our booth at Pride in the Park. We’ll have information for you and a sign up sheet for those interested in becoming members. Come to our meetings, socials and other events. Follow our Facebook page.

Are there any events during FM Pride that the RRRS are looking forward to the most?

Pride in the Park, seeing all the people like us; and the parade, showing the rest of the world who we are.

And finally, what does Pride mean to you?

grand celebration!

A PLACE OF HEALING AND RECONCILIATION

Impacting the FMWF community by creating inclusive opportunities for Professionals of Color to develop personally and professionally through meaningful engagement and a sense of belonging.

OUR YEAR IN REVIEW

BY THE RED RIVER RAINBOW SENIORS

We have had a busy year! We hosted a Celebration of Community at the Hjemkomst Center in Moorhead in April. “At Last”, the 10th Anniversary of Marriage Equality in Minnesota is exhibited. If you haven’t seen the exhibit, please do so, it is well worth your time. It will remain until the end of August.

Once again, we offered 4 grants to various organizations sponsoring GSA’s’. We visited each organization and met students and advisors from the groups. It was a wonderful experience. We also support the Pride Collective and Community Center, our umbrella organization.

We have a men’s book club and the women have a book/movie/social club. Both generally meet in members’ homes. Zoom is also available.

Our plan to educate and encourage long term care facilities and providers about the needs of LGBTQ+ seniors continues to be a part of our mission.

The RRRS helps fund the annual ND LGBTQ+ Summit, and many of our members take part. It is an inspiring event for all ages. It will be held in Bismarck on October 11-13, 2024.

The Oral History Project is such an important part of our group. Over 190 people have been interviewed and the digital files and transcriptions will be available at the NDSU archives. You can contact Breaking Barriers by emailing them at redriverrainboworalhistory@gmail. com or on FB at www.facebook.com/ BreakingBarriersLGBTQ.

Please stop and visit with us at Pride in the Park at Blue Stem in Moorhead and look for us in the Pride Parade, which is back in downtown Fargo this year!

Promoting advocacy, education, support, & fun for 50+ elders in the Fargo/Moorhead area

LEARN MORE AND CONNECT

facebook.com/RRRainbowSeniors or email RRRainbowSeniors@gmail.com

Cargill is one of the largest, most diverse and most successful food companies in the world, and our purpose is to nourish the world in a safe, responsible and sustainable way W e prioritize our employees’ health and well-being, who are essential to the food supply chain Our broad scale and scope allow you to take your career anywhere you’d like; providing you with new opportunities for you to grow, develop and make an impact on the future of our business Choose Cargill and take you opportunity to thrive!

CREATING A SAFE PLACE FOR LGBTQ YOUTH

JILL PEISKER, NEXUS-ONARGA FAMILY HEALING.

At Nexus Family Healing, we know that how we treat those who are different from us is incredibly important. When diversity is valued, our uniqueness is recognized, including differences in our gender identities and sexual orientation. These play an important role in everyone’s lives, and those who identify as LGBTQ face unique challenges regarding mental health.

LGBTQ MENTAL HEALTH

According to The Trevor Project (2019), 39% of LGBTQ youth and more than half of transgender and non-binary youth have attempted or seriously considered suicide in the last year. Additionally, 71% have reported discrimination, and 2 in 3 youth have experienced someone in their lives attempting to change their sexual orientation or gender identity. These numbers point to a serious problem with how LGBTQ youth exist in the world and illustrate a need for programming that specifically acknowledges the importance of gender and sexuality - and creates a safe space for youth to heal.

LGBTQ CULTURAL COMPETENCIES

It is critical to address the challenges facing LGBTQ youth by dealing with the impact of trauma and mental health issues. Therapists with LGBTQ as a competency can help you and your child work through any underlying causes contributing to behavioral issues and explore the impact of sexual orientation or gender identity in their lives.

Clinicians should be affirming, inclusive, and open to the complex issues that may arise as the client tries to sort out where they belong. The youth may be struggling with shame, self-hatred, and self-rejection. The clinician needs to be willing to protect confidentiality and allow the individual to selfidentify when ready.

At Nexus Family Healing, we include LGBTQ as one of the competency areas we focus on in our daily practice. We focus on educating families, kids, and referral agents that same sex relationships, as well as being transgender or nonbinary, are not problematic in and of themselves. Often, we help youth talk to their parents about their sexual identity and assist them with their

relationships when it’s been fractured. We strive to have LGBTQ positive material and graphics on our campuses to let kids and families know that these are safe topics.

Jamie Kozma, Executive Director at Nexus-Onarga Family Healing, one of our residential treatment programs, says “Therapy can help. Over the years we’ve seen multiple clients better define their sexual orientation or their gender identity through our services. Providing a safe and supportive environment of acceptance for LGBTQ youth can help them to heal and grow.”

No matter where clients access Nexus services - whether it’s a child in residential treatment or a family seeking outpatient/community mental health services - we strive to provide consistent treatment and an inclusive mindset that embraces all identities.

Nexus Family Healing is a national nonprofit mental health organization that restores hope for thousands of children and families who come to us for community mental health services, foster care and adoption, and residential treatment. For over 50 years, our network of agencies has used innovative, personalized approaches to heal trauma, break cycles of harm, and reshape futures. We believe every child is worth it — and every family matters. Access more resources at nexusfamilyhealing.org/resources.

SUNDAY AUGUST 11

2PM | DOWNTOWN FARGO

MARRIAGE EQUALITY PROJECT

MAUREEN KELLY JONASON, HISTORICAL & CULTURAL SOCIETY OF CLAY COUNTY

If you haven’t heard of the Red River Rainbow Seniors’ Breaking Barriers project yet, now is the time. According to their website, “Red River Rainbow Seniors is an organization dedicated to providing advocacy, education, support, and fun to the 50+ LGBTQ+ community in the Red River Valley.” Check out their website at https://rrrainbowseniors. wixsite.com/rrrainbowseniors

One important part of their programming is Breaking Barriers: Harvesting LGBTQ Stories from the Northern Plains, an ongoing effort to collect oral histories of the LGBTQ+ community. See https://www. facebook.com/BreakingBarriersLGBTQ

One of their projects was developed in partnership with the Historical and Cultural Society of Clay County, the non-profit that runs the museum at the Hjemkomst Center in Moorhead, in 2022. With a grant from the Minnesota Historical Society, Red River Rainbow Seniors’ Breaking Barriers team carried out 30 interviews focused on the momentous legislation legalizing same-sex marriage in Minnesota and the historic Aug. 1, 2023 midnight marriage ceremony that took place in the Clay County Courthouse.

That extensive oral history was then developed into an exhibit at the Hjemkomst Center that will be up through Aug. 20 of this year. At Last: Ten Years of Marriage Equality in Minnesota shares the stories of 18 couples, family and friends, judges and security guards, and well-wishers who together forged new history. With personal objects, photographs, documents, and video footage, this deeply personal and emotional story is told in an exhibit that closes Aug. 20.

Other exhibits include Quilt National ’23, a remarkable contemporary art quilt display up through Sept. 30 and Ihdago Manipi: Clay County at 150 which includes local Indigenous history up through Dec. 31, 2024.

FMGMC is a group of Gay/Bi/Supportive Men/male identified in the Fargo/Moorhead area who love to sing & want to share our talents with our community.

Our chorus provides a safe and inclusive space where singers can grow through performance & social interaction while campaigning unceasingly for equality & justice for the LGBTQA+ community and forging alliances to make our voices heard.

Our purpose is to use music to change the general public’s image & attitudes toward the gay community, to provide high quality choral performances & to make the world a better place. HERE FOR ALL. HERE FOR GOOD.

Concordia College aspires to be a welcoming community that affirms a plurality of identities, experiences, and perspectives and seeks to encourage and support diversity in all areas of campus life. ConcordiaCollege.edu Save the Date! Kick-Off Event Sunday, August 25 • 4pm Christmas Concert Saturday, December 14 • 4pm fmgaymenschorus.org

Pursue Your Passion

INSPIRED TO BE YOUR AUTHENTIC SELF

Kennedy Davenport

Reuben Asberry Jr., better known by the stage name Kennedy Davenport, is a drag queen, television personality, and dancer from Dallas, Texas, who came to international attention on the seventh season of RuPaul’s Drag Race, placing fourth overall, the third season of RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars, where she was the runner-up, and most recently the second season of Canada’s Drag Race: Canada vs. the World.

Nina DiAngelo

Nina has become a mainstay for the FM Pride Block party. She’s been quoted saying that it’s her favorite “gig” and one she always looks forward to. A 25 year veteran In the industry and coming from Minneapolis, Nina has spent the last few years working on opening Roxy’s Cabaret, a new performance venue in downtown Minneapolis which opened Summer 2022. If you find yourself in the Twin Cities, be sure to check it out!

DJ 1PrettyRicky

Richard Pallay, known as 1PrettyRicky, was born & raised in Los Angeles and is based out of Fargo, North Dakota. As a DJ, Richard seamlessly blends a vast array of music genres, specializing in House, Hip-Hop, and R&B music. As an MC, he elegantly engages crowds to create transformative experiences.