NYC Pride Parade 2008
It was an amazing turn out you guys, AMAZING! You have got to make arrangements early for next year.
Where do I start… Well, we got a rara band to agree to march with us. These guys wanted a thousand dollars (yeah right!) and after some serious negotiations, we agreed and shook hands on $400.00.
I was so worried about the image we would portray on 5th ave and after some serious soul/culture searching, I realized that if the Brazilians can pull it off with their 1 beat samba groove, we could definitely rock it, and did we ever!
11am. As the young men and women of HGLA gathered under the Trump building on 5th ave to get ready, the band members were testing their instruments and they started off by playing KEM PA SOTE BY BOUKMAN EXPERIENS and in no time, the other marchers joined us.
The media covered us as soon as our members stepped into their assigned spot. Caribbean life, NEXT, LOGO ETC.. everyone wanted to take pictures with the members, and needless to say their costumes were amazing this year.
We had a total of 3 Drag Queens, 4 kings, about 23 marchers and the 11 members from the Rara band. We were a fairly small group but we did not go unnoticed. The Rara Band guys worked from 5th ave. to 56st to Christopher’s, they took the road like they were on stage cat walking. The crowd was cheering us on.! All the attention we were getting was like an adrenaline ride. The Rara band sounded hot!
Other marchers at one point left their contingencies to join us, it was beautiful. It rained for two hours or so. It was a blessing! The harder the rain fell, the better the band sounded. They played harder and better then when they first started out. The crowd went wild.
Everything seems to go in slow motion for at least 20 minutes as spectators that were running from the rain jumped the barricades to join us because nothing was stopping us. WE HAD A GREAT MOMENT! as everyone joined our group. All I can say is that you had to be there. I swear, if I died on Sunday I would’ve died a happy woman .
The Rara band called us the next day to tell us how much fun they had and how they continued the rara party long after we left them. They had a whole crowd of people following them as they returned back to their destination.
HGLA and its loyal members and supporters once again made history on Sunday, June 29 2008. Not only are we a pioneer LGBT organizaton in the Haitian community, but we broke some barriers with one of the most homophobic groups in the Haitian culture. BROTHERS HOT (rara band) has offered to accompany us every year for as long as we need their services.
WE DID IT! Its not much but it’s a start. Next year, we encourage you, your friends and love ones to join us in this movement. United we stand divided we fall.
Some of the members that were marching in the parade took pictures of this fabulous event.
Check it out.
Johanne Laborde, Executive Director
Haitian by birth
Gay by nature
Proud by choice
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