Pride Month Kicks Off with Pride Market and Block Party in Houston
As the LGBTQ+ community prepares for the Pride parade on June 28 in downtown Houston, Pride Houston 365 kicked off Pride Month with a Pride Market and Block Party at Neon Boots. The event brought together members of the community to celebrate and show their pride, as well as to advocate for their rights.
According to Kerry-Ann Morrison, president of Pride Houston 365, it’s essential for people in the LGBTQ+ community to continue fighting for their rights, especially during this time. "There are so many things that tell us that we can’t be who we are and the things that we fought for about 50 years ago during Stonewall is now being basically stepped on," she said, as reported by FOX 26 Houston.
The Pride Houston 365 board members, including Thasia Madison, Celebration Director, agree with Morrison and stress the importance of being filled with pride and persistence as they continue to stand up for themselves. "It’s not only a time to celebrate, it’s also a time to stand in solidarity," Madison said. "I think right now that’s actually the reason I am involved. I am digging into that uncomfortableness. I am using that to uplift me and to build into my passion and what it is I do."
The event provided a safe space for members of the LGBTQ+ community to be themselves and feel welcome. Kerry-Ann Morrison noted that "when you come to a space like this where you feel like it is made and curated for you, you feel like you are home." Darren Cadiz, owner and creator of Love Me Sweet Co, a vendor at Pride Market 2025, echoed this sentiment, saying that it’s nice to be surrounded by like-minded people who are authentically themselves.
Cadiz also mentioned that, coming from a more conservative area, it’s refreshing to be in a place where he can be proud of who he is without fear of judgment. "I think in this day and age it’s needed even more, which is why we are never ashamed of ourselves," he added.
Michelle Fuentes, Director of Community Engagement for Pride Houston 365, emphasized the importance of allies continuing to support the LGBTQ+ community in their fight for rights. "I think for me it’s really important that it’s the 10th anniversary of the same-sex bill. You know, there is over 700 anti-LGBTIQ legislation, like anti-bills across the United States," Fuentes said, as quoted by FOX 26 Houston. "We have seen such strength in numbers, and we have all been working together, and we have all been talking about how we are going to move forward together."
Isaiah McSwain, who attended the event, remembers going to his first pride parade at 16 and encourages younger members of the LGBTQ+ community to use their platforms and voices to speak out. "Go out. Don’t be scared to write the letter to the politician. Get online and talk about the topic that really is important to you, especially being queer and being gay in America. We are not free everywhere, so fight for your rights while you still have them," he said.
This year’s pride parade and festival will take place on June 28th, 2025, as reported by FOX 26 Houston. The event aims to bring together members of the LGBTQ+ community and their allies to celebrate and advocate for their rights.
The information in this article comes from FOX 26 Houston coverage at the Pride Houston 365 event.
