'Together We Rise': Denver's PrideFest Promotes Inclusion And Equality

DENVER (CBS4) - If you've noticed a lot more rainbow flags hanging on display, then you may know it's pride month, and this weekend would have been Denver's PrideFest. It's still happening -- but this year it's a virtual celebration. There will be a parade produced to air online, and a 5K virtual race to raise money.

PrideFest's theme this year is "Together We Rise." That was decided before the COVID-19 pandemic and the recent protests for racial equality in the justice system.

Rex Fuller who is CEO to The Center on Colfax, the organization that puts on Pride Fest talked to CBS4 This Morning about promoting inclusion and equality in light of what is happening in the national spotlight.

"The message of equality associated with Pride events is always important but it's especially important this year given the context in the Black Lives Matter protest.  While we were really excited this year to get the news from the Supreme Court that guarantees no discrimination in employment for LGBT people we still have to remember what Marsha P. Johnson said many years ago.  Marsha was a black trans woman who was activist in New York, no pride for any of us without liberation for all of us," Fuller said.

Fuller also said it's a definite blow to fundraising to move everything online.  The goal this year is only to raise a tenth of what they normally collect, which comes out to $100,000.  That's substantially less than the annual $1 million that comes into the Center which helps put on programs for LGBTQ youth, seniors and the transgender community.

To see the full schedule of events, or make a donation, visit https://denverpride.org/.