This week I talked with Sylvain Bruni, President of Boston Pride, which takes place June 6 through June 15, 2014. This is the 44th celebration of Boston Pride, and this year's theme is "Be Yourself, Change the World." The theme encourages the LGBT community to embrace what makes each individual unique, and to use those qualities to change the world for the better. Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick has been selected as one of this year's grand marshals, along with the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence. John Mitzel was named Honorary Marshal. Boston Pride kicks off June 6 with the annual flag-raising ceremony at City Hall Plaza. Highlighting the week will be Pride Day at Faneuil Hall, Pride Queeraoke, Pride Night at Fenway Park, the Boston Pride Parade and the Boston Pride Festival, with Mary Lambert performing, and more. There will also be dance parties, including the Pride Youth Dance, the Back Bay Block Party, and the JP Block Party.
I talked with Bruni about all the fabulous events happening during Boston Pride, and about his spin on LGBT issues. When asked about his personal commitment to LGBT civil rights, he stated:
My commitment to LGBT civil rights is being involved and taking part in various activities that are done. I really think that it's upon every one of us to actually contribute to the community and do whatever we can, and to move the community forward, and to bring the services, the awareness, the talent, the skills, the competences that we have to make the overall environment better for everyone. Specifically, here, in terms of civil rights in the work we do with Boston Pride, we think it is very important that we continue to raise awareness about what's happening outside of the Boston area and beyond the United States around the world. We have, for a couple of years, held some human rights panels during Pride Week and think it's an essential component of programming that we offer, because a lot of folks here in the community are not necessarily aware that, granted, there are lots of improvements that need to occur in Boston, in Massachusetts, and in the United States, [but] there is also really a lot of work that is needed outside of the country. It is important for people to know about this and participate if they can. So we're really delighted to offer this kind of programming, because for every one of us at Boston Pride, we resonate personally as a commitment to LGBT human rights around the world.
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Sylvain Bruni, originally from France, was appointed President of the Board of Directors of Boston Pride in January 2014. He has been involved with Boston Pride since 2004. He was also the co-chair of the 2012 World Conference of the International Association of Pride Organizers (InterPride), held in Boston in October 2012. He is currently the co-chair of InterPride's communications committee. Boston Pride is still looking for volunteers to help with this year's Pride Week activities. Volunteers are needed on June 14 for the Pride Parade and Festival, and on June 15 for the Back Bay and Jamaica Plain Block Parties.
For more information on Boston Pride, visit bostonpride.org.
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