Pride Parade 2013

Location: Uptown – Lincoln Park

Date: Sunday, June 30, 2013; 11:00 am-4:00 pm

I had done a couple of projects with the ‘AIDS Foundation of Chicago’, well attended really – The ‘AIDS Walk’ last year followed by the delectable ‘World Of Chocolate’.  However, I had not volunteered with them and so when I saw that they needed volunteers for the annual ‘Pride Walk’, I informed them that I would be interested.  I thought that I would be helping with the set-up, registration, handing water etc.  Then I heard back from them saying how appreciative they were of me participating and were looking forward to having me walk in the parade on the AIDS Foundation float.  Eh, let’s try that again.  They wanted me to be in the parade and not just that, be on a float.  Now, I had seen pictures of people in this parade, especially the floats and if there are two words to describe them, they are ‘Flamboyantly Colorful’.  I may be many things, but I most certainly am not any of those two words.  Plus it seems like the entire city of Chicago descends to watch the parade, meaning there would be countless eyes on me.  I almost wrote back saying that I would be unable to participate.  Don’t get me wrong, my reluctance was not because I have prejudice against Gay and Lesbian communities.  On the contrary, I think this parade is a brilliant idea – a celebration even.  I just wasn’t sure what I was signing up for and knew that I would be embarrassed to be spotted wearing neon colored outfit, a feathered hat or a peacock tail.  But I knew it was a ludicrous reason to decline and so I decide to do it.  I was sure that there would be some place on the float where I could hide behind my fellow volunteers, while they took the spotlight with their outfits – Not that there’s anything wrong with it.

Floats everywhere...including our Google Float

When my friends heard about this, they wanted to design some accessories for me.  I joked with them that my biggest concern was that all the eligible ladies of Chicago would give up on me if they saw me in this parade!  But jokes apart, deep down I knew that like everything else, an opportunity to participate was a privilege and I was going to ensure that I honored that.  That morning as I took the train uptown, I saw that all around me people were dressed for the occasion.  As I exited the train station, the festivities on Broadway Street were well and truly underway.  There were floats all around me as were the flamboyantly dressed people that I was expecting to see.  I went to Monroe Street to find the AIDS Foundation Float.  It was easier said than done since the street was lined up with floats on both sides.  I finally found the float and collected the AIDS foundation shirt – my fears about wearing a neon outfit were unfounded – and then learned that I had been assigned to the Google float.  As I walked up to the float, I asked if it was going to be some sort of a high-tech float, being sponsored by Google! 

Yeah, I wasn't going to be doing this

The float wasn’t anything from the future, but it was still being decorated, with a picture of two Droids holding hands being put up. Google was letting the volunteers from AIDS Foundation walk with them and being a few floats behind the main AIDS Foundation float, it would allow us to promote the foundation even more. Besides Google, the AIDS Foundation had also partnered with ‘AIDS Legal Council of Chicago’, 'Center on Halsted’, ‘Chicago House’,’ Howard Brown Health Center’ and ‘Test Positive Aware Network’.  I was thrilled to learn that one of my co-volunteers, Courtney was also a volunteer with ‘Lakeview Pantry’ and had in fact walked on their team at the ‘Hunger Walk’ yesterday.  As we waited by the Google float, the music was blaring out from the other floats, particularly Akira’s float behind us where people were having an all-out dance party.  A guy came to hand out beads and feathery garlands and by now I had been bitten by the bug as well.  I picked up a few beads and the colorful garland and put it on.  Then it was just waiting and soaking in the atmosphere.  Getting all the floats rolling was no mean task and we were waiting for our signal to depart.  We were sitting on the float and one girl came and said that we had to make a decision right now whether to stay on the float for the duration of the 3.5 mile route or walk besides it.  We could not get on and off while the float was in motion.  I decided to stay on board, till I heard the girl say that anyone staying on the float would have to dance.  No sooner had she said that than I jumped off and prepared to walk! 

People were everywhere...everywhere!

Finally, after a long wait, the parade started.  There were several people on the float and more of us walking on either side.  The convoy turned on Broadway and then it was akin to being in Mardi Gras.  Tens of thousands had lined up on both sides and they were screaming.  There was music, dancing and people in costume - not just in the parade, but those in the crowd as well.  As we walked past all of them, they wanted to hug us, high-five or just do something to show their support.  The floats were moving at a very slow pace and so we had a lot of time to wave and interact.  It was brilliant to see just how happy the people were.  Halfway through the parade we were told to start handing off small cards to promote the ‘AIDS Run & Walk’ in September.  With information on one side and a double entendre saying on the other, these had somehow become like a collector’s item trading card for the people by the roadside and all of them were extending their hands for one.  I handed out my quota and hoped that they wouldn't end up as garbage on the road.  I was now interacting more with the crowd and saw a little girl leaning against the railing with her parents.  I removed my beads and put them on her, at which point she was absolutely ecstatic.  I suspect I would have gotten the same reaction from anyone else in the crowd, irrespective of age.

I was glad to have participated

All good things eventually come to an end and at Sheridan and Diversey our parade was over.  Courtney and I then had to then make our way to a CTA station, and that was going to be the most challenging task of the day since the parade route was in the way.  We were told that there were designated crossing points, one of them being more than a mile up the route we had just come.  So after having walked 3.5 miles on the route, we were making our way back, but this time through the crowd.  Courtney decided to just walk home rather than attempt a crossing, something that I should have done since I was having a tough time.  Not only did the cops not let anyone cross at some streets, at the so called crossing points, there were thousands of people - almost all of them totally wasted.  It was a nightmare experience and after an hour of trying to get to the station, I finally succeeded.  I rode the train back with many of the satisfied attendees, still wearing some of my beads and the garland.  What a difference a few hours makes.  While in the morning I had been apprehensive, now I wanted it to go on for some more time.  It had been one of my more fascinating volunteer experiences, and I have never seen Chicago so joyous and united in something.  Not only was I part of this celebration, it was also for a good cause and for a great organization.  I cannot wait to do it again next year, though you would still not find me in a flamboyant costume – Not that there’s anything wrong with it!