Our Big Gay Weekend – ABQ Pride 2009

By David Stocum

Albuquerque Pride was another success. We reconnected with old friends and made several new contacts that will be valuable additions to the New Mexico GLBTQ Centers project as we go forward. It was a lot of fun too!

Our primary goal for the day was to spread the word about the New Mexico GLBTQ Community Needs Assessment and promote participation. We are looking for 400 responses to the survey online at http://NMglbtqCenters.needs.sgizmo.com. We are about half way there and with 1000 postcards to be distributed at Gallup Pride, ABQ Pride, Southern New Mexico Pride in Las Cruces and Pride on the Railyard Plaza in Santa Fe we should achieve that goal. I lost count of the number of conversations we had about the needs assessment in Albuquerque so let’s just say it was a whole bunch :)

It seems every year we have at least one challenge at Pride events and this year was no exception. This year in addition to leaving the table and chairs in Las Cruces, the alarm clock in our hotel room didn’t go off, and our booth was parked in a handicapped parking space (look closely at the picture of the booth). Fortunately the sunrise in the hotel window woke us in plenty of time and the State Police were not enforcing parking :)

Again this year I was photographically challenged and most to the pictures came out blurry. The two that didn’t are posted here. MaryEllen Broderick has some great photos of the day over on Facebook (http://tinyurl.com/l725b4). Two other things that never seem to change are the wingnut protesters at the parade and the afternoon winds. Of course, they are also part of the charm of ABQ Pride every year.

Thanks to the gang at Pride, you did your usual stellar job.