Hundreds of people are expected to gather in St. Joseph this weekend of its annual St. Joe PrideFest. Organizers said this year’s event carries a much different feeling following the shooting in Orlando, but it’s important the show goes on.
“I can’t be quiet now because we already lost 50 voices,” said Midland Empire Equality Coalition President Daniel Ramming.
Ramming hopes the timing of St. Joe PrideFest doesn’t deter people from attending.
“I have friends who said they were afraid to come and they tell me they know it’s silly but the fear is real,” Ramming explained.
His friend and St. Joe PrideFest Entertainment Co-Chair Brandy Reinke is not scared, but she is sad.
“It changes it because now, it is a time for us to come together and show our solidarity and our support for each other more than ever,” Reinke said.
Reinke calls herself a straight ally for the LGBT community.
“For me, it means something different than it may mean to someone else, but in the end it all means the same; just solidarity, support for one another and just loving. Loving everybody.”
Organizers are working with St. Joseph police to have extra security and precautions in place. There will also be a donation box to raise money for the victims of the Orlando shooting.
Ramming and Reinke agree, no gunman will change the purpose and goal of PrideFest.
“We have worked too hard to get to this point. Sadly, this is not the first bloodshed we had and it won’t be the last, but it hasn’t stopped us before and it won’t top us now,” Ramming said.
St. Joe PrideFest runs Thursday through Saturday.
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Lexi Sutter can be reached at lexi.sutter@kshb.com.