This year was KYCC’s first time participating in the 2023 LA Pride Festival and Parade. Staff from across the agency participated in Pride weekend, on June 9 and 10, by passing out flyers and connecting with community members during the LA Pride in the Park Festival, and marching in the LA Pride Parade on June 11. Over 400 flyers, 60 seed packets to plant flowers, 100 condoms, fentanyl drug test kits, were distributed throughout the weekend.
LA Pride Parade & Festival is one of the largest Pride celebrations in the country, that also organize, sponsor or support other community events in and around Los Angeles, and work with their nonprofit, philanthropic, community and corporate partners to celebrate the entire LGBTQ+ community of LA.
The idea to participate in LA Pride was born from Nicholas Creason, KYCC’s Community Research and Program Evaluation (CRPE) Coordinator. Upon evaluating our programs, Nicholas realized that the LGBTQ+ community was being under engaged in programming and outreach. “It is important to consciously engage with the LGBTQ+ community in Koreatown, and LGBTQ+ Korean Americans to make a meaningful and long lasting impact,” Nicholas shared.
KYCC’s decision to participate in this year’s LA Pride events was rooted in an effort to better engage and show allyship with the LGBTQ+ community, and was almost entirely spearheaded by LGBTQ+ staff. Every unit of the organization was represented in our outreach efforts.
“It was so empowering to me to walk in the LA Pride Parade alongside my coworkers and supervisor. We were a small group, but we all had passion in our hearts and purpose in our steps. It was encouraging to see so many people in the crowd whose faces lit up when they saw our banner, and how they pointed us out to their friends, smiled, and waved,” says Kathleen Hobkirk, KYCC’s Youth Services Middle/High School Program Coordinator.
“I had a great time tabling in the Vendors Village with KYCC at LA Pride in The Park. It was really fulfilling to get to know more of my community and do some outreach,” says KYCC’s Elementary School Academic Instructor, Ethan Gourlay. ”Lots of people told us how important our materials were, which made me feel good about being part of such an awesome organization like KYCC. I felt the care and pride for the LGBTQIA2S+ community. Go KYCC!”
“I am so proud of KYCC and the KYCC LA Pride team for living up to our Organizational Plan; to be a champion and model for racial and social diversity. KYCC’s participation in LA Pride proves that we talk the talk and walk the walk,” shared Francesca LeRue, KYCC’s Chief Program Director.
Special thank you to LA Pride for allowing us to be a part of this special, annual event.
