This article originally appeared on Travelandleisure.com.
Ongoing lockdown restrictions have led to this year’s annual NYC Pride parade to be canceled, but there is still a celebration and rally being held online.
In addition to many other Pride events moving to virtual gatherings in the wake of coronavirus, NYC Pride is also hosting an online rally on Friday, June 26 between 5 p.m. and 8 p.m. ET on Facebook and Youtube. The event is hosted by trans journalist Ashlee Marie Preston and trans actor Brian Michael Smith and will “take a stand against police brutality and discrimination.”
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This annual event honors the very first rally, which took place 51 years ago on June 28, 1969, one month after the Stonewall Riots. “LGBTQIA+ rights and human rights are under attack by the current political environment,” it says on the NYC Pride website. Not only has this event been impacted by coronavirus lockdown measures, it also has been affected by the recent Black Lives Matter and police brutality protests after the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis.
“This nontraditional Rally event comes at a time when conversation, education and activism is needed most,” it says on the event page on Eventbrite.
The rally is one of many events that will take place online during NYC Pride, including the annual Human Rights Conference on June 25, as well as workshops, experiences, and conversations pertinent to the LGBTQ+ community. A special broadcast in honor of NYC Pride is also planned for June 28 on ABC.
Looking for ways to help? Consider donating to the Black Trans Travel Fund to support both trans and BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) travelers.
For more information about the NYC Pride virtual rally, visit the rally’s page on Eventbrite or the NYC Pride website. The rally, as well as many other Pride events, are completely free to anyone who wants to attend.
