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Mission Statement: The mission of Asheville Gay Pridefest
is to provide a forum for building community and to honor the
many facets of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgendered family.
About Gay Pride: The Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgendered
community is very diverse. There are so many different groups
and races that make up our subculture. The Rainbow Flag is the
outgrowth of that diversity. It perfectly symbolizes who we are
and our diverse natures.
While we fight for our rights to the same dignity and respect
that heterosexual members of our society have, we often don't
afford basic respects to our own diverse groups. Asheville Pridefest
was born of a dream to create a sense of community, understanding
and tolerance for everyone, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgendered
and heterosexual. It is our greatest dream that this event will
introduce the diverse members of our culture to each other so
that we can sew an understanding of all parts of our community.
The Rainbow Flag is a huge symbol of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and
Transgendered Pride. It was designed in 1978 by an artist named
Gilbert Baker. There was need of a symbol that could be used year
after year in the San Francisco Pride Parade. The colors each
stand for some aspect of our community. Red for life, orange for
healing, yellow for the sun, green for nature, blue for art and
purple for spirit. If we look at the flag, one color is sewn to
the next. Each stripe connects to the one below it and forms a
whole. It can also symbolize a wall, one composed of the diverse
parts of our culture coming together and supporting one another.
Taking this representation to heart, we can be the strong wall
against the political forces using us as scapegoats and break
the tide they have been throwing against us.
Robert F. Kennedy said, “Each time a man stands up for an
ideal, or acts to improve the lot of others, or strikes out against
injustice, he sends forth a tiny ripple of hope, and crossing
each other from a million different centers of energy and daring,
those ripples build a current that can sweep down the mightiest
walls of oppression and resistance.” That is what we are
hoping will be the outcome of our Pride event; growing a great
wall of support and greater understanding of the diverse parts
that make up our whole so we can reflect this dignity and respect
for each other to the people that don't understand.
 About
Us: We are a 501(C)(3) nonprofit organization and are striving
to make a positive difference in our community. This year we are
raising funds for the Asheville chapter of PFLAG. They are very
active in helping the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgendered
youth in our area. We realize that this is just one small step
in what we hope to do for our vision of the future but it is a
large one in heart and spirit. Please help us spread those ripples
that will grow to become a wave that will do exactly what Robert
F. Kennedy envisioned.
About Our Website: Our website has information about our
Pride Fundraising Events, including
photos of some of our past events; a list of the Asheville
Pridefest Performers who will be entertaining our GLBT
Community for over ten hours; a Map
and Directions Page which includes a link to get directions
to Asheville Pridefest from your location; information for anyone
who would like to be a Vendor
at our festival; ideas on what you can do to Volunteer
to help us with our yearly event; GLBT
Links and Webrings; and a list of our Sponsors
with a link to their websites. Some of our sponsors include: The
Asheville Purple Pages, Club
Hairspray , and Out
In Asheville. If you'd like to sponsor our event, be sure
to check out our Sponsor Application
Page.
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About
Our CoSponsor:
