Celebrate “A Better World” at Enid Pride
By Robin Dorner
Editor in Chief
The Enid LGBT Coalition is geared to welcome everyone to the Enid Pride celebration on Saturday, September 22nd. Now in its fourth year and titled, “A Better World,” the event is the only Pride celebration of its kind in NW Oklahoma.
“Celebrating diversity and ingenuity is creating a better world for all,” said Enid Pride Director, Tyler Bowen. “We want to provide our community with a family friendly celebration that promotes understanding, education, and is appropriate for people of all ages, including children.”
Bowen said when they were starting the Enid LGBT Coalition, the clear message they received from those who wanted to be involved is that a great deal of work was needed in this rural area to help people understand that they are all just citizens of the world who want the same things as everybody else.
“The basis for wanting full acceptance and inclusion in our community of Enid and Northwest Oklahoma, could be demonstrated in no better way than to practice it, and have an event that is inclusive and accepting of everyone…all diversity…including families.
“Building relationships by demonstrating our commitment to pursue excellence, create unity, and be of service to all members of our community,” adds Bowen. “Holding ourselves to the highest of standards, including the means and method of contributing to our community, by being an organization of givers, whose contributions can be genuinely appreciated by our entire community is the root passion of our membership.”
Key note speaker of the festival is Michael Korenblit, co-founder of the Respect Diversity Foundation (www.respectdiversity.org) and author of “Until We Meet Again,” the compelling story of his father and mother’s survival during the holocaust. Board member Lynne Bussell suggested Korenblit, seeing his ability to tie his story into the theme, “A Better World.”
The Coalition continues to find ways to prevent suicide and bullying, and promote other life improvement efforts in their area, such as highlight the organizations, groups, and businesses that are truly making a better world for all. This includes human rights, mental and physical health, environmental, and educational progress.
Enid Pride 2012 “A Better World” is Saturday, September 22nd from noon to 7 p.m. at Government Spring Park in Enid, Oklahoma (use north, entrance at 5th and Park). Enid is about a two hour drive from Wichita or Tulsa; hour and a half drive from OKC.
Enid Pride is hosted by Enid LGBT Coalition, a 501 non-profit organization. For more information, visit www.enidlgbtcoalition.org.