OKC Pride announces 2012 date & plans for health center

With the extreme heat at the end of June last year and many of the past years, the OKC Pride board had to make a tough decision. The date for Pride 2012 has been moved to May 11 – 13, 2012.

“It’s over the last five years we have endured heat over 100 plus degrees with our end of June Pride events,” said John Gibbons, 2012 OKC Pride Board President. “We have sent at least one person to the emergency room each year so we felt we had to make the changes for general health and public safety.”
Gibbons said the board toiled over this decision for nearly three weeks with constant communications to come to this date adding that it was a real struggle to find the right weekend.

“I understand that not everyone will be happy with any date we come up with but June 1st is Tulsa pride, dead center conflicted with one weekend, then there was OGRA. There just is one date that does not conflict with something.”

The purpose of the Corporation is to promote and celebrate pride, diversity, and community, primarily related to sexual orientation and gender identity and expression, in central Oklahoma.

“The parade does not kick off till 5 or 6 pm there are festivities throughout the weekend. There just is no perfect date. There will still be plenty of time for people to spend with families and enjoy pride weekend,” adds Gibbons.  “It actually took the board nearly three weeks of constant contact and commutation to come to this date, so it was a struggle for us to come to this date”

The event plans a special event for moms and lesbian women with children with kids.

The Pride volunteer board is made up of all volunteers.

As for the health center to be constructed on 39th & Penn, Pride had first right of refusal at that, but being unable to raise the funds, another group bid that space.

“We are in negotiations with Variety Care to work out building the health center somewhere in the area, adds Gibbons. “That will be a 3.5 million project and the announcement will come out sometime in January. We are making great progress and this pride team is very committed.”

Pride 2011 attendance was greatest ever with an estimated 35K that night and 60K overall.

For more information for Pride 2012, visit www.okcpride.org. Get involved.