Residents take Pride in themselves

Published 1:00 pm Monday, September 17, 2018

VALDOSTA — South Georgia residents celebrated Pride in who they are Saturday Saunders Park.

The Ninth Annual South Georgia Pride Festival hosted a myriad of vendors, community resources and entertainers for members of the community to indulge in while taking pride in being a part of or an ally of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer community.

Raynae Jones, executive director of South Georgia Pride, said the event is a way to “celebrate love, families, diversity and to just have a good day.”

Jones said the Pride Festival is important because not everyone can make it to a larger city.

“With this being a rural-type area, we have all these surrounding counties, for some people this is the only pride they’ve ever been to,” Jones said. “Some people have never been to Atlanta Pride or other cities. It’s nice for them to have it at home — a day to come out and be their self, and to know that nobody is going to be passing judgment on them.”

Jones said to encourage acceptance, the festival has people giving out free mom and dad hugs to those whose parents may not accept them. The surrogates let people know: “Hey, we love you. You don’t have to worry about how you look.”

While the festival is a way for the LGBTQ community to come together, other community members also participate, Jones said.

“We have a lot of straight families and allies that come and give their support,” she said.

Nick Miller, a volunteer for the event, recently moved to Valdosta and got involved with South Georgia Pride through the Campus Pride Connection at Valdosta State University.

Miller does not identify as a LGBTQ but wants to support the community.

“When I think about what it means to be a good ally for LGBTQ communities, being here doing some of the background work,” Miller said. “I’m mostly picking up trash today and emptying trashcans and things like that, so that those that are here celebrating their identities and what not can have their opportunity to do so while other stuff is being done in the background. So, I’m trying to be a good ally in that regard.”

Miller recently moved to Valdosta to take a job as a professor at VSU, and has participated in Pride festivals in other cities and communities. He said there was more to the festival than he originally expected.

“Honestly, in someways it’s bigger than I expected,” he said. “I didn’t know what to expect in southern Georgia.

Spouses Baylee Adams and Ashley Salyards came out to the festival to have a good time, check out some vendors and listen to good music, Adams said.

Adams said it is nice having a day for the LGBTQ community to get together in solidarity.

“There aren’t many opportunities for us to be around people that understand and can relate to us,” Adams said.

Tonya Marie Richardson, reigning Miss South Georgia Pride 2018, took a moment to elaborate why members of the LGBTQ community should be proud of who they are and celebrate what makes them special each day.

“Pride is a very, very, special thing. We should all be proud. We should all have pride in who we are no matter who you are, what gender you are, what you identify with, who you identify with — Be proud. Be you,” Richardson said. 

Jason Smith is a reporter at The Valdosta Daily Times. He can be contacted at 229-244-3400 ext.1257.