Hosting its “50 Shades of Pride” anniversary, Baltimore Pride will have various events from June 9-15 to celebrate the LGBTQ community.  

Kicking off with an opening happy hour with good vibes, music, and signature drinks on June 9, community members can head to EMA’s Corner for a night of joy, community, and bold self-expression. 

According to Baltimore Pride’s website, attendees from 5-9 p.m. can show off their “unique shade of Pride” by dressing down or going full glam.  

Hosting another happy hour on June 11 from 5-9 p.m., the Manor in Mount Vernon allows attendees to “sip, socialize, and celebrate 50 years of Baltimore Pride in style.” Filled with Insta-worthy photo moments, signature cocktails, and feel-good Pride anthems played by a live DJ, this event will promote community, connection, and culture. 

Ditching the drinks for a flag in hand, Baltimore Pride is taking over Mount Vernon for a vibrant block-style celebration June 13 from 3-8 p.m. 

Mount Vernon Pride will be filled with live music, art installations and community vendors, food trucks and an outdoor bar, Pride merch, dance zones, and hangout lounges. The event is free and open to all ages, taking place on Park Avenue and Read Street. 

Giving you some time to enjoy Mount Vernon Pride, Baltimore Pride’s Twilight on the Terrace will take place from 7-11 p.m. on June 13, giving attendees “a night of dancing under the stars, fine food, open bar, and great music.”

The “original Dreamgirl herself,” and Tony award and Grammy-award winner Jennifer Holliday, will grace the stage at M&T Bank Exchange at the France-Merrick Performing Arts Center with her “soul-stirring vocals and electrifying presence” for an unforgettable night.  

Attendees are able to mix and mingle over signature cocktails and gourmet bites before and after the show with community leaders, culture icons, and changemakers at the Gala Reception. 

Limited seating is available, and attendees are expected to “dress to impress.” 

Celebrating its 50th anniversary, Baltimore Pride will host its annual Pride parade on Charles Street and North Avenue on June 14 at 12 p.m. Floats, dancers, DJs, and marching bands will walk along that route that “winds through the heart of Baltimore.”  

Onlookers are able to cheer from the sidelines of the parade while drag queens and community organizations celebrate LGBTQ joy, history, and resistance. 

The event will also feature announcers and special guest appearances. 

Admission is free for all ages, and attendees are encouraged to bring flags, signs, and lots of energy. 

Shutting down Charles Street once again, Baltimore Pride is hosting its annual Block Party.

From 3 p.m. until sunset on June 14, headliner and rapper Lola Brooke will perform as attendees visit local vendors, food trucks, street eats, dance zones, and more. 

Giving community members a chance to interact with 10 local drag entertainers, Baltimore Pride is hosting its own Pride drag brunch at 1611 Guilford Ave. on June 15. Filled with “jaw-dropping performances” with brunch and drinks included with purchase, attendees can be prepared to “slay” their Sunday and honor the “many shades, styles, and stories” that make up the LGBTQ community.  

Doors open at noon with the show starting at 1:15 p.m. with a $20 admission fee.

Ending its week of celebration, Baltimore Pride is hosting Pride in the Park from 12-6 p.m. at Druid Hill Park. Community members are invited to celebrate “a day of love, laughter, and community in the heart of nature.”

Attendees will have lots to choose from for entertainment with live performances from special guests, like singer and songwriter Durand Bernarr and gospel singer Kelly Pride, community vendors, food trucks, and a family zone with arts, games, and activities. Pet-friendly with a variety of opportunities for photo ops and giveaways, this event is free with an RSVP and open to all to celebrate the LGBTQ community authentically and unapologetically. 

By WESLEY CASE | The National Endowment for the Arts announced last month new guidelines and the elimination of Challenge America, a grant program that supports underserved groups and communities — moves that falls in line with President Donald Trump’s plan to reshape federal arts policy.

Now, Baltimore Center Stage, Maryland’s state theater, says it will refuse to comply with the NEA’s new guidelines — which state that applicants “will not operate any programs promoting ‘diversity, equity, and inclusion’” or “gender ideology” — at the cost of its own potential federal funding in the future.

Under the new guidelines, the NEA is encouraging applicants to create projects that honor the upcoming 250th anniversary of the country’s adoption of the Declaration of Independence.

The rest of this article can be read on the Baltimore Banner’s website.

The LGBTQ community services organization Baltimore Safe Haven announced it intends to expand its services in a recently acquired building that it’s currently renovating at 806 North Collington Avenue near the Johns Hopkins Hospital.

“The new facility, named the Mary Lynn Washington Building and the Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation Community Hub and Resource Center, is set to open soon, marking a significant milestone in our ongoing mission to create safe and inclusive spaces for all,” a statement released by the group on Dec. 30 says.

“The expansion would not have been possible without the generous support and commitment of our community donors,” the statement says.

A report by Baltimore’s WMAR 2 TV news says the building’s rooms will accommodate two dozen people “who need transitional or permanent housing and will include clinical resources under the same roof.”

The TV news report says Baltimore Safe Haven’s founder and CEO, Iya Dammons, completed the purchase of the building over the Christmas weekend but neither the news report nor the Safe Haven statement disclosed the building’s purchase price.

“We extend our deepest gratitude to [Maryland State] Senator Mary Washington, Congressman Kweisi Mfume, Mayor Brandon Scott, Borealis Philanthropy, the Astraea Foundation, The Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation, MOHS, COC, and MDH,” the statement says. “Their unwavering support has been instrumental in bringing this vision to life,” it says.

“The new community hub will serve as a one-stop resource center, providing expanded clinic services in collaboration with the University of Maryland, including mental health and wellness programming,” according to the statement.

A separate statement on its website says Dammons, a transgender rights activist, founded Baltimore Safe Haven in 2018. The statement says the group has previously expanded its services since its founding to provide housing services for members of the LGBTQ community facing homelessness and housing insecurity.

“The organization has also developed a wide range of programs and services focused on mental health support, physical health coordination, workforce development, legal support, advocacy, and community building.”

In July 2023, Safe Haven opened a D.C. office and drop-in center at 331 H St., N.E. that Dammons said would seek to provide services for the LGBTQ community, especially people in need, like the services provided in Baltimore.