Capitol City Pride
by David Meitzler on Nov.09, 2009, under Closets Are For Clothes, WCBN-FM
June is known as Pride Month across the United States. In Michigan pride is celebrated every year in the capitol city of Lansing with a March, rally, fair, and evening celebrations. For this edition of Closets you’ll hear the speeches from the rally.
1. Lansing Mayor Virg Bernero
2. Drs. Penny Gardner and Julie Nemecek. Penny Gardner is a Lansing resident and professor at Michigan State University, Community Organizer for Coalition for Adoption Rights Equality (CARE) and past Program Director for Michigan Equality. You can also find her on Youtube.com in a piece titled: Coming Out Stories: Penny Gardner. Dr. Julie Nemecek is a co-director of Michigan Equality. They’re on the web at michiganequality.org.
3. Alma Wheeler-Smith was a state senator from 1994 to 2002 and is now in the Michigan House of Representatives.
4. Pam Byrnes – she is now serving in her third term in the Michigan House of Representatives and this year was elected to the position of Speaker Pro Tempore for the House.
5. Michelle Brown from Michigan Equality and Todd Haywood. Haywood has done reporting for Between the Lines and the Michigan Messenger… An advisory… some of the language used might be considered strong.
6. The last event of the Pride Rally was a commitment ceremony officiated by Reverend Julie Nemecek from Michigan Equality and Reverend Kent Lederer. Lederer is from the Church – Unity of Greater Lansing.
Special thanks to Michigan Equality, Dr. Julie Nemecek, Michelle Brown, Mayor Virg Bernero, representative Alma Wheeler Smith, representative Pam Byrnes, and Todd Haywood. The Great Lakes Pride Band was providing music during the rally – their website is at greatlakesprideband.org.
Great Lakes Pride Band: http://greatlakesprideband.org
Michigan Equality: http://michiganequality.org
Michigan Pride: http://michiganpride.org
Michigan State Capitol: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michigan_State_Capitol
Michigan State Capitol: http://www.senate.mich.gov/Virtualtour/statecapitol.htm
