The night was full of color, music, energy, and most of all, pride. My first time going to L.A. Pride was quite a memorable experience. I didn’t know what to expect, but one thing I knew for sure was that I was going to make the best of it.
I was nervous because I was going with a group of people I hardly talked to, and I was worried it was going to be awkward. The good thing was that they were really awesome and friendly people, so that made my experience more enjoyable.
We drove to West Hollywood and I remember seeing so many people walking around and rainbow flags everywhere. The thought of being surrounded by so many Queer people was quite exciting and I thought there couldn’t be anything better than that. Strangers would come up to me and give me compliments, or simply start talking to me about the most random things ever. It was great seeing so many people come together for something so simple as Pride.
Once my friends and I were inside, we started walking around and saw people dancing, taking pictures, and couples making out. I really felt like I belonged. During that time, I was struggling with being open about my sexuality, and the L.A. Pride experience really helped me open up.
After we had been there for a while, we heard that Ciara was going to perform soon so we tried to get near the stage. We finally found a decent place and waited for Ciara to perform. When Ciara came out, my friends and I were so excited, and we were just rocking out to her music. It was one of the best feelings ever: being around lovely people and letting the music consume me, I couldn’t get enough. Unfortunately, the fun had to come to an end.
Overall, my first L.A. Pride was great, and I would definitely attend more Prides in the future. I think it is very important for people within the Queer community to come together for things such as Pride because it provides a safe zone and allows us to be who we truly are.