NYC Black Pride’s annual festivities will return on Aug. 19 for five days of events, including a health conference, a latex ball, the annual Heritage Awards Ceremony, and nightlife parties.
The events begin on Aug. 19 with the annual Health as a Human Right Conference, which will reflect on the 45-year mark since the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s first report on HIV/AIDS and, notably, the 40-year anniversary of the time when Black people and people of color broadly were mobilized to address the epidemic, according to Lee Soulja-Simmons, who leads NYC Black Pride.
This year’s theme, Celebrating a Legacy of Resilience, offers a reminder that Black LGBTQ New Yorkers have long managed to navigate adversity and are continuing to do so at a time when the Trump administration has worked to restrict access to healthcare and use the power of the presidency to attack the queer community, communities of color, immigrants, and others.
“Resilience is the key word,” Soulja-Simmons said in an interview with Gay City News. “We feel like we have been here before: Our healthcare and our rights are being attacked, DEI programs are being shut down, and we just feel like this is nothing new. We have survived these types of things before; we know we will get past things again.”
This year marks the 29th edition of of NYC Black Pride, which hosts its core events in Manhattan.
The Health as a Human Right Conference will feature a conversation called “A 40-year Legacy of Resilience: Intersecting Structural Oppression and Black Sexual Minority Health,” which will be hosted by Michael Roberson Margiela at Dallas BBQ at 261 Eighth Ave. in Chelsea. The city and state health departments will be on hand for that event, which will feature conversations pertaining to HIV/AIDS, looming healthcare changes, and more.
Meanwhile, the Heritage Awards Ceremony will return on Aug. 21 at 3 p.m. at the Renaissance Harlem Hotel at 233 W. 125th St. Soulja-Simmons noted that a “changemakers” component will be added to this year’s Heritage Ball to showcase individuals in the community who have made a difference — including Qween Jean, who made trans history in June when she became the first out trans person to win a Tony Award for best costume design of a musical for her work on “Cats: The Jellicle Ball.”
Other changemakers on this years list include Sean Coleman, who leads Destination Tomorrow; Gay Men of African Descent (GMAD); fashion model Tracey Africa; and Taylor Brown, who is the director of the Mayor’s Office of LGBTQIA+ Affairs.
Following the Heritage Awards Ceremony, attendees will remain at the same hotel for the fifth annual Mr. and Miss Black Pride International, which is free to attend and will be hosted by Harmonica Sunbeam. The event, which kicks off at 7 p.m., will feature a half-dozen categories, including Interview, Presentation, Swimwear, Formal Wear, Talent, and Q&A.
Those who wish to compete must pay an entry fee of $100 by Aug. 14. The winner receives $2,000, while the first runner-up will get $1,000 and the second runner-up will get $500. For information about the Mr. and Miss Black Pride International contest, contact Jose Disla at 646-284-4096.
The following day, Aug. 22, will feature a health fair from noon to 6 p.m. at Pier 84 at Hudson River Park on the west side of Manhattan. Immediately after that event will be the Latex Ball, which will begin at 6:30 p.m. at Terminal 5 at 610 West 56th St. Led by GMHC, the Latex Ball highlights house and ballroom culture while also serving as a platform to address HIV/AIDS.
“The Latex Ball utilizes the Triple E — Education, Entertainment, and Empowerment — approach to HIV prevention, substance use, and positive sexual health messaging,” GMHC’s website states. “The event features competitions in dance, voguing, and fashion, and incorporates messaging that links the community to resources that help prevent the spread of HIV.”
Every Sunday, Soulja-Simmons also hosts Sanctuary at District from 5 p.m. to midnight at 246 W. 38th St. in Manhattan. Soulja-Simmons noted that other parties will be announced ahead of NYC Black Pride.
In some past years, NYC Black Pride held an event at the beach in Coney Island, though that did not take place last year and is not planned for this year.
For more information, visit NYCBlackPride.org.
