InterPride

InterPride

The International Association of Lesbian/Gay/Bisexual/Transgender Pride Coordinators is one of few International LGBT entities in operation continuously since the 1980s. Geared towards networking, education, and mentoring, the group boasts a membership of more than 200 organizations with worldwide representation, dedicated to LGBT Pride and Pride events.

History of InterPride

In the spring of 1981, Pride Coordinators Rick Turner (San Francisco) and Marsha H. Levine (Boston) met at a "Call to Unite" gay and lesbian leadership conference in Los Angeles. While discussing common issues that their organizations faced, and remarking that connections with the New York and Los Angeles committees were helpful for problem-solving, this trading of information established a valuable network.

Almost a year later, Marsha began planning for the first annual National Lesbian/Gay Pride Coordinators Conference. She contacted as many pride groups that she could find. One of those was the San Diego Gay Pride Committee and chairperson Doug Moore who had been collecting a list of nationally known Pride organizations. With small donations from the Los Angeles and Boston Prides, Marsha created and distributed registration forms for the first conference to the list. Many committees expressed an interest in attending, but didn’t have the funds to send delegates at that time. In October, 1982, Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, San Diego, and San Francisco gathered at the first conference of the NALGPC.

The historic Beacon Hill meeting site was just down the street from the historic Freedom Trail, and just steps away from Boston’s parade route and rally site. Three long tables were pushed together to make a triangular seating area. For two days everything germane to coordinating lesbian/gay pride was discussed, and found that while each city had different events, much of the planning and logisitics was surprisingly similar. They voted to hold a second conference in San Diego the next year.

In 1985, with representatives from Germany and Toronto, Canada in attendance, the organization formally adopted the name International Association of Lesbian/Gay Pride Coordinators, and pledged to continue reaching out to other countries. During the last 20 years, Pride organizations from Asia, Africa, Indonesia, Europe, Mexico, and South America have participated in these conferences.

The conference continues annually, meeting in a different state, and frequently, on a different continent, in their continued commitment to support and empower the LGBT Pride community world wide.

Web Site

• Official InterPride Web Site