Cincinnati Black Pride goes virtual because of pandemic

Cincinnati Black Pride is virtual this year because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

With the eyes of the nation focused on racial injustice, Black Pride Members said they’re doing all they can to be seen and heard.

BLACK MEMBERS OF THE LOCALLGBTQ-PLUS COMMUNITY KICKEDOFF -- WITH A FILM FESTIVAL.ORGANIZERS ARE TAKING"CINCINNATI BLACK PRIDE"ONLINE THIS YEAR -- DUE TO THEPANDEMIC.BUT AS WCPO 9 NEWSREPORTER KRISTEN SWILLEY SHOWSUS -- THE VOICES OF THOSEINVOLVED ARE BEING AMPLIFIEDLIKE NEVER BEFORE.KRISTEN: LIKE EVENTS ACROSSTHE COUNTRY, CINCINNATI'SBLACK PRIDE WON'T TAKE PLACEIN THE STREETS.

BUT WITH THEEYES OF THE NATION ON RACIALINJUSTICE, PARTICIPANTS AREFAR FROM BEING SILENCED.SOT: TIM'M WEST 1:29:18"Ithink the community is reallygrateful that we didn't giveup on Pride this year." VO:WHEN THE PANDEMIC SEEMED TOERASE LIFE AS WE KNEW IT,CINCINNATI BLACK PRIDE ADOPTEDTHE THEME 'STILL HERE.'

IT'SA SLOGAN THAT APPLIES IN THEFACE OF COVID-19 AND IN THEMIDST OF THE BLACK LIVESMATTER MOVEMENT.

SOT: TIM'MWEST 4:40:03"I think weexperience that in the gaycommunity where there isracism, unfortunately, butpeople are working throughthat and we experience it inthe Black community when we'retold to show up, but not showup fully." VO: WEST SAYS BLACKMEMBERS OF THE LGBTQ COMMUNITYSIMULTANEOUSLY NAVIGATE BOTHWORLDS AND FACE BOTH SETS OFCHALLENGES.

DURING A RECENTTRIP, HE SAYS HE WAS RACIALLYPROFILED DURING A TRAFFICSTOP.

BACKUP WAS CALLED ANDGUNS WERE DRAWN.

SOT: TIM'MWEST 4:22:00"That reality isreal for me.

Those people mayor may not have known that Iwas a part of the LGBTcommunity, but I walk outsideevery day as a Black man andexperience what other Blackmen experience." SOT: TIM'MWEST 2:47:08"If there are keysto what will heal our city andbring it together, you mightwant to look at people at thatintersection." VO: HE HOPESCINCY BLACK PRIDE WILL BE ACHANCE TO GROW BOTH MOVEMENTSAND A SIGNAL TO PEOPLECITYWIDE THAT THOSE OF ALLGENDERS, SEXUAL ORIENTATIONSAND RACES BELONG HERE.

SOT:TIM'M WEST 2:11:07"I thinkstill there is a theme ofresilience.

I think Cincinnatihas always had a resilientBlack, LGBT community.

It'salways been invisible in yearspast and I think that is thething in Cincinnati that ischanging right now." KRISTEN:IF YOU MISSED TONIGHT'S FILMFESTIVAL OR JUST WANT TO LEARNMORE ABOUT THE OTHER EVENTSHAPPENING THIS WEEKEND, YOUCAN VISIT CINCINNATI BLACKPRIDE DOT COM.

I ALSO POSTEDTHAT LINK ON MY FACEBOOK PAGE,KRISTEN SWILLEY NEWS.

WCPO9NEWS.