By Kyndal Foster
AFRO Intern
For 50 years Baltimore has celebrated and supported the LGBTQIA+ community through its Pride Parade. Held on June 14 as part of the city’s “50 Shades of Pride” festival, this year’s parade was just one of several LGBTQIA+ events across Baltimore during the month of June.
As they enjoyed the parade together, the Younger family exemplified the choice to live freely. To Jamey Younger, and her wife, pride means, “living in your authentic self, just being one with everyone in a nice community.”
“I’m from Baltimore and I’ve been married for almost seven years and we have two beautiful boys, and we just…love love,” she said.
Black support for the LGBTQIA+ was apparent at the 2025 parade. As Jamey Younger voiced, “representation matters.”
Keith Taylor shared his thoughts on advocacy for pride, especially from the Black community.
“It’s good for young Black men to support gay pride. They should be happy to be gay and live their lives the way they live them,” he said. “I don’t think anyone should be mad about gay pride. They should be happy–it’s the 50th anniversary.”
The Baltimore Pride’s history dates back to 1975 when the Gay and Lesbian Community Center of Baltimore (GLCCB) was established. The GLCCB has spent decades offering “services and outreach programs” to the LGBTQIA+ community in Baltimore. In 2019, the organization launched its current name “The Pride Center of Maryland” and continued to improve the popular parade each year.
The theme for 2025’s parade, “50 Shades of Pride,” aimed to surround members and allies of the community with joyful performances and events. The Pride Guide for this year highlighted the importance of “the trailblazers and freedom fighters” who fought for each individual to be accepted as their authentic selves.
In celebration of Pride’s changemakers, Baltimore Pride hosted a myriad of events spanning June 9-15, packed with a weekend of interactive entertainment.
The “Twilight on the Terrace” event featured original “Dreamgirls” star and Broadway performer, Jennifer Holliday.
“Twilight on the Terrace” was a concert and gala inviting its audience to “dress to impress” and enjoy an elegant jazz night.
There was also the famous “High Heel Race,” introduced to Baltimore’s Pride celebration in 1988.
For the official Pride Parade, attendees celebrated and enjoyed fellowship on Charles Street and North Avenue in Baltimore City. Spirits were high.
Baltimore County multimedia magnet teacher Susan Ellerbee shared her excitement in supporting the LGBTQIA+ community.
“As a straight Black woman, I support anyone’s choice to be whoever they are…to live the way they want to live… and just to be, in the present day,” she said.
In 2025, Black people who identify within the LGBTQIA+ community are particularly vulnerable, especially considering the current climate of America, in which transgender soldiers are being banished from military branches and state legislators continue to introduce anti-LGBTQIA+ bills.
Keith Taylor commented on the issue: “I think it’s wrong that they put trans people out of the military. Everyone should have a chance to go to the military, whether they’re gay, trans or bisexual.”
Jamey Younger shared a similar sentiment when discussing the treatment of the soldiers.
“It’s horrible, it is. It’s time for us to do some work—especially within our community,” she said.
When asked about the current struggles facing the community, Younger said, “It really shows that it’s still so much work that needs to be done. We have come so far but we are still so far behind.”