5 Photos That Show Columbians Celebrating LGBTQ+ Pride

To honor Pride Day, Columbia News is featuring photos of Columbians celebrating the LGBTQ+ community. We were sent photos of a tiny socially distanced parade, familial joy, study-abroad Pride, and more. Check out the photos and the stories behind them.

David Reyes (CC'23) | Family Joy at the Chicago Pride Parade

David on his photo: "This is a photo of me and my sister at the Chicago Pride Parade in 2019, our first time going together! We were able to use the parade as a way to strengthen our relationship, and this image really shows how joyful we were."

Kathleen Durkin (Zuckerman Institute) | Tiny Socially Distanced Pride Parade in Brooklyn

Kathleen on her photo: "That's me on the right and my domestic partner, Emily Birdseye, is on the left. Last year, we were both pretty bummed on the day that would have been the real Pride March. Emily had the idea to have a tiny Pride March to cheer ourselves up—and it worked!  It was just us, no one else. We started our march in Brooklyn Heights (the image was taken near the intersection of Henry and Montague Streets). We walked through Cobble Hill, got a beer (outdoor, socially distanced), and walked home.  When we crossed through Cobble Hill Park, several people saw us and cheered.  One guy saw us on the sidewalk and said, 'Is the parade today?' and I said, 'Yes, you're looking at it!' It was a good time."

Gizelle Greeley Winter (CC'24) | Corso of Avellino in Campania, Italy Pride Parade

Gizelle on her photo: "I spent my sophomore year of high school abroad in Italy, and helped organize my host town's first pride parade. I’m the girl wearing sunglasses and holding the O, and my friend, Sabrina Tang, is holding the V. I've been lucky enough to work with multiple gay rights organizations, and can't wait to get involved next year on campus!"

Brendane Tynes (GSAS PhD'23) | Celebration With Chosen Family

Brendane on how she celebrates Pride Month: "Pride coincides with my birthday month. This year, I celebrated myself and my queerness by doing Zoom karaoke with my chosen family! We sang, danced, and honored our love for ourselves and each other. "

Learn more about how Columbia students celebrate Pride here.

Dylan Kapit (BC'16) | An Opportunity to Educate

Dylan on what Pride Month means to them: “To me, Pride Month is a time to celebrate being unapologetically myself. It is a time to celebrate being part of the incredible LGBTQ+ community, to recognize how far we’ve come and how far we have left to go, and to amplify LGBTQ+ voices and experiences. I try to do this all year, but I use Pride Month as an extra opportunity to educate others on LGBTQ+ identities and the issues that the community faces. I thank the people who came before me that made being authentically myself possible and advocated for a better world for future generations.” 

Check out this Q & A with Alicia Mountain (BC'10) on queer poetry and a profile on Nora Beck (BC'83), music professor, LGBTQ+ activist, and Columbia Athletics Hall of Fame inductee.