Pittsburgh Black Pride Week returns Saturday for a community barbecue and vendor clothing fair. Free food, games, a spades tournament, a dance competition and school supplies drive will all take place at the event.
Pittsburgh Black Pride president Andre Brown said the inclusive event seeks to reach different members of the community and its allies.
“There are not a lot of social spaces that exist for us here in Pittsburgh,” Brown said. “It's not very often that we have opportunities to commune and convene with one another and just celebrate who we are as Black queer folks.”
More than a dozen community and health organizations will attend the event, including UPMC, which will administer COVID-19 vaccinations.
The organization will partner with Pittsburgh-based True T in the fall for dance and self-defense classes for the LGBTQ+ community.
“That's one of the other things that we've tried to do as an organization,” Brown said. “To collaborate more with organizations to serve Black LGBT folks and LGBT folks and Black folks and just other allies who are interested in seeing Black LGBTQ folks doing well.”
Pittsburgh Black Pride first hosted a celebratory week in 1995. This year’s event is the 25th iteration due to last year’s cancellation.
