Governor to speak at Pride Parade on Saturday

HONOLULU—History will be made when Gov. Neil Abercrombie takes the stage at the Honolulu Pride Celebration in Kapiolani Park on Saturday, June 4 at 2:30 p.m. This will be the first time that a sitting Governor has ever spoken at Honolulu Pride’s Celebration or any Pride event in the State of Hawaii.

History was made last year when, as a candidate, Abercrombie spoke at the 2010 Honolulu Pride Celebration on June 5, 2010.

“We are ecstatic to have Governor Abercrombie to come and speak at Honolulu Pride,” said Michael Golojuch, Jr., Honolulu Pride chair. “There is extra excitement in the air surrounding Pride this year given all the advances our community has made just in the past 12 months. On the national level we saw the repeal of ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” and at the State level we saw the signing of the Civil Unions law and the expansion of non-discrimination law to include gender identity and expression with regards to employment. So the Governor’s history making appearance is a perfect complement.”

The Honolulu Lesbian Gay Pride Parade is sponsored by Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG) Oahu. The event is expected to have 400 marchers, four floats, 12 vehicles, two bands. It will start at Atkinson/Ala Moana Boulevard, to Ala Moana Boulevard, to Kalakaua Avenue, to Monsarrat Avenue, and end at Queen Kapiolani Park.

For more information, visit www.honoluluprideparade.org.

2011 Honolulu Pride’s schedule highlights

10:00 a.m. – 21st Annual Honolulu Pride Parade starts from Magic Island
        Parade ends at Kapiolani Park
11:00 a.m. – Honolulu Pride’s Celebration at Kapiolani Park Bandstand begins with DJ Maxxxx
11:55 a.m. – Couples Grand Marshal Toni Pregil and Tammy Rodrigues speaks
12:25 p.m. – Organizational Grand Marshal of Dignity Honolulu James Slatkavitz, founder, speaks
12:30 p.m. – Hawaii’s own Grammy nominated artist Kit Dylan Arrieta performs
1:00 p.m. – Grand Marshal Council Member KipuKai Kaulii speaks
1:30 p.m. – Youth Grand Marshal Lambda Legal’s Andy Chang, community organizer, speaks
2:30 p.m. – Governor Neil Abercrombie speaks
4:00 p.m. – Celebration Ends