By Hannah E. Jones
This fall, the 53rd annual Atlanta Pride Festival and Parade are back. The two-day celebration is held on Oct. 14 and 15 — the weekend following National Coming Out Day — with a theme of “Show Up and Show Out.” Known to attract up to 300,000 people in past years, this year’s festivities will be headed by Atlanta Pride Committee’s new Executive Director Chris McCain.
The metro Atlanta native stepped into the position three weeks ago. Prior to moving back to the city, McCain lived in Los Angeles for five years and most recently served as Director of Philanthropy at The Bail Project. Wanting to return to Atlanta, with a focus on social justice, McCain applied for the leadership position.
While living in Atlanta, McCain walked in the parade for over a decade with his church, Central Presbyterian. He remembers those days fondly, describing it as “a real highlight of my year” and a “really joyous celebration of queer identity and community.”
“The experience of being in a place with so many LGBTQ people openly and proudly being with each other, celebrating themselves and providing a real safe welcoming space for queer people — it’s just inspiring,” he said.
McCain stepped into the new role on May 22 and is using the beginning of his tenure to get to know the LGBTQ community, leaders in the space and other organizations doing the work. In doing so, he is also looking for ways that the queer community needs additional support but isn’t currently getting it.
“Atlanta is known as a city that is diverse and strives for inclusivity, and that’s where I really want to see Atlanta Pride really focusing on… building diverse and inclusive relationships across the community, [working] towards common goals of advancing opportunity and equity for queer people in this region.”
He added: “A question on my mind is ‘How, as Atlanta Pride, can we help to elevate the needs of the trans community to help create better visibility and support?’”
To that end, McCain intends to offer additional support to the local trans community and ensure their needs are met. This is especially important in light of recent disturbing events, like the three violent crimes against trans women that the Atlanta Police Department began investigating in April.
“As much as Pride Month is about celebration, it’s also an opportunity for us to reflect on where the community is now and where we still need to work,” McCain said.
During McCain’s first Pride Month at the helm of the Atlanta Pride Committee, he is taking the time to remember the changemakers who came before him and their tireless work advocating for the LGBTQ community.
“I’ve been reflecting on the 53 years of history of this organization and the many, many people on whose shoulders I stand to be in this place that I am today,” McCain said. “The people who organized that initial march back in 1971 … whose commitment, vulnerability and willingness to take a risk by putting themselves out publicly as queer people — before that was safe. Those people I am grateful to immeasurably and I don’t ever want to take their work and their lives for granted. If not for those generations of people who have gone before me, I would not be married to my husband and living out and proud today as I am.”
