When Kerry-Ann Morrison left Jamaica as a teenager more than 30 years ago, she was an illegal immigrant, queer and unsure if she’d ever find a place where she fit in. Today, she wants to make sure no one else feels that way.
Morrison was appointed last year as board president of Pride Houston 365, which puts on the annual Houston Pride LGBTQ+ Celebration Festival and Parade each year. It’s usually at the end of June to commemorate the Stonewall movement, violent protests against the Stonewall Inn at Greenwich Village on June 28, 1968, an event that is considered the catalyst for the LGBTQ+ rights movement.
This year, however, Houston Pride was bumped up to Saturday, June 6, to accommodate for World Cup events that will begin later in the month. “It puts a little pressure and a little strain on us and it’s hard to make sure that the community knows the date because not everyone is on social media,” Morrison said. “It’s been a challenge. It’s sad that we’re not going to be doing it on the weekend that matters the most.”
A family-friendly festival begins at 11 a.m. Saturday at Houston City Hall. Until 6 p.m., guests can enjoy live entertainment, trampolines, rock climbing, face painting and a bounce house. Although there are thunderstorms in the forecast, Morrison says the show will go on rain or shine. Admission to the festival is free for children and seniors. General admission tickets start at $5 when purchased online in advance.
Last year’s event cost $456,000 to put on and it will rise to more than half a million dollars this year, Morrison said. “Prices went up,” she said. “We’re not government-funded, so our money is raised from door tickets, events that we host and our amazing sponsors.”
When the sun sets, floats start lining up for the Pride Houston Parade, one of the only nighttime Pride parades in the country. Morrison says that downtown lights up in rainbow colors in a “powerful display of unity, visibility and celebration.” The parade begins at 7 p.m. and runs two miles from Montrose and Allen Parkway to Milam and Pease streets. Admission to the parade is free for everyone.
Road closures begin early in the day and some remain in place throughout the event, so guests are encouraged to use METRO or rideshare services to access downtown.
Morrison said it takes at least 50 people to put together the event and there are only 10 board members. “There are a lot of sleepless nights,” she said.
“I do it because I wish for community. I wish for home,” she said. “Being an immigrant, there was a time when I didn’t have a home as a queer woman. To know that there are people you can have as chosen family, people who put on this parade and festival, you can go out on this one day of the year and possibly meet someone who can change your life, I do it for that.”
It’s also an opportunity to advocate for positive change and inclusivity, she said. The LGBTQ+ community is currently mourning the loss of Persia Amarra Conway, a transgender woman who was found dead near Brays Bayou on May 25.
“I want to shape the organization into a community-focused group that is activated 365 days a year and ensure that we create programs for youth because I was one who wished I knew where to go when I needed that help,” Morrison said. “I would say Houston has a very unique ecosystem when it comes to queer folks. Once you know who to go to, you’re in, but if you don’t know, it is hard.”
Morrison said that even though Houston can feel like a diverse, welcoming city, it’s vital that the queer community continue to advocate for its members and allies. The Pride festival and parade is one of the best opportunities to celebrate that unity, she added.
“The biggest thing I love about Houston is the diversity,” she said. “You can have conversations and even if the beliefs are different, no one makes you feel like you’re not welcome. I can stand for who I am and whatever view I have, and it’s respected. I love that.”
“On Saturday, I want people to come out,” she added. “I want people to celebrate and stand up and advocate. Have fun but also come out with your signs. Show the community that you’re still fighting for our rights, especially for our trans brothers and sisters. No matter what others do, no matter who is in the President’s seat, we’re still here and we’re still queer and we’re still going to show up.”
