Saturday, August 24, 2013

Pride in Jersey City

I had a wonderful time at the annual Jersey City LGBT Pride festival on August 24th. The event took place during at the beautiful Exchange Place Hudson River Waterfront Promenade in Jersey City, New Jersey, providing breath-taking panoramic views of the lower Manhattan skyline, New York Harbor and the Stature of Liberty.  
     I had a great time with recording artist Troy Michael Smith, Mr. Puerto Rico Juan L. Ortiz, DJ Frank Lamboy, Rolanda Rose, John-John Onyx, Pharaoh Onyx and many others. In addition to the fun, food, vendors and entertainment the fest also including some local, outspoken voices for equality, including Jersey City Mayor Steve FulopDemocratic State Senator Barbara Buono and Garden State Equality Executive Director Troy Stevenson.  The event celebrated the diversity of Jersey City and proved that Queer culture exists and thrives not just in New York City, but extends West of the Hudson River into Jersey and beyond.