Northern Arizona Pride Association planted their roots in Flagstaff Arizona in the winter of 1996. Their rookie summer saw the beginning of the annual Pride in the Pines GLBT Celebration. This first event was held on the outskirts of town in the woods for fear of backlash and violence from the small rural community. With 300 in attendance, the inaugural Pride Celebration marched a new wave of liberation in small town America. The great success of the first event drowned out the distant voices of fear and discrimination, as the celebration quietly moved from the outskirts of town and into the heart of the city, in front of City Hall.
The second year marked continuity of our movement and solidified the importance and power that this one-day of freedom and unity could create. After the second year it was decided that two representatives should attend the annual InterPride conference, to find out how this is done from the pros. At this conference the relationship between SFPride and Flagstaff Pride began. In their third year NAPA secured its first grant from the City of Flagstaff Arts & Science Commission. Also that year NAPA became an official Arizona not for Profit Corporation.
The fourth year was marked by the first presentation of proclamations at the event, declaring it Pride in the Pines day. Unfortunately, the fourth year also experienced financial hardships.
The fifth year was tremendous. The organization fully recovered financially and produced an amazing event with over 1500 in attendance and parties through out the weekend.
The sixth annual Pride Festival and Celebration saw a record attendance of approximately 2,000 people and they enjoyed the first ever Pride in the Pines headliner Erin Hamilton.
Northern Arizona is not the easiest place to be a GLBT person. Throughout the years there have been many organizations and efforts to make Flagstaff and Northern Arizona more tolerant and educated. However, many in Northern Arizona and Flagstaff still face bigotry, discrimination and violence. Hopefully with the success and positive impact of the Pride Festival and the continued collaborations in the region this will decrease and one day end.
NAPA and the Northern Arizona GLBT community have triumphed over many obstacles throughout recent years. Northern Arizona is blessed with many local treasures such as: an issues based GLBT block watch in collaboration with our local Police Department, PFLAG, a teen outreach group, AIDS Outreach of Northern Arizona, LBGA at NAU, and we have even seen an organization attempt to form a community center over the last couple of years. However, we wait in anticipation of our first GLBT bar.
This coming summer NAPA will celebrate their seventh annual GLBT Pride event (June 14), with support from their city government, CVB, county government, allies, and the other members of Interpride. Flagstaff Pride looks forward to a bright future as we prepare to celebrate the milestone of our tenth year in 2006.
