Ark Valley Pride presents Group Awards | Free of charge Written content

Ark Valley Pride held their Delight 2021 celebration Saturday at Riverside Park, with the topic “Start Wherever You Are.”

Beck Cerón was named Grandmaster this yr, but they choose not to keep their yearly parade, due to COVID-19 limitations.

Ark Valley Pride presented numerous awards:

• Allies of the Calendar year: Just Journey Art

• Leadership Award: Vander Ritchie

• Increasing Star Award: Quinn Weirdsma

• Youth of the Yr: Casper Jackson

For their Group Awards, Natalie Moore was named Ally of the Calendar year.

In a statement to Ark Valley Pride, Moore reported, “I am honored to get this award. It is with an open up coronary heart that I acknowledge this title and talk to other individuals to join me in getting to be allies for LGBTQ+ friends, families and community members.

“My journey started with myself, with locating the courage to dwell my genuine daily life. I discovered that not all people today have been inspired to do the same my buddies and students determining as LGBTQ+ have not generally been supported in becoming their genuine selves. I understood I needed to produce safe areas for other folks to be authentic.”

The Cornerstone Award was specified to Megan Strauss and The Alpine Achievers Initiative, a youth-perform based mostly non-financial gain organization that strives to “inspire, connect and nurture youth, households and communities.”

Rev. Melinda “Mel” Roberts with the Salida United Methodist Church was specified the Elevation Award.

“My son, Kasey, and I moved to Salida 3 decades in the past, Roberts stated in a assertion to Ark Valley Satisfaction. “I have dedicated myself to serve not only my congregation at the church but the complete group. When I say whole, I signify overall.

“It is my belief that the heart of God beats for the underdog, the oppressed, the abused, the underprivileged and the overlooked in our culture. Therefore, I am dedicated to combating for the legal rights and the humanity of these teams no subject their sexual orientation, gender identification, ethnic identity, citizenship position or residing circumstance.”

The party also showcased Girl Shug, queer, trans and two-spirit activist and drag performer.

Crowned Miss out on New Mexico Pride in 2016, Woman Shug is a member of the Navajo Nation.

Lady Shug a short while ago appeared on HBO’s Emmy-award nominated collection “We’re Below.”

In an interview with The Advocate journal, Woman Shug claimed, “My pleasure is about giving hope for a better long term and toughness to my mates who are frightened to appear out or be by themselves. They say, to have family members – supplied or picked – to really like and settle for you, to have equality in health care, schooling, governing administration and common norm of modern society.”