‘Pride is a thing that brings us together’
Local events in the area to celebrate Pride
As Pride continues throughout June, the events to celebrate the month continue to ramp up in the Mount Pleasant community and all around Michigan.
One of the places in the community holding events is the Mount Pleasant Pride Center. Volunteer Coordinator Ebay Merlin said that the center had different committees that were meeting monthly to plan the events.
Pride month is the celebration of the LGBTQ community. Merlin said this month is important to them because it shows people in the community that they are not alone.
“Pride is super important because as somebody in the LGBT community -- especially as somebody who grew up in the Mount Pleasant, Shepherd area -- you don't really realize how important seeing other people that have similar experiences to you actually is until you experience it for the first time,” Merlin said.
Merlin said walking into a designated queer space for the first time at Central Michigan University made them feel seen and understood in a way they never experienced before.
“I walked into a trans group on CMU’s campus, and there was about 20 trans people there … and immediately, I just felt this sense of comfort and longing and like, understanding,” Merlin said. “I think that pride is really important because it lets people know that they're not alone.”
Merlin said having these dedicated spaces for queer people to interact together is essential to bringing LGBTQ people together and letting them know they are not alone.
“Pride is a thing that brings us together. The Pride Center brings us together in ways that … it's really hard to find outside of dedicated spaces,” Merlin said.
MP Pride Center Events
Some of the events the center hosts happen every week, including Gayme Night and Fiber Arts and Crafts Night.
The Gayme Night is on Thursdays from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Pride Center, 201 S. University Ave.
The Fiber Arts and Craft Night is at the center from 6 to 8 p.m. Fridays. People can work on any portable craft project that they want to, according to Merlin.
Along with holding events, MP Pride Center is traveling to different places around Mount Pleasant for some outdoor fun, including a kayaking and floating trip on the Chippewa River from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Sunday.
Participants need to bring their own kayak, canoe or tube, along with equipment such as paddles, life jackets and towels. Transportation back to participants' vehicles will be made at the river exit.
The event is RSVP only. To register for the event, go to the center’s Facebook page or email them at mppridecenter@gmail.com for more information.
This is the first Pride Month that the Mount Pleasant Pride Center has been in operation, since it opened back in October of last year. Merlin said the center didn’t want to take on too much in its first year, but is expecting to go even bigger next year.
“We definitely kept it a little bit more reserved this year,” Merlin said. “One of the things that we would have loved to do was like a Color Run or … a fundraiser of that sort. But with trying to get our footing under us with just our general events, we didn't want to bite off more than we could chew, so we put them in the back pocket for next year.”
Merlin said the center is always looking for more volunteers to help reach as many people as possible.
People interested in volunteering at the pride center can fill out a volunteer application.
As someone involved with the planning and execution of the events, Merlin said they are grateful to be a part of the center because of the people they have been able to meet throughout the process.
Merlin urges people, whether they are a part of the LGBTQ community or not, to visit the center, as it is a place that is welcomed to all.
“The center is welcoming to everybody as long as you're being respectful,” Merlin said. “You don't have to be part of the community in order to enjoy our space. If you are an ally, and you want to learn more about … what it's like to be in the community, or if you just have an interest in making friends with people ... you're also still welcome.”
Pride Festivals around Michigan
One of the organizations the Pride Center has collaborated with for support groups and a few events is Great Lakes Bay Pride. The organization is hosting a Pride Festival of its own for the Great Lakes Bay Region and its surrounding areas.
The celebration goes from 11 a.m to 6 p.m. Saturday and is at Wenonah Park, 801 N. Water St., Bay City. The celebration will include live entertainment and vendors.
In the West Michigan area, Grand Rapids Pride is hosting its 36th annual Pride Festival from noon to 10 p.m. Saturday at the Calder Plaza in Downtown Grand Rapids. The one-day celebration is free to attend and will include vendors and live music.
Pride Big Rapids is hosting its third-annual Pride Festival noon to 8 p.m. June 30 in downtown Big Rapids. The event is free to the public and includes a beer tent, food trucks and family activities.
To see more of the events that Mount Pleasant Pride Center puts on throughout Pride Month and beyond, sign up for its email newsletter.
