-------- Original Message --------
Subject: OUR FIRST GAY PRIDE MARCH AS SIN (its a long one!)
From: david@...
Date: Mon, June 30, 2008 9:48 pm
To: "SIN " <strengthinnumbershq@...>,
SINNewYorkCity@yahoogroups.com, bryan@...

Hi Guys -

 

Well, I'd be lying if I told you I wasn't nervous about SIN NYC's first time participating in the 2008 NYC LGBT Gay Pride March.  I'd never walked in the parade with any group, much less organized and lead a group in the march.  The extent of my previous experiences included giving a 'hoot and a holler from the sidelines and then running off to the pier dance.  All the questions came running through my head.  Who will march?  How are we gonna march?  What do we have have to offer the March?  Are we ready for this?  Will the guys have fun? Will we make an impact?  And finally...Will I regret this?

 

The funny thing is - the nervous pit in my stomach, the doubt and the questions - they were very reminiscent of the feelings I had before I held the very first SIN NYC event.  When something means that much to me, the end result either feels like a complete disaster, OR...

 

It unfolds as one of the most memorable experiences of my life :) I'm happy to say the the latter is true.

 

The first sign that things were looking good...we had marchers!  Members were signing up, friends of members were walking with us and one special friend of SIN was getting his makeup case all ready.  We had enough marchers that would make us a presence in this parade.  The next signs of hope were the rickshaw (or pedicab) drivers.  I went along with Rob, David G, David B. and Chris G. to their training and I was so jealous that I couldn't drive with them (they only rent out to people with drivers licenses, which I don't have).  They were having a blast learning how to drive these things...although I envied them a bit it was a great sign of JOY coming to our march.

 

So here we are, the day of the march and I have not had any sleep.  After the Ritz party, I was at the office all night making posters and side-cards for the rickshaws.  Everything was moving along smoothly though - marchers were arriving, rickshaws were in place, we had posters, we arrived in formation on time and READY TO GO!  Then there comes the anticipation of moving that kicks in the adrenaline - which is better than 10 cups of coffee. Aside from a promotional Diet Pepsi truck which entered later on in the parade, STRENGTH IN NUMBERS was the first/leading group in our section of HIV/AIDS Organizations.  There were up front...and I tell you, I've crossed 5th Avenue thousands of times in my life but there is nothing like having 5th Avenue open up for you like a red carpet.  Its like that little bit of horizon at the top of a roller-coaster hill right before you rocket down.  The section

 

Aaaand, we're off!  The sun is shining and SIN NYC is marching down 5th Avenue!  I just started taking it all in, as we all did.  I was surprised, even up at 56th street, how many spectators showed up.  Like meeting any group of people for the first time, you don't know how they're going to respond to you.  So decided to give it a shot and test the waters...I shouted "HAPPY GAY PRIDE EVERYONE!"  and we got a big cheer back from the small crowd.  I look behind me and all the guys of SIN NYC are beaming - this cheer was our on switch and there was no turning back!  The guys started marching with their chest out, carring out posters, our banner, with others on the side running up to the crowd to start giving out candy and SIN NYC promo cards.

 

Now, lets see some personality...

 

As we settled into the march and got our bearings it was so great to see some personalities shine.  Take Jefferson, who has been a member of SIN NYC but has been painfully shy. I remember giving him pep talks in the past via email because he would be so nervous about attending events.  Well, Jefferson decided that, since he turned 30, that marching with SIN NYC was going to be a turning point for him.  He showed up at the march with black boots, the cutest little red plaid skirt and a great big leather whip in his hand.  While were were stuck waiting for the parade to keep moving, I was in awe as I saw Jefferson strut in front of that SIN NYC banner, pose for the crowd and twirl that whip over his head and snap it.  THE CROWD ATE IT UP!  Work it out, Jefferson!  When that boy turns a corner, he turns a corner!  I don't know about you, but I think some walls broke down that day ;)

 

Then it was time for Anne Chilada, our resident Drag Queen and self proclaimed Miss SIN NYC. Up until this point, she was waving from the back of the rickshaw driven by daredevil himself, David Braun.  I think she wanted to keep in the shade so her makeup didn't melt. I don't know if she thought it was just time to strut or if it was just motion sickness from all of David's rickshaw spins - but she hopped out of that pedicab walked up to the front of our group, looked into the crowd, popped her hands on her hips and struck a pose with her 6'3" frame.  I tell you, the best way I could describe it would be like Tyra Banks stomping to the front of a cat walk, stopping at the crowd and and saying "WHAT!".  The crowd hollered for her as she posed, praced, preened and danced for every clap and shout.

 

The energy was flying!  Hector and I started to just bombard the crowd, running into them, slapping hands, screaming like banshees a riling up the crowd. Jason from SIN Philly was carrying the "Putting the 'HI!' in HIV" sign, shouting out "Hiiiiiii!" with the SIN boys backing him up and the crowd was waving back yelling "Hi!"  David Braun was zipping past the crowd in his rickshaw, Ms. Chilada in tow, spreading his arms out like a winged creature.  Then the Rickshaw boys decided "F#*k formation" and started circling around our group toward the crowd at full speed. It was awesome!  We might not have had a float, but our SIN boys were engaging the crowd and they were loving us for it.  I know Tim's sentiment that we were like a boy band.  I would run up to the latina lesbians with my basket and screamed "Ladies! Now, who wants some CANDY!" The ladies squealed, pulled down their tank tops/bras so I could sprinkle pieces of candy down their chests.

 

Then the march changed and became something significantly different (for all of us)...

 

It was 1:55pm and the cops stopped our group and it wasn't just for crossing traffic.  I looked down 5th Avenue and saw the rest of the parade in front of us proceeding on, already at least 5 city blocks away.  The cops told me the MOMENT OF SILENCE was coming up.  I almost forgot!  I told the guys to be quiet, we had to start quieting down for the moment at 2pm.  I remember being a bit impatient, snapping at someone because they were still talking and then someone whispered to me "I don't think everyone know what exactly the Moment of Silence is".  So, a calm came over me and I stood in front of SIN NYC and told them that every year, at 2pm during the parade, the entire march stops for a moment of silence to reflect and mourn for our brothers and sisters who have been lost to HIV/AIDS. Now remember, we were now at the front of this part of the parade, no one was in front of us except a few cops and an empty 5th Avenue. We were setting the tone for those behind us. I watched the clock as the guys waited and the moment came at 2pm. What do I do?  Say its 2pm?  Pray?  Instead, I stood in front of our guys, reached my hand up and held up 2 fingers. I didn't know if it was to say "2pm", if it was a peace sign or if it just felt like how my fingers could project an AIDS ribbon - I just went with it.  I nodded over to Hector, he held up two fingers. We looked at the guys, then ALL of SIN NYC held up two fingers...and it swept back...AMFAR, GMAC...as far as I could see. Hundreds of people holding up two fingers - IN COMPLETE SILENCE, remembering those we have lost. It truly overwhelmed me and I wept (I'm still shaking when I think about it as I type this) and and I saw tears in some of the eyes of our guys.  I turned around at some point to have a private moment and the empty 5^th Ave, with the quiet crowd at its sides, was also so overwhelming so, I turned back in to my SIN brothers and cried. This easily was one of the most moving experiences of my life.

 

And then it was over and the cops cued me that we could move. The SIN boys cheered to signal to the rest of the parade and crowd that it was time to get back to the festivities. Now we had A LOT of catching up to do and and SIN NYC bolted with cheers to fill that empty 5^thAvenue. The crowd had been waiting and was happy to see us coming and bringing back the FUN. The rickshaw boys were circling furiously, Tim and Johnnie were both jogging with the SIN Banner, David C was shooting his SUPER SOAKER at the crowd like a machine gun and all the boys were moving like a well oiled WELCOME COMMITTEE! Hector and I leapt towards the crowd again, riling them up and everyone knew that the parade was, indeed, moving again.

 

Then came the first drop. You would have thought that the rain would have dampered us, but it only felt like a relief and energized the whole group.  It down-poured on the parade route and we became a bunch of kids stomping in the puddles.  The thunder clapped, it poured and we all looked in each others eyes with a grin, knowing that you just can't re-create a moment like this...live for it. We all started hugging, wishing each other "Happy Gay Pride."  I remembered Chris G. telling me how he had always wanted to be kissed in the rain...so I went right up to his rickshaw, leaned over the handlebars, and locked lips with him, and gave it all I got ;)  The crowd felt the love too and gave it back as we danced in the rain looking up the sky and taking it all in. As the rain was breaking, I saw a Mom in the crowd holding her little girl, motioning to Anne Chilada to come over. This little girl couldn't be more than two years old and her little face beamed as Anne Chilada pranced over, bent down and kissed her on the cheek.  Its a beautiful world its becoming, folks.

 

Then the rain stopped and we were soaking wet, but it was time for the grand finale...the end of the parade and Christopher Street.  The crowds at 34th Street, 23rd Street, 14th street treated us all like rock stars....but Christopher Street was as good as it gets!  The love we received from the crowd was amazing.  It was was pure craziness and JOY.  Christopher Street has the width of someone's living room, so like all of us were wrapped in the arms of this crowd with acceptance and pride. The sunshine was out again and creeping through the trees, creating a tunnel with the thousands of people at the sides. I looked up and guys were hanging off the fire escapes waving back to our group (and flirting with some, hehe).  Ms. Chilada started getting the crowd into a cheering competition, so Hector and I followed suit, waving our hands up, sprinting back and forth between each side of this crowd with Chilada pointing, competing to see who could cheer the loudest.  I think we all won :)

 

SIN NYC received a hero's welcome home at the end of the parade route. We were done, wet, tired and filled with pride, wishing we could hop back on and do it all over again. Many of us went back to Chris Tarzia's place for some dry refuge and a change of clothes.  The festivities continued throughout the rest of the night - but not through this SINner's eyes.  As the remaining boys were joined by others and relaxing, they were still excited from the day's events and had started making plans to grab some celebratory dinner.  As for me, it hit me that I had not slept in over 24 hours, yet ran around for 60 blocks like a man who had 60 red bulls. I couldn't keep my eyes open and went to the next room and layed down. As I closed my eyes, I fell asleep with a smile on my face to sounds of giggles and laughter of my SIN brothers after a job well done.

 

I know this is a long account of the day's events, but I wanted to bring you there with us, at least from this SINner's eyes on Strength In Numbers' first March in one of the largest Gay Pride Parades in the world. 

 

TO ALL THE MEMBERS OF STRENGTH IN NUMBERS, EVERYWHERE - I hope we made you proud.

 

With Love and Pride,

 

David Llewellyn

Manager, SINNYC