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(YPI) can’t wait for Rhode Island’s PrideFest and Illuminated Night Parade. We hope visitors and guests will visit YPI’s double booth for fun, games, information,
and merchandise. Whether festival-goers want to wear a YPI temporary tattoo,
play our Match-the-Pride-Flag game, pick up a YPI youth designed t-shirt, or learn
about the services we offer, there will be something for everyone. YPI staff, board
members, volunteers, and youth will be staffing the booth from opening to dusk,
so drop by and say hello.
Each year YPI marches in the Illuminated Pride Parade as a massive group of energetic, proud youth. All Pride flags, along with several YPI-specific flags, are carried by marchers. Hand-painted 3' x 5' canvas banners designed by our youth aged 13 and under are also carried at the front of our procession. A speaker on wheels, blasting only the best queer music, accompanies our group for the duration of the ten city block
route. This year, marchers will have the option to apply illuminated body paint to
themselves. We invite other youth groups, especially GSAs, to march with us in the
parade. Each group will receive its own sign to carry with their group. Interested
youth should email info@youthprideri.org.
We asked the youth in our space "What is your favorite thing about Pride?”
and some of their responses were: the main stage performances, the vendors,
the ferris wheel, the great outfits, and everything! While posing this question,
we found out that many of our older youth have never attended Pride before, but plan on going for the first time this year. We're so excited to celebrate with everyone and can't wait to see what the 2019 RI PrideFest has in store. Youth Pride Inc. provides support, education, and advocacy for LGBTQQ young
people ages 9-23. Our Drop-in Center is at 473 Westminster Street, Providence, RI.
Visit www.youthprideri.org, email info@youthprideri.org, or call (401) 421-5626 for
more info.
Written by Tiffani Carcieri, a YPI staffer, with input from YPI Youth Inc.