[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 51 (Tuesday, April 20, 2004)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E541]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

[[Page E541]]


          HONORING THE 14TH ANNUAL DC BLACK PRIDE CELEBRATION

                                 ______
                                 

                       HON. ELEANOR HOLMES NORTON

                      of the district of columbia

                    in the house of representatives

                        Tuesday, April 20, 2004

  Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, this Memorial Day Weekend, May 28-31, is the 
14th Annual DC Black Pride celebration in Washington, DC.
  DC Black Pride is an exciting 4-day event complete with dynamic 
workshops, receptions, cultural arts activities, small and large 
nightclub events culminating with the world's largest Black Pride 
Festival at Washington, DC's new state-of-the-art Convention Center. It 
is considered one of the preeminent Black Pride celebrations in the 
world consistently drawing 30,000 people to the Nation's capital. 
Attendees come from every major urban area in the United States as well 
as from Canada, Great Britain, France, Germany, the Netherlands, the 
Caribbean and South Africa. The Black Pride Festival features 
activities for the entire family including a performance by national 
recording artist, Kelly Price, 200 exhibition booths, book signings 
from noted writers, participation from national and local health 
organizations, and arts and crafts.
  This year's DC Black Pride theme is, ``Honoring Our Sheroes and 
Heroes,'' to remember and honor African-American/Black--women and men, 
LGBT and straight, dead and alive, those who are famous and those who 
are known only to a few who have shown strength of character in order 
to make a difference in the lives of our people and our Nation.
  The event is coordinated by Black Lesbian and Gay Pride Day, Inc 
(BLGPD), a nonprofit organization with a volunteer Board of Directors: 
Earlene Budd, Member-At-Large; Sterling A. Washington, Member-At-Large; 
Clarence J. Fluker, Secretary; Robert Jones, Vice President; Eric E. 
Richardson, Member-At-Large; B. Roland Edwards, Member-At-Large; Cheryl 
Dunn, Treasurer; Rayceen Pendevis, Member-At-Large; Toni Collins, 
Member-At-Large; Shanika Whitehurst, Member-At-Large; and Earl D. 
Fowlkes, Jr., President. BLGPD's mission is to build awareness of and 
pride in the diversity of the Black lesbian, gay, bisexual and 
transgendered community as well as to create a funding source and 
support organizations that are addressing HIV/AIDS and other health 
issues adversely affecting our community.
  I ask the House to join me in welcoming all attending the 14th Annual 
DC Black Pride celebration in Washington, DC, and I take this 
opportunity to remind the attendees that United States Citizens who 
reside in Washington, DC are taxed without full voting representation 
in Congress.

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