[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 50 (Friday, April 22, 2005)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E741]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




               RECOGNIZING THE 9TH ANNUAL YOUTH PRIDE DAY

                                 ______
                                 

                       HON. ELEANOR HOLMES NORTON

                      of the district of columbia

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, April 21, 2005

  Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, Saturday, April 23rd, marks the culmination 
of Youth Pride Month in Washington, DC with our Ninth Annual Youth 
Pride Day.
  Youth Pride Day occurs every April in Washington, DC. It is the 
annual celebration for gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) 
young people, which has brought over 15,000 youth together since its 
start in 1997. The celebration has grown from just 900 participants in 
1997 to over 2,500 young people last year. Youth Pride Day has evolved 
from a single day into a series of events which now make April Youth 
Pride Month. These events include a prom, poetry readings, a film 
screening, an awards reception, and, on Saturday, the First Annual DC 
Youth Pride College Fair, the nation's largest LGBT college fair as 
well as Youth Pride Day itself.
  The Youth Pride Alliance sponsors Youth Pride Day. The Alliance was 
founded in 1996, and its mission is to celebrate the dignity and 
courage of all young people as they discover their identities as gay, 
lesbian, bisexual, transgender, or straight.
  The Alliance challenges society to stop hate, violence, fear, 
isolation, and denial as it reminds us that LGBT youth in our nation's 
Armed Forces, do so under the policy of ``Don't Ask, Don't Tell.'' 
While they have sworn to defend the United States with their lives, 
they must suffer the hate, fear, isolation, and denial this 
demonstrably untenable policy engenders.
  We, who live in our nation's capital, feel a special affinity to any 
group that has been denied the full rights and privileges of United 
States citizenship most Americans consider their birthrights. I remind 
the House that Washingtonians, who pay the second highest taxes in 
America, do so without full voting representation.
  I ask this House to join with me in welcoming all those attending 
Youth Pride Day.

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