St Pete Pride President Byron Green at Red & Green 2023. (Photo by Jennifer Ring)
ST. PETERSBURG | St Pete Pride’s annual Red & Green fundraiser returned to Sunken Gardens Dec. 2, raising more than $40,000 for LGBTQ+ youth programming and community partner Family Resources.
“This event offers a meaningful experience to attendees and partners, many of whom may not be welcome at other holiday celebrations,” St Pete Pride shared ahead of time. “While Red & Green offers a wonderful holiday party atmosphere, it also encompasses a time of giving, allowing St Pete Pride to raise needed funds to keep our major Pride month events free to the public.”
St Pete Pride also noted that they are working to expand their annual LGBTQ+ Youth and Family Day. “Your donations will allow us to hire a Youth Pride Director who will be instrumental in creating youth outreach, educational workshops, mentorship opportunities, and a Youth Pride Advisory Board,” they shared. Attendees were able to donate directly as well as through the evening’s raffle and silent auction.
St Pete Pride President Byron Green launched the festivities with an impassioned plea to help St Pete Pride meet its goal of $60,000. He then introduced Dr. Lisa Davis, president and CEO of Family Resources.
Davis spoke about how Family Resources helps Pinellas County kids and teens in crisis.
“Right here in St. Petersburg, we have a disproportionate amount of gay, lesbian, and especially trans youth who are homeless and walking the streets,” said Davis. “We opened a drop-in center in 2020, and that resource center helps almost all our queer youth because they don’t have a place to go, and we are trying to provide housing and bridge programming for them.”
After Davis spoke, Green passed the mic to St Pete Pride Board member Immani Love. Love adopted two gay children when they were in their late teens. “Those children would not have had the lives they had if they didn’t have someone in their life to support them,” Love shared.
She also noted that she used to watch the film adaptation of “RENT” with her kids every holiday season before she lost her 30-year-old son to HIV/AIDS. Tampa Bay-based performance troupe The Bohemians subsequently performed three songs from the musical, starting with a stirring rendition of Seasons of Love.
The performance kicked off an exciting evening of live entertainment that included drag, singing, dancing and other performances hosted by spoken word artist Queen Sheba. Prominently featured were St Pete Pride’s 2023 Court, Mr. St Pete Pride Vyn Suazion, Miss St Pete Pride Ceazia Giovanni Kreshe and Mx. St Pete Pride Kamarion Lavish.
St Pete Pride thanked attendees for their support via social media Dec. 4, noting that “because of you we have raised over $40,000!” Donations will continue through the end of the year to help them reach their goal.
“We wish everyone a safe and healthy holiday season,” St Pete Pride added. Read more and view photos below:
Learn more about St Pete Pride and Family Resources at StPetePride.org and FamilyResourcesInc.org. To donate to this year’s Red & Green fundraiser, click here.