Our History
Over the last 12 years, The Blaq Equity Baltimore has diligently served the Black LGBTQ community and its allies. Our service has taken many creative forms over the years as we sought to improve the life of Black LGBTQ people in the Baltimore metropolitan area.
Much of our success has been achieved through our ongoing efforts throughout the years that culminate each year during Columbus Day weekend when we celebrate our annual Baltimore Black Pride (BBP) celebration. In 2007, our theme “Solidarity…We as One” focused our attention and efforts on generating more community involvement. Pride events were held over the weekend of October 5 through 7, and began with our Friday night Meet & Greet held at our host hotel, the Sheraton Baltimore Center City. On Saturday, we held several workshops, the Teen and Youth Summit and an Open Mike Town Hall meeting. The goal of these activities were to obtain an assessment (through evaluations) of major areas of need within our community, especially related to health and well-being. We used the information gathered to create issue-responsive events and activities throughout the year with the intent of raising our individual and collective consciousness and establish greater community connection.
On Saturday evening, we held our annual Cultural Affair and fundraiser at the Eubie Blake National Jazz Institute and Cultural Center. During the evening we had live jazz and a fashion show hosted by Baltimore’s own legendary Travis Winkey. We also presented our “Icons We Love” awards to deserving persons and agencies nominated by the community for the work and contributions they have made to improve the quality of life within our Black LGBTQ-SGL community. And we wrapped up on Sunday, October 7 with our Fall Festival and Block Party as our celebration of “Solidarity…We as One” came to a close.
Year 2008 brought a new vision for our country with the election of Barrack Obama, the country’s first African-American president. This not only instilled hope for the country, but for a lot of African-Americans within our communities. Baltimore Black Pride continued to support and address issues that were important to the community. It also worked in conjunction with other LGBTQ and allied agencies that support BBP and the Black LGBTQ-SGL community. Our October celebration continued to offer our Friday night kick-off community and BBP Meet & Greet; Saturday morning workshops and our annual Saturday evening Cultural Affair and fundraiser. The Sunday Fall Festival and Block Party, which remains one of the most well-attended events over the course of the weekend annually draws over 3,000 people.
In 2010 we gathered to “Embrace and Celebrate Diversity.” We chose this theme with the understanding that we were at a place in our journey where the survival of our organization and the community which we serve must become everyone’s responsibility. Our theme helped focus us on addressing some of the hard work of community building (ensuring equity and access to everyone in our community), and some of the rewards (celebrating those achievements that keep us going).
In 2011, we renewed our hope and expectation for greater achievements in equality, freedom and social justice for our community under the theme of “I Was Born This Way: X-pression of Yo-self.” Our theme was chosen to reflect our commitment to creating space for everyone in our community to work for and enjoy the rewards of these gains. I Was Born This Way: X-pression of Yo-self was a call to be who you are, and to acknowledge and respect others for who they are. And to come together as a community with a sense of responsibility for ourselves and each other. Our celebration was held October 4 through 7 and included our A-List Party; a special screening of the film, “Blueprint,” about coming out and young love; two youth-focused town hall meetings that focused on health, youth empowerment and showcased the talent of local youth; the Black Out Party; a Town Hall meeting that focused on 30 Years of AIDS; the 9th Annual Cultural Affair; After Party at Club Paradox; a Sunday morning service and the Fall Festival. It was quite a packed week and our community turned out by the thousands to support!
2012 marked the 10-year-anniversary of Baltimore Black Pride. The theme was “Legacy: Celebrating HerStory & HiStory,” and the celebration lasted October 1 through 7. Events included everything from workshops and spiritual services to fashion shows and happy hours. The Black Pride celebration culminated with the annual ICONS We Love Awards Gala.
In celebration of another year and marking prominent changes, Baltimore Black Pride's theme was “A New Era: Evolution 2013." We celebrated from October 7 through 13 with a wide range of events and activities for everyone within the community. It was all about the innovation to take BBP to a new era with dedication and inspiration, which lead to BBP re-launching and re-branding itself — Blaq Equity Baltimore in 2014.
Much of our success has been achieved through our ongoing efforts throughout the years that culminate each year during Columbus Day weekend when we celebrate our annual Baltimore Black Pride (BBP) celebration. In 2007, our theme “Solidarity…We as One” focused our attention and efforts on generating more community involvement. Pride events were held over the weekend of October 5 through 7, and began with our Friday night Meet & Greet held at our host hotel, the Sheraton Baltimore Center City. On Saturday, we held several workshops, the Teen and Youth Summit and an Open Mike Town Hall meeting. The goal of these activities were to obtain an assessment (through evaluations) of major areas of need within our community, especially related to health and well-being. We used the information gathered to create issue-responsive events and activities throughout the year with the intent of raising our individual and collective consciousness and establish greater community connection.
On Saturday evening, we held our annual Cultural Affair and fundraiser at the Eubie Blake National Jazz Institute and Cultural Center. During the evening we had live jazz and a fashion show hosted by Baltimore’s own legendary Travis Winkey. We also presented our “Icons We Love” awards to deserving persons and agencies nominated by the community for the work and contributions they have made to improve the quality of life within our Black LGBTQ-SGL community. And we wrapped up on Sunday, October 7 with our Fall Festival and Block Party as our celebration of “Solidarity…We as One” came to a close.
Year 2008 brought a new vision for our country with the election of Barrack Obama, the country’s first African-American president. This not only instilled hope for the country, but for a lot of African-Americans within our communities. Baltimore Black Pride continued to support and address issues that were important to the community. It also worked in conjunction with other LGBTQ and allied agencies that support BBP and the Black LGBTQ-SGL community. Our October celebration continued to offer our Friday night kick-off community and BBP Meet & Greet; Saturday morning workshops and our annual Saturday evening Cultural Affair and fundraiser. The Sunday Fall Festival and Block Party, which remains one of the most well-attended events over the course of the weekend annually draws over 3,000 people.
In 2010 we gathered to “Embrace and Celebrate Diversity.” We chose this theme with the understanding that we were at a place in our journey where the survival of our organization and the community which we serve must become everyone’s responsibility. Our theme helped focus us on addressing some of the hard work of community building (ensuring equity and access to everyone in our community), and some of the rewards (celebrating those achievements that keep us going).
In 2011, we renewed our hope and expectation for greater achievements in equality, freedom and social justice for our community under the theme of “I Was Born This Way: X-pression of Yo-self.” Our theme was chosen to reflect our commitment to creating space for everyone in our community to work for and enjoy the rewards of these gains. I Was Born This Way: X-pression of Yo-self was a call to be who you are, and to acknowledge and respect others for who they are. And to come together as a community with a sense of responsibility for ourselves and each other. Our celebration was held October 4 through 7 and included our A-List Party; a special screening of the film, “Blueprint,” about coming out and young love; two youth-focused town hall meetings that focused on health, youth empowerment and showcased the talent of local youth; the Black Out Party; a Town Hall meeting that focused on 30 Years of AIDS; the 9th Annual Cultural Affair; After Party at Club Paradox; a Sunday morning service and the Fall Festival. It was quite a packed week and our community turned out by the thousands to support!
2012 marked the 10-year-anniversary of Baltimore Black Pride. The theme was “Legacy: Celebrating HerStory & HiStory,” and the celebration lasted October 1 through 7. Events included everything from workshops and spiritual services to fashion shows and happy hours. The Black Pride celebration culminated with the annual ICONS We Love Awards Gala.
In celebration of another year and marking prominent changes, Baltimore Black Pride's theme was “A New Era: Evolution 2013." We celebrated from October 7 through 13 with a wide range of events and activities for everyone within the community. It was all about the innovation to take BBP to a new era with dedication and inspiration, which lead to BBP re-launching and re-branding itself — Blaq Equity Baltimore in 2014.