It’s nearing the end of June once again and in the Bay Area people are gearing up for the ten day festivities of Pride. In addition to being a celebration of free and diverse sexual expression, Pride also acknowledges the First Nations; the first People’s of this land. This is a remarkable acknowledgement considering most, even well-meaning, celebrations of human equity negate that fact. Pride has consistently acknowledged and involved the Native community in its celebrations.
It is important to include Native Peoples in an event like Pride on many levels, both for the broader community and the Native community. For the broader community, it is a general reminder that Native Peoples still exist, including Bay Area indigenous Ohlone and Pomo folks, despite what federal data might conclude. It is also a reminder to consider the history of the places in which we live and the people who were displaced so that you could live there. It is also important to the Native community to remember and celebrate the two-spirit contributions and roles in native cultures. Two-Spirit refers to the commonly shared notion among many Native American tribes that some individuals naturally possessed both masculine and feminine spiritual qualities. American society commonly identifies Two-Spirit People as Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual or Transgender.The Bay Area American Indian Two-Spirits (BAAITS) organization does exactly that. In fact, last years Pride Grand Marshall Randy Burns is a long time member of the organization as well as a board member for the Native American Cultural Center (NACC). In the organization’s own words, “BAAITS exists to restore and recover the role of Two-Spirit people within the American Indian/First Nations community by creating forums for the spiritual, cultural and artistic expression of Two-Spirit people.”This year L Frank Manriquez, also a BAAITSmember, has been chosen to give the invocation
at Pride’s main event on Sunday. L Frank is a
basket weaver, cartoonist, author,
traditional story-teller and all around talented
person. She is also a former recipient of KQED’s
Community Heroes award and a pleasure to hear
speak.
Native Circle, CAB and the Native American Health
Center have teamed up to host a day-long event celebrating Two-Spirit pride, talent and creativity. The event, aptly called ‘Shake the Feathers’, will feature a drag, fashion and talent show Friday, June 23rd at the Native American Health Center in San Francisco.
Last year NACC Celebrated Randy Burns
Board Member and Pride 2005 Grand Marshall
Randy faces the media with Mayor Newsom, City Hall Rotunda, June 20, 2005
From left of the boom mike: Penny Nixon, Donna Sachet, Mayor Newsom, Randy Burns, Peggy Moore, Ambassador James Hormel, City Treasurer Jose Cisneros. All city hall photos by Andrew Brother Elk and copyright by NACC.
Mayor Newsom makes remarks and jokes about being single
From left: Penny Nixon, Donna Sachet, Mayor Newsom, Peggy Moore, Randy, City Treasurer Jose Cisneros, Supervisor Bevan Dufty, Supervisor Fiona Ma.
Supervisor Tom Ammiano introduces Randy and jokes about being single
Randy receives his proclamations from Supervisor Ammiano and Mayor Newsom
Mayor Newsom honors Randy Burns in the Mayor’s Office
Pride Week officially launched with the unfurling of the Rainbow Flag by Mayor Newsom at City Hall, just prior to honoring the Grand Marshalls.
Congratulations Randy!!
If you have any photos of these events or others during Pride Week that you would like to have posted on this website, please contact us! You an email them to jjwnacc@yahoo.com. Phone: 415-641-9466.
The following are pictures from a very busy week!!!
The Phoenix and Ramada Hotels hosted events for the Pride Grand Marshalls, dignitaries, and media.
NACC, the Queer Cultural Center and BAAITS hosted a party at the new Queer Center that was packed with writers and community leaders– including Chrystos and Assemblyman Mark Leno– with guests from as far away as Toronto, Oklahoma, Alaska, Washington, etc…
NACC hosted a party for 50 of Randy’s family and friends at Andrew Brother Elk’s house on Pink Saturday. Some guests slept over and got up at 6:00 am to get down to the parade and festival grounds…
After all the hullabaloo, the parade finally arrives. Over 1 million people lined the parade route…
A wrap up celebration inside City Hall as TLC and Deborah Cox entertained the crowds outside….
Remembrance of parades past (circa early 1990s). That’s Randy on the left pushing the wheelchair…
A Diva in the making. Randy in his younger days striking a pose…
NACC would like to thank all the photographers and media people who contributed to this page, and who have given the American Indian community so much love and understanding during Pride 2005. It was the fitting end to a very memorable year!
Remember, if you have any archival pictures of Randy, you can send them to us at jjwnacc@yahoo.com and we will post them. We reserve the right to post only those that highlight Randy’s work over the past 30 years, including the founding of Gay American Indians, the Indian Center of All Nations, the Native American Cultural Center, etc…