While other cities have been parading down streets in celebration of pride for much longer, Fresno’s pride history is more recent. Our first gay pride parade was held on a warm Sunday morning in 1991. I have a fairly focused memory of it, primarily because my partner at the time got involved in a loud verbal argument with a fully robed member of the KKK contingency who’d come to condemn homosexuals. What began as a few choice words back and forth soon escalated to the possibility of a full blown brawl, as more and more people gathered around and tempers flared. I urged my partner to let it go, pulling at him, just as police rushed in from all sides to avoid a conflict. My partner wasn’t much for confrontation but seeing the robed KKK at Fresno’s first pride gathering was all he needed to throw him over the edge.

Due to an unforeseen personal emergency, the Stephanie Miller live broadcast from Vintage Days at Fresno State on Friday, April 21 has been postponed.
The broadcast will be rescheduled for a later date, and tickets that have been previously picked up will be honored at that event.

Let me know if you have any questions...

Thanks,

O.U.T. L.O.U.D. stands for Open and Understanding Team, Loving Ourselves and Uniting Diversity.

Starting in January of 2006, O.U.T. L.O.U.D. began its planning phases with seven members.  The inspiration for O.U.T. L.O.U.D. began several years prior to the actual establishment of the group by those who had aged-out of GSA Network and other community advocacy organizations.  These individuals felt a strong need to continue their works in social activism and also address other community issues.  In the initial three month planning period those seven members grew in exponential proportions into a team of seventy individuals between the ages of 17 and 24; and membership continues to grow with each new meeting.  Out of the Closet Book Store has been a great support to O.U.T. L.O.U.D. by offering a venue to conduct meetings.  Acc epting and embracing ourselves for who we are; while confronting social injustice as a united front became the standing mission statement; encompassing, in short, who we are and what we want to accomplish.  As a community oriented organization our main goals are: to create discrimination awareness around society's taboos, developing a safe and comfortable environment for extra-curricular activities, and equipping our peers with a voice against intolerance and a mind to make a difference.  These three goals are based on, but not limited to, advocative, supportive, and social issues in and around our community.  Our first short-term goal is to create a resource and social group for peers who identify as queer or straight-ally.  Our second goal is to create a means for individuals who identify as transgender or have emotional disturbances with their given name to have it changed in the legal system.  In the future, O.U.T. L.O.U.D. plans to be involved with oth er community minorities. 

All questions and comments can be directed to the planning committee by visiting www.myspace.com/outloud_fresno or by email at outloud_fresno@yahoo.com; or by calling Lu'kas at (559)776-2798 or Ty at (559)736-0379.