Hertage of Pride (HOP), or NYC Pride, announced a lineup of grand marshals ahead of this year’s virtual Pride festivities.
Organizers have tapped “Star Trek: Discovery” and “Noah’s Arc” actor Wilson Cruz; Ceyenne Doroshow, a performer and founder of GLITS, an LGBTQ grassroots organization; Menaka Guruswamy, a senior advocate at the Supreme Court of India; and lawyer Arundhati Katju. Both Guruswamy and Katju were named as TIME Magazine’s 100 Most Influential People of the Year in 2019 for their work on a landmark LGBTQ case.
Another grand marshal will be Demetre Daskalakis, who is the director of the Center for Disease Control’s Division of HIV/AIDS Prevention and previously worked in the New York City Health Department. Rounding out the list is Aaron Rose Philip, a model who has snagged major fashion campaigns in Moschino, Sephora, Marc Jacobs, and Calvin Klein.
“This year’s grand marshals are the embodiment of the theme for NYC Pride 2021, ‘The Fight Continues,’” Bansri Manek, director of the NYC Pride March, said in a statement. “Their dedication to the continued fight has created a better future for individuals throughout the LGBTQIA+ community, and the bold courage they’ve demonstrated sends a clear message to the leaders of future generations about the importance of fighting for what you believe in.”
Organizers say the grand marshals reflect some of the parade’s most significant elements, including trans rights, social justice, behind-the-scenes, and youth activism. The grand marshals will also be spotlighted in a virtual program after the live broadcast.
While HOP is going virtual for a second straight year, the Reclaim Pride Coalition’s Queer Liberation March will be held entirely in-person. Although HOP will have a virtual program, there will be “street-side marching activity” as well as “March Pop Ups” in which outdoor seating at local businesses will be utilized to “reimagine” the usual Pride float experience, according to HOP. There will be an interactive map outlining these spots.
This announcement comes days after the latest development in HOP’s decision to ban police contingents from Pride.
HOP’s Pride march is airing live on ABC-7 from 12:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.
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