by Liz Schob (she/her) Director of Operations and Communications, Charlotte Pride
The new year is here! The past year was one of great change and Charlotte Pride is eager to build on the groundwork laid for the coming year. For her first column of 2023, Liz Schob (Charlotte Pride’s new Communications Manager) looked back at some of the things Charlotte Pride accomplished in 2022 and shared some of the exciting events planned for 2023.
Hey, Y’all.
It’s been just over a month since I started my new role here at Charlotte Pride and I have been absolutely overwhelmed by the outpouring of enthusiasm and support from the community. The last year was one of transitions for me just as it has been for Charlotte Pride, and I couldn’t be more thrilled to work alongside such amazing staff, board members, and volunteers as we gear up for the new year. I have no doubt that I will learn so much from them all.
Since my hiring, I’ve jumped in with both feet and I’m completely blown away by all Charlotte Pride has been able to accomplish in the last year. From partnering with other local organizations on a winter coat drive and nonpartisan candidate fair where the community could meet local, state, and federal candidates, to bringing back cornerstone events like Reel Out Charlotte (the Queen City’s LGBTQ Film Festival) and the Charlotte Pride Festival and Parade in person for the first time in three years, we have so much to be proud of. I’m especially proud of the fact that, for the first time ever, both of Charlotte Pride’s staff are LGBTQ women! What a way to end the year!
With all that momentum behind us, Charlotte Pride has hit the ground running for 2023. Here are just a few things we have coming down the pipeline:
Charlotte Pride will be hosting a job fair on Thursday, February 16th from 1-5pm at Central Piedmont Community College’s Central Campus near Uptown Charlotte. Our aim is to provide a space for LGBTQ job seekers to feel comfortable and empowered as they connect with affirming employers. The event is free and we will have educational workshops throughout the afternoon. We have a few spaces still available for companies with job openings, so if you are an organization that values inclusion and understands that a diversity of voices strengthens and moves us all forward, please fill out this form: https://cltpri.de/3CDsKIe
We are excited to share that film submissions are now open for Reel Out Charlotte (the Queen City’s LGBTQ Film Festival) which will be held at the Independent Picture House from May 17th through the 21st. We are accepting short and feature-length film submissions through our FilmFreeway portal (https://cltpri.de/3W3oPLB). The deadline for submission is April 4th and we can’t wait to bring you incredible films that highlight the LGBTQ experience. Ticket information and film showings will be updated on our website as we get closer to May.
Our first in-person festival and parade in three years drew an unprecedented 275,000 attendees to Uptown and we are building on that momentum as we plan for the 2023 Charlotte Pride Festival and Parade. Our enthusiastic volunteers have already divided up into various planning committees including entertainment, the parade, youth and family, VIP
experience, and more. We can’t wait for everyone to have an amazing Charlotte Pride week in August and see everyone’s hard work come to fruition! The 2023 Charlotte Pride Festival and Parade will return this year to Uptown Charlotte on August 19th and 20th.
For more information about the job fair, our film festival, or any other event we have coming up this year, please visit our website or sign up for our newsletter.
We hope you’ll join us for all our events in 2023!
