Pride South Side returns to Hyde Park this weekend
CHICAGO (CBS) -- It's about being your true, authentic self.
Many Black and Brown queer Chicagoans are expected to celebrate this weekend in Hyde Park.
It's called Pride South Side.
CBS 2's Shardaa Gray spoke with organizers who are planning a huge festival.
A tradition of providing a safe space for Black and Brown queer Chicagoans is back this weekend in the Hyde Park neighborhood.
This will be the fifth annual Pride South Side festival at the DuSable Black History Museum and Education Center.
"Come on out to have some fun, and be safe and celebrated for who you are. That's first and foremost," said Adrienne Irmer, a Pride South Side co-organizer.
Pride South Side was intentionally scheduled after Pride Month.
It's part of an ongoing effort to create space for nonwhite queer people outside of the typical North Side LGBTQ celebrations.
Irmer said the LGBTQ community still deals with discrimination from their own family members.
"That's still very much a part of the experience and the reality of the community and members of the community, but what Pride South Side seeks to do is create space for all of us to come together," Irmer said.
The festival started in 2019. Jae Rice, Brave Space Alliance Deputy CEO, said for the museum to offer this safe space to the community, it shows growth.
"When I see one of the oldest if not the oldest, African American History Museum in the world, be able to say, here, we want you all to be able to celebrate here. We want you to be seen here, that just feels like progress," Rice said.
The museum said each year, they've seen a growth in patrons who come out to Pride South Side. This year, they're expecting more.
"We are on pace to quadruple the number of attendees for all of our programming from the first year that we launched. Which is super exciting. So I can't wait to see 3, 4,000 people," Irmer said.
A place where Black and Brown people live in their truth and celebrate who they are as a collective.
"I think what I would love for people to leave with is to know that the Black community supports the LGBTQ community," Rice said.
"It's so dope. It's so dope, but it's really something you have to see for yourself," Irmer said.
Not only is the museum preparing for the festival this weekend, but they're setting up for the Bubba Wallace NASCAR Block Party Wednesday.