Our Mission
“To show support for LGBTQIA+ people with a fabulous and fun community celebration
that spreads awareness through love and acceptance”
The Skagway Pride Committee is a non-profit volunteer organization comprised of Skagway community members. We gather to organize the culminating summer pride event known as The Skagway Pride Celebration.
This year marks the 6th Annual Skagway Pride Celebration!
Our History
The Skagway Pride Celebration
2019
The Skagway Pride Celebration started on June 1, 2019 as a modest grass roots celebration to lift up our LGBTQIA+ community members and to call attention to the importance of societal acceptance and allyship.
A joyful community celebration led by Hailee Sue erupted, involving live music, live art and a decorated bike parade.
2021
The 2021 Skagway Pride Celebration played a strong role in the Municipality’s “Save Our Skagway” effort to bring independent travelers to Skagway when the pandemic decimated Skagway’s economy. The Skagway Pride committee was formed! With the generous sponsorship of Skagway Brewing Company, and Bites on Broadway, Gigi Monroe and Juneau Drag were brought to Skagway for a 2-day celebration. The celebration consisted of community events and a performance at Dedman's stage featuring local musical acts and drag performances.
The 2021 Pride logo is designed by local Skagway artist Beau Dennis.
2022
The 2022 Pride logo was designed by local Skagway artist Beau Dennis.
From the artist:
“Along with the rainbow, this piece also incorporates the two hands, remembering a day in 1969 that came to be known as “Friday of the purple hand”, a day where gay rights activists protested the San Francisco Examiner for defamatory words written against them. They were beaten, arrested and had purple paint dumped on them from upper-level windows of the Examiner’s offices. In a show of defiance, the protesters used the same paint and scattered purple handprints across the office’s exterior walls. Rather than use an ovoid for in the palm of the hand, I used eyes. This is to show that we see what these people did to fight for our rights and look forward to a brighter future free of oppression.”
2023
2023 Theme: “PRIDE 2023. Still here, Still Queer: A
legacy of Resilience”
From the artist: “I was really just trying to capture the theme. I went with a circular design as I feel the overall shape represents legacy and resilience. The dividers are in an hourglass shape,
which I felt also represents those ideas. The figure is a take on designs usually found on bentwood boxes. They’re usually described as more supernatural than human, which I thought was a cool way to show us as the entire LGBTQ2+ community. And the hands are the same ones that were used in last years design, thought that was a cool way to connect the designs”.
The 2023 Pride logo was designed by local Skagway artist Beau Dennis.
2024
The 2024 Pride logo was designed by local Skagway artist Beau Dennis.
2024 Theme: "PRIDE 2024 We Pride At Dawn"
From the artist:
Néechxwúduyaa yóo x̱at duwasáakw.
Ch'áak' naax̱ x̱at sitee, Daḵl'aweidí.
Gooshí Hít yeedáx̱.
Jilḵáat Ḵwáan áwé uháan.
Ax̱ éesh hás áwé Lukaax̱.ádi.
Scottish-x̱ haa sitee tsú.
Gunalchéesh.
I am called Néechxwúduyaa (Which means ‘packed along the beach’)
I am of the Eagle Side, Daḵl'awéidí clan (People of the Inland Sandbar • Killer Whale) From the Killer Whale Dorsal Fin House
We are Jilḵáat Peoples (Winter Fish Cache)
My father’s peoples are the Lukaax̱.ádi (People on the Point • Raven Sockeye)
" I was definitely challenged this year to encompass the overall theme while staying true to Pride as an idea and my heritage. In the end I chose to use part of the landscape we see on a daily basis and integrate that with some Formline art. I hope everyone likes this year’s design, its an honor to be asked back as the logo artist again this year!"
Resources
Choosing Our Roots - Juneau
Mission: “To ensure all LGBTQ+ Alaskan youth and young adults have access to safe homes, supportive communities, and opportunities to thrive.”
SEAGLA - Juneau
Mission: “The Southeast Alaska Gay and Lesbian Alliance (SEAGLA) works to provide a supporting social network for gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, Two-Spirit, and queer people in Southeast Alaska. We foster personal and public acceptance of these persons as members of society with full economic, social, legal and political rights.”
Identity, Inc - Juneau
Mission: “Identity's mission is to advance Alaska's lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex, asexual, two-spirited + community through advocacy, education, health care and connectivity.”
Four A's - Juneau & Anchorage
Mission “The Mission of the Alaskan AIDS Assistance Association (Four A's) is to support and empower people living with or affected by HIV/AIDS and to work toward the elimination of HIV infection and its stigma in all Alaskan communities”
GLADD -The Gay Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation
Founded in 1985, GLAAD is a non-profit organization focused on LGBTQ advocacy and cultural change. GLAAD works to ensure fair, accurate, and inclusive representation and creates national and local programs that advance LGBTQ acceptance. Serving as a storyteller, media force, resource, and advocate, GLAAD tackles tough issues and provokes dialogue so that authentic LGBTQ stories are seen, heard, and actualized. GLAAD strives to protect all that has been accomplished and helps create a world where everyone can live the life they love
PFLAG - Parents, Family & Friends of Lesbians and Gays
PFLAG is the nation's largest organization dedicated to supporting, educating, and advocating for LGBTQ+ people and those who love them. PFLAG’s network of hundreds of chapters and more than 325,000 members and supporters are helping create an equitable and inclusive world where every LGBTQ+ person is safe, celebrated, empowered, and loved.
HRC Campagin
Mission: “The Human Rights Campaign and Human Rights Campaign Foundation fight to make equality, equity and liberation a reality for all lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer people. As the nation’s largest LGBTQ+ civil rights organization, we drive impact by inspiring, engaging and mobilizing millions of pro-equality voters and supporters to elect pro-equality leaders and to demand equity-based policies and legislation; changing hearts and minds through programming that increases understanding, visibility and support for the diverse LGBTQ+ community in all aspects of our identities; and transforming the institutions and systems that shape our everyday lives by advancing LGBTQ+ inclusive policies and practices in schools, workplaces, hospitals, communities and beyond”
The Trevor Project
Mission: "Through legislation, litigation, and public education, The Trevor Project advocates for policies that help prevent suicide among LGBTQ+ young people. This includes advancing policy reforms at the federal, state, and local level to address factors that place them at a significantly higher risk of suicide."