MILWAUKEE — Milwaukee’s LGBTQ+ community showed up in numbers Sunday afternoon for the city’s 19th annual Pride Parade.
A sea of rainbow flooded 2nd Street in Walker's Point as thousands were walking and riding down the parade route to show their support for the community.
“We’re out here, we're having drinks, we're singing, we're watching the parade, we're dancing in the streets,” said parade-goer Tyler Hamelink. “Today's a day to remember that, no matter what, we're still here.”
Hamelink says that reminder is even more important now after the past few years of political tension and backlash.
“The courage that so many of our community shows in coming out and saying ‘Here I am. You can threaten me, you can yell at me, you can harass me, but I am still who I am. I am still here.'”
Hamelink says despite the community's hardships he believes the future will only be brighter for the LGTBQ+ people in the country.
“I think the last couple years have been really hard, and there’s a lot of stuff that’s going on that makes it look like it’s going to be harder. But I have faith and hope that our communities are going to rally behind this community and that 5, 10 years down the line things are only going to get better,” shared Hamelink.
Over 150 groups and organizations, including TMJ4 News, were marching along the route Sunday afternoon surrounded by flags and cheers from those watching.
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