Inside DC Black Pride 2025 with Kenya Hutton: Why This Year Matters More Than Ever

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Gayes, this year's Black Pride hits different! As corporations scale back DEI efforts and lawmakers are doubling down on their tired attacks on gender expression and sexuality, the Center for Black Equity is making sure DC Black Pride 2025 is louder, safer, and more connected than ever. 

A week shy from the highly anticipated Opening Reception on May 23rd, Gaye Magazine caught up with Kenya Hutton, President and CEO of the Center for Black Equity (CBE) – the organization behind DC Black Pride and a key force supporting Black Prides worldwide.

The vibe was open and laid-back for a Saturday afternoon: a few laughs, plenty of passion, and a deep sense of purpose. 

Kenya’s connection to the work is personal. From the way he talks about the mission, to how he got started bartending at one of the Center’s early events. His journey has come full circle. More than a decade later, he’s now leading the charge at the CBE with the same drive and purpose: to build safe spaces and improve the lives of Black LGBTQ+ people globally.

From shuttle services to safety efforts with the Metropolitan Police Department, I wanted to get an understanding of how the Center for Black Equity is showing up for DC Black Pride beyond the party. How are we advocating for the black LGBTQ+ community, and why this year in particular feels like more than just a celebration, but a call for safety, resistance, and unity?

Here’s what Kenya shared about the journey, the mission, and why this year’s Black Pride matters more than ever.

Editor’s Note: Portions of the conversation may have been edited slightly to improve clarity, flow, and readability. For full interview, click here. 

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Can you walk us through your journey of working with the Center for Black Equity and how the work you do ties into DC Black Pride?

Kenya: 

“This is the Center for Black Equity’s 26th year. We've been around since 1999 and it was initially founded as the International Federation of Black Prides. At that time, it brought together about seven or nine Black Pride's to really create a resource and space for Black Prides to be successful and continue creating safe space in our community.”

“We brought together Black Prides that were popping up around the globe. Around 2012, the board realized that we're doing a lot more work than just organizing Prides around then, which is a funny story. That’s when I first got connected with the Center for Black Equity as a bartender for their event. We really were doing a lot of work in the activism space and advocacy and really fighting for equity and rights for our community. So the board decided to change the name to the Center for Black Equity.” 

“DC Black Pride was the first official Black Pride registered in the books as a celebration. It stemmed from a happening called the “Children's Hour” every Memorial Day weekend at a place called the Clubhouse that typically got together to raise funds for the community impacted by HIV.” 

“We now represent 54 Black Prides within the United States. We have a dozen overseas operations focusing on three main pillars: health equity, social equity, and financial equity for black and brown queer folk wherever you are.” 

We're not gonna go into the closet. We're not gonna be pushed away. We're not going to be pushed to the side. We're not going to be continuing to be pushed to the margins, especially the Black queer community.

What makes this year’s DC Black Pride different in comparison to previous years?

Kenya:

“This Pride season is different because of the current political climate. With the orchestrated attacks on the LGBTQ+ community, this year is even more important and even more impactful for us to do a number of things.” 

“We have to both show up and show our presence. Show that we're not going to go into the closet. We're not gonna be pushed away. We're not going to be pushed to the side. We're not going to be continuing to be pushed to the margins, especially the Black queer community.”

“This is a time for us to really connect and build our community, and remember that we have community within each other. Regardless of where you are in the country, in the world, there's something about being connected to other Black and brown queer folk that even if you're not from DC, when you come to DC, you're gonna walk away with community, even if you live in a town where you don't have a black queer community there.” 

“If you come to DC Black Pride, for instance, you're gonna walk away with a new auntie, a new uncle, a new brother, a new sister. And you're also gonna have the opportunity to come across other people that are going through or have gone through some of the experiences that you might be going through yourself.” 

“In times when the world is trying to make us feel isolated, coming to Black Pride celebrations, especially DC Black Pride, with it being the longest running Black Pride in the world, this is a space for you to be able to come and find that community that you may not know that you even have.”

We've always had to organize and have our celebrations under the auspices of where we can do this safely... As we are paying attention to the shift in the environment, socially and politically, we're taking extra steps to make sure and ensure our safety.

Amidst the current political climate and recent attacks on LGBTQ+ rights, what specific safety measures or advocacy efforts is DC Black Pride implementing to protect participants?

Kenya:

"Unlike other Pride celebrations, Black Prides have always operated out of a sense of safety in space. We've always had to organize and have our celebrations under the auspices of where we can do this safely. We've never had the privilege of being able to wholeheartedly be queer on the streets. And especially those of us from communities, from smaller communities have always had that. That's the kind of mindset we're taking for this year's DC Black Pride." 

"As we are paying attention to the shift in the environment, socially and politically, we're taking extra steps to make sure and ensure our safety. For DC Black Pride, one of the things we're having are shuttles that will take everybody around to all the clubs from the host hotel, all the DC Black Pride events for both men and women so that you don't have to ride the trains, walk on the street intoxicated.  We don't want to put any of our people in a situation where they'll be targeted or unfairly harassed. So we're putting these things together."

"We also have a security team for DC Black Pride led by Black queer people that have volunteered with us for years, always have volunteered with us, always ensured our security was very close with hotel security. Our local MPD to make sure that our space has always been safe and protected. When things arise, they're there to handle it right away."

"This year we've ramped it up a bit for all of our spaces, not just during DC Black Pride, but all of our other Black queer events that we have throughout the entire World Pride umbrella. They're going to be there with us in mind. Knowing how to work with us, they understand the nuances of the Black queer community, and know how to deescalate situations the way we know how."

I'm encouraging folks, when you come out to these Pride celebrations, look at who's sponsoring. They're the ones that are having our backs and your back when the times are tough.

Companies like Booz Allen Hamilton, Comcast, and others have retracted their funding for World Pride. Has DC Black Pride been affected by any of these changes? And are you surprised by the shift in support? 

Kenya:

"100%. If mainstream Pride is going to be defunded, you know that Black Pride is going to be defunded times two. So we definitely have felt the impact, but we have been lucky and blessed to have the support of major companies such as ViiV Healthcare that has stepped up early in the thought of things being cut. They were one of the first ones to come out and say, we're gonna support. Gilead Sciences, DC Health, Arena stage, and ViiV are some of our international partners that have come in. We also have a lot of local spaces that have come in and increased their support to help fill the gap as things are happening."

"We're telling people, support those that support us. It’s always been my thing in my over two decades of this work. Support those that support us. And even more so now, I'm encouraging folks, when you come out to these Pride celebrations, look at who's sponsoring. Look at who has lent a dollar, lent a resource, lent something to help that Pride celebration whether it’s DC Black Pride, Atlanta, Selma, wherever. Look at who's supporting those spaces and support those organizations because they're the ones that are having our backs and your back when the times are tough."

Khia’s headliner announcement stirred conversation online, with some revisiting past comments seen as homophobic.

There’s Been conversation online about Khia being named as an event headliner, with folks referencing past comments seen as homophobic. How do you respond to community concerns like this when curating talent for Black Pride?

Kenya:

"One thing I want everyone to be clear about: DC Black Pride and Center for Black Equity partners with party promoters to create the full weekend experience. We can't do everything ourselves. So we partner with these people. We don't have influence or direction of the people they choose to bring on."

"The space that I was able to curate myself, I brought in Iniko as my headliner. So I really don't have influence over those people, over those party promoters to bring in those other individuals, but I do hope that as party promoters are curating spaces for us during Black Pride Weekend, they are actually listening to what the community is saying and respond appropriately."

How are we going to pivot and adjust to make sure that we can continue having our safe spaces for our community? What we do know is there's the old saying that if America sneezes, the rest of the world catches a cold.

The Center for Black Equity supports not only DC Pride, but other Black prides across the globe. Considering our political climate, what have conversations been like with other organizations who are getting ready to ramp up celebrations in their respective cities?

Kenya:

"The conversation really is about sustainability. And we've been talking about this since last year. Right after the election, I pulled together all the Black Prides that were available to have a post-election conversation to talk about sustainability. How are we going to pivot and adjust to make sure that we can continue having our safe spaces for our community? And as we're moving, everyone is sharing what's happening locally. I know of a funder that gave a Black Pride some funding and then turn around and asked for it back. How do you navigate that space? As an organizer with an already limited budget, how do you navigate it?" 

"What we do know is there's the old saying that if America sneezes, the rest of the world catches a cold. So really walking them through and being a support system just to hear them out and help them work through what is going through internationally because of what's happening here."

Looking ahead, what’s your long-term vision for DC Black Pride and the Center for Black Equity over the next few years?

Kenya:

"I would love to get to a space where funding is no longer a question. Where we're no longer chasing down funds to continue doing the work for our community, but as some of the major organizations have endowments and donors and access to some of these funds, I hope some of those funds are shared, or at the very least, included in conversations to advocate for funds for our communities instead of the larger organizations."

"My vision for the Center for Black Equity is to continue growing for another 26 years of fighting for space for us. My hope is that we won't have to be doing that in the past for the next 26 years, but history tells me that there's gonna be a need for us in the next 26 years. And even if one thing changes, there's always gonna be something else that we're gonna have a need for." 

How can people who are unable to attend still support and engage with DC Black Pride?

Kenya:

"If you want to support DC Black Pride directly, visit dcblackpride.org. There's a donate button. There's also a contact us button to get involved. I'm usually the one that responds to every single email that comes through. 

If you can donate, donate. If you can donate resources, donate time, donate a skill, we need it more than ever. Donations do not necessarily have to be monetary. It can be in-kind. We’d appreciate that.

The same goes with the Center for Black Equity. Visit our website, centerforblackequity.org, if you want to support the greater work that we do for all the other prides. If you can donate financially, great. If not, if you have resources, if you have press release writing skills, copywriting skills, legal experience, you can donate those services to other Prides across the globe."

Black Pride is Freedom

As DC Black Pride 2025 ramps up, this celebration is about creating spaces where not only Black LGBTQ+ people thrive, but everyone. With the Center for Black Equity's ongoing work to ensure we are celebrated inclusively, there are plenty of ways to get involved, and it's a powerful reminder that we have to have each other's backs now more than ever.

This year's theme, Black Pride is Freedom, speaks to the collective power of having the courage to live out loud, build community, and take up space unapologetically.

Gaye Magazine is proud to be the official media partner for DC Black Pride. If you want to experience the energy firsthand, check out the upcoming events and giveaways you don't want to miss. Visit DCBlackPride.org for more information!