AURORA | After postponing some of last year’s event for safety concerns, Aurora Pride and Latino Pride returned this year with crowds celebrating on Saturday at the Winged Melody Park in the Highlands neighborhood.

Latino Pride organizer Jose Pablo Martinez said the event is more important than ever because of the bigotry the LGBTQ+ and Latino communities are facing. Martinez pointed not only to increased immigration enforcement, but also federal policies that discriminate against the transgender community.

“As we get closer to the elections, it’s important that we stay connected and involved and visible because they’re trying to push us away, so these events speak volumes,” Martinez said. “We’re here and we’re not going away.”

In addition to more than 60 vendors, Pride also featured a number of performances, including drag showcases, the Grupo Huitzilopochtli Dance Troupe and live DJ sets. Mayor Mike Coffman and Councilmember Alison Coombs also spoke at the event and presented an official proclamation to celebrate Pride.

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For Carla Ferreira, CEO of the Aurora Highlands community and a chief sponsor of this year’s venue and event, the new location was more than just offering up more space.

The Aurora Highlands itself reflects the spirit of Aurora Pride, she said, because the neighborhood, like so much of Aurora, is built around inclusiveness and diversity. Rather than simply providing a backdrop for the festival, the community helps reinforce the Pride event’s emphasis on bringing different people and cultures together as a celebration of respect and inclusion.

Ferreira says all this made Winged Melody Park a fitting setting for a celebration whose central message is that everyone belongs.

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