NYC Pride Plans 2nd Virtual Rally In 50th Anniversary Celebration

NEW YORK, NY — New York City's Pride March organizers have announced a second virtual rally to help replace their usual line-up of in-person events, which were postponed by the coronavirus pandemic.

A virtual rally will be held from 5 to 8 p.m. on Friday, June 26, NYC Pride organizers announced on Wednesday.

The virtual event will be hosted by Ashlee Marie Preston, the first trans woman to become Editor in Chief of a national publication, and Brian Michael Smith, an activist and recent star of Showtime's “The L Word: Generation Q”.

“Visibility is also a form of activism,” said Brian Michael Smith. “...I am proud to co-host the NYC Pride Rally with Ashlee Marie Preston and I know that though we can’t be together in person, we are reaching people who may see themselves in us. I hope to provide a space of comfort at a time when we need to be there for one another.”

The online rally comes two days before another virtual event scheduled to replace the in-person parade. That broadcast will be streamed on WABC Channel 7 on Sunday.

That event will include performances from Janelle Monae, Deborah Cox, Billy Porter and Victoria Cruz. It will be hosted by WABC's Ken Rosato and Lauren Glassberg with special co-host Carson Kressley, the organization said.

Friday's rally will include speakers Ceyenne Doroshow, Annie Segarra, Edafe Okporo, Leandro E. Rodriguez Ramos and others, organizers said.

It will be streamed on Facebook and YouTube.

The event will include a focus on filling out the Census, registering to vote and stories about people of color in light of the Black Lives Matter protests.

"The Rally has long been a safe space for disenfranchised voices to be heard and that will continue to be the case in 2020," said NYC Pride Interim Executive Director David A. Correa. "NYC Pride stands with Black Lives Matter, and will give focus to the needs of our black and brown brothers and sisters; honoring the lives of those lost to police violence.”

Registration for the Rally is now available on EventBrite.