Affirmation at 2021 Salt Lake City Pride


Affirmation at 2021 Salt Lake City Pride
by Joel McDonald
It seems fitting that Affirmation’s first larger-scale in-person activity as the threat and restrictions from COVID-19 decline was Salt Lake City Pride. With thousands of others, members from the Affirmation community participated in the Rainbow March and Rally on June 6th that began at the Utah State Capitol. Following the march and rally, Affirmation hosted a picnic at Winchester Park in Murray.
Nathan Kitchen, president of Affirmation, noted the significance of Affirmation’s participation in Salt Lake City Pride during a virtual fireside for parents of LGBTQ kids that he spoke at later the same evening of the march and rally, sharing a photo of marchers holding the Affirmation banner as they passed the Church Office Building and Temple Square.
Affirmation’s participation in Salt Lake City Pride was organized by the Affirmation Intermountain West Region with Melissa Malcolm King, who also serves as the president of the Affirmation Midwest Region, leading the organizing efforts with assistance from Ron Chand, president of the Affirmation Pacific Region. Special thanks are extended to Kimberly Teitter, Dan Christensen, Kyle Ashworth, and Iliana Hurtado, and Troy Mitchell for their support of these activities.
As shared previously, Pride season is providing opportunities for Affirmation to come together in-person once again. Currently, Affirmation Florida is preparing to participate in Come Out with Pride Orlando on October 8th. We’re also organizing Affirmation’s presence at the first-ever Rexburg Pride being held on June 26th.