A Note from Ayden Merino

Interviewer: Hi! We're here at the Colorado Springs Pride Center, and we're talking to who?

Ayden: Hi, I'm Ayden Merino; also known as Vanity Sky, um, and I do PrideFest stuff here at the center.

Interviewer: Why do you volunteer for the Colorado Springs Pride Center?

Ayden: Um, I got involved about almost three years ago, um, as one of the early interns and just fell in love with the mission of the center and doing a lot of social justice work. That was my starting point and I love doing it and fell in love with the people here and the people we helped, so I wanted to continue that on.

Interviewer: So what is it that you do volunteer for here at the Pride Center?

Ayden: I do, um, some of the work for the entertainment committee of Colorado Springs PrideFest, um, our yearly big event, um, in Acacia Park.

Interviewer: That's coming up in July of 2012.

Ayden: Yes.

Interviewer: Now how many people did we have in July of this year, 2011; 25,000?

Ayden: 25...

Interviewer: We had 5,000 on Saturday--

Ayden: Yes we did.

Interviewer: --which was a new day.

Ayden: It was our first year doing the Saturday event and we had 5,000 come and then 20,000 on the second day, so.

Interviewer: So that's big for Colorado Springs.

Ayden: Oh, yeah! Really big.

Interviewer: Now what do you get out of it? What's your personal gain? Is there a reason? What's your motivation for spending all that time volunteering for PrideFest?

Ayden: Um, just it's really really exciting, um, having the opportunity to work with entertainers and different partners in the community to make such a big, great event that so many people come out to. Just seeing how many people enjoy that event that's, that's what I get out of it.

Interviewer: Now do you think what you specifically are doing for the Pride Center, which is actually doing it for the LGBT community here in Colorado Springs, um, is important to the LGBT community as a whole?

Ayden: Oh definitely! I definitely think that, um, PrideFest and the work that we do here at the center, uh, it brings a sense of cultural awareness that we would not have otherwise.

Interviewer: Now do you think it's important that Colorado Springs itself has an actual pride center?

Ayden: Oh definitely. Um, with the climate of Colorado Springs, um, we have, you know, so many Air Force, well, military, bases and it's a very conservative climate, um, if we did not have, um, a place like the Pride Center, then we could easily, it, it would could be a very negative climate for some people, so it's really good that we have that.

Interviewer: So that brings me to my final question for you. Um, part of the Pride Center's mission is to empower the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people in the Colorado Springs, Pikes Peak area to achieve civil and social equality. How do you think our focus, the Pride Center's focus, on equality is important? Is it important?

Ayden: Um, it's very much so important. People need to have a sense of self pride and self-worth, and that's where, um, gay empowerment comes in, and once people feel empowered to live their lives out and proud and comfortable with who they are, they give back to the community and they ultimately make the community they live in a much better, safer, happier place.

Category:

Nonprofits & Activism

Tags:

• gay
• lesbian
• bisexual
• transgender
• Colorado Springs
• Pride Center
• PrideFest

[MistyRockwell420]

Very nice! I love the pride center

[blainebill39]

@cspridecenter

Ciao Bello!

Ayden "Ragazzo Bello e Molto Dolce"! (Very Handsome/Beautiful Sweet Boy) I'm so thrilled to have encountered a new generation of fully "Out" , committed and affirming LGBT folks! What an asset you are "Ayden Bello" to the LGBT Community in Colorodo Springs!

[blainebill39]

@cspridecenter And I, Bobby Griffiths' (Prayers for Bobby) old lover/boyfriend "Blaine" here, couldn't possibly be any prouder of you!

Ti Amo Molto Per Questo! (I Luvs Ya Lots For This)

Con L'Amore e Molti Baci! (Lots A Love n' Kisses)

Blaine