'Moving forward': Oakland Pride celebrates 15 years of love and equality

OAKLAND, Calif. (KGO) -- In the East Bay, Oakland Pride is taking over the streets of downtown, with a big-time celebration of love and inclusion for the LGBTQ+ community. The event coming a day after a string of shootings in downtown Oakland left two people dead and others wounded.

A rainbow-colored celebration of love and equality. Oakland Pride Parade took over nearly seven blocks of Broadway downtown on Sunday.

It's the 15th year for Pride, the parade, a 'crowning' moment for Tep Taylor and Michael Martinez.

"Why not have crowns, It's our day. We get to be ourselves particularly now, it's important that we're still here, we ain't going anywhere," Martinez said.

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"I want to see everyone here having fun, I'm really enjoying it," Taylor said.

"We are being erased, so it's important to be out and proud," said Brenda Goodall.

Brenda Goodall and wife Nancy Hinds are representing at a time politically, when LGBTQ+ rights are under attack.

"For years, I was a federal employee so I didn't do anything political but now I can be present, open and out," said Hinds.

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"Pride means today is a celebration, but it also means we have to keep moving forward," said Oakland Mayor Barbara Lee.

Mayor Lee honoring pride, while acknowledging a violent Saturday in downtown Oakland, where separate shootings left two people dead, and four wounded. Several businesses were also hit by stray bullets.

"It's tragic, we've talked to the police department, the investigation is ongoing. I've always said we have a lot more work to do, people need to know they're safe and feel safe," Lee said.

"In Oakland there are challenges like most cities, but the community is always going to come out for Pride," said Oakland Pride Co-founder, Joe Hawkins.

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Co-founder Joe Hawkins says Oakland's Pride Festival has more vendors compared to 2024 and while some corporate sponsors have pulled out, others like Gilead are stepping up.

"Gilead is now our festival sponsor, it's actually great," said Hawkins.

On a bright sunny September Sunday, a reminder of what's good - a community united.

"You're seeing the beauty of Oakland and it's amazing, I'm so proud to be a part of this amazing community," said East Bay Congressional Representative, Lateefah Simon.