(image via carrboronc.gov)
Walking down West Main Street in Carrboro on Saturday afternoon, the hot summer sun beating down, you could hear it before you saw it. Passing families dabbing sweat with mini cotton pride flags, heads bopping along to dance music reverberating off the Town Commons, you could feel it. Then, just when you were sure it had to be around the corner, a swirl of rainbow appeared — Orgullo Latinx Pride!
The event featured live drag performances, food trucks, local vendor booths, representation from groups like Equality NC and El Centro Hispano, and even a massage therapist. It was open to all community members — all ages and identities welcome to attend and celebrate!
“Fun!”
With a “God is Still Listening,” rainbow flag hung up in the distance, Sister Bea Yurself was at Latin Pride to represent her very own convent
“I’m part of the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, and we are just out supporting the community as we celebrate pride,” she said.
According to their website, the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence are a “leading-edge Order of queer and trans nuns who believe all people have a right to express their unique joy and beauty.” Their motto, “go out and sin some more!” is as light-hearted and joyous as they are, a sentiment shared at Carrboro Pride with gusto.
“I’m loving the performances and just see the community out,” said Sister Bea Yurself. “We couldn’t do events like this for a couple years because of COVID, so its just nice to see the community out and celebrating again.”
Latin pride in one word for Sister Bea Yerself? That’s easy – “fun!”
“Life, Energy!”
Sitting in the back of the Town Commons field, taking in the music as her young kids played in the grass and the complimentary pride flags that were handed out upon entering, was Ana Rosario.
“I think it’s important for them to be exposed and see that there’s a lot of different kinds of people and to normalize it,” Rosario said. “These are great people and they should be accepted in everyone’s lives.”
Teaching acceptance early and often as a mother is summed up in Rosario’s word for pride…. “life.” And just in case one wasn’t enough — “energy.” The Latin dance music surged around her and her two young kids, punctuating her point in song and movement.
“Orgullo!”
Carrboro’s Latin Pride was Karina Seebaluck’s first introduction to the community’s events, but a perfect one.
“The community of it, everyone coming together, this seems like something you’d see back in the day,” Seebaluck said.
Seebaluck is an NC State undergraduate student who is in Chapel Hill for the summer as part of a cohort with a UNC research apprenticeship program. Along with a group of her friends, attending Carrboro’s Latin Pride was a pleasant surprise.
“This is the first time I’m seeing something like this in 2023,” she said. “ I just love to see that the spirit is still here within the community and that the passion is still there.”
Also studying Spanish, it’s no coincidence that Seebaluck’s best word to describe Latin pride is used in the title.
“Orgullo! That means pride in Spanish, and I’m a Spanish student as well, but I know that’s the one word that encompasses feeling really prideful and thankful for your heritage and who you are,” she said. “It’s true pride.”
“Fiesta!”
Oscar Garcia is famous, that much is clear as he floated on to the stage as the last drag performance of the night. In a top hat and a black and gold bedazzled blazer, he was eye-catching, but it was his voice that made it impossible to look away. His lipstick-lined mouth opened and his beautiful sound exploded from deep within him, Spanish lyrics fluttering above the crowd.
“Fiesta!” This is Garcia’s word for Latin pride, and for good reason. It really does say it all. His performance was invigorating, inclusive, and inspirational as he pulled up young kids from the audience to join him on stage. They twirled around him, showing off hot pink crocs and rainbow face paint. Pride is a party for everyone, this crowd made it clear.
Garcia, who does Zumba free for the community every Tuesday at the Town Commons, was smiling wide as he looked at the crowd that had pushed forward to his feet, singing and dancing along, some even pulling out some of their Zumba moves. Before he stepped away to take pictures with the growing line waiting for him (the affection was clearly mutual), he paused, out of breath, to share a reminder.
“Look, I’m on this stage talking to you young, beautiful people, about unity, about love, about commitment,” Garcia said over the loudspeakers. “We are not going to fight because we are tired of fighting. We are going to spread love to every human, every race. It belongs to us as a community. We aren’t going anywhere.”
The sun dipped below the buildings behind him as pride flags fluttered in the warm breeze. What was a loud party moments before now hushed to listen.
“I can’t believe, 20 years ago, we used to hide,” he said, looking across the crowd, remembering. “But today is about love.”
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