Once again, NWA Equality hosted a few thousand to strut down Fayetteville’s Dickson Street through many thousands of cheering spectators Saturday, June 24, 2023, for the city’s 19th annual Pride Parade. Among the units was UA-Fayetteville Education Association / Local 965.
Wearing the 965 black-on-red logo Ts and carrying our banner were President Hershel Hartford, Vice President Ben Pollock, Past President Bret Schulte, Treasurer Matt Stanley and former board member Ted Swedenburg. Other 965 members paraded with other groups. For the Trans March the evening before, June 23, former board member Chad Kieffer helped walk our banner along its route, up Block Street.
The June 24 Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette published a narrative, “Diversity, Expression Celebrated: 19th Annual Pride Festival and Parade Draw Thousands of People” (alternate link). The Fayetteville Flyer published photo galleries at “Fayetteville’s Dickson Street Alive with Pride as Thousands Join Annual Parade” and earlier “Trans March Kicks off Pride Weekend in Fayetteville.”
Local 965 again was part of a collective of UA groups marching in Saturday’s parade together. They comprise “student organizations, departments, divisions, and groups from across campus. … [Per UA System] Board policy, this is not the University of Arkansas marching, but units from within the institution participating.” Anthony DiNicola, the inclusion liaison/ coordinator of cultural communities for UA’s Center for Multicultural and Diversity Education, again skillfully led its planning and execution.
For video news reports, local TV stations reported on the parade June 24-25:
- “Northwest Arkansas Celebrates Pride” — KNWA-TV/KFTA-TV, channels 24/51
- “Arkansans Went to Pride with a Purpose This Year after Recent Legislation” — KFSM-TV, channel 5
- “NWA Pride 2023 Kicks Off in Fayetteville” (Posted before parade, no video) — KHBS-TV / KHOG-TV, channels 40/29