Photographing Jersey City Pride
June might be Pride Month, but August is Jersey Pride Month. Usually, Jersey City Pride Fest(ival) falls on the last weekend of August. JC Pride celebrations start with raising the flag, and continue throughout the month of August, leading to JC Pride Fest.
Founded by Paul Mendoza and Miquel Cardenaz 19 years ago, JC Pride 2019 focused on “honoring our past..creating our future” and celebrated Stonewall 50 and World Pride.
I often photograph JC Pride Fest for Out IN Jersey Magazine . It’s a small event, but full of life and celebrations, offering a chance to reconnect with the community, and, for myself, with activists and artists I’ve known for years.
Sometimes, details, like this guy carrying bunches of rainbow flags of all sizes, walking the streets of Jersey City:
Throughout the years, “love” seems to be a timeless theme at JC Pride Fest. And for good reason. After all, “love is love,” and we might need love and understanding now, more than ever.
At JC Pride Fest, I also happen to recognize not only familiar faces that I’ve known for years but also faces of people who always seem to be there, always friendly and welcoming.
Sometimes, as mentioned above, I get to see activists and artists, performers, I’ve known for years. Here’s Lady Clover Honey, this past weekend, performing at JC Pride Fest 2019:
And, of course, it’s Pride Month in Jersey so I was all in blue and Out IN Jersey at the Pride.
Hope you all have a wonderful Jersey Pride Month and the rest of the summer.
Happy Pride! Happy Jersey Pride! And Happy Summer, too.
As always, thanks for stopping by,
Alina Oswald 