“We want to make sure that everybody knows that no matter what, they are loved,” Bogdewic said. Paul’s United Methodist Church in Allison Park, marched with his wife, Patricia, and their two children, Eliyana, 9, and Jonathan, 7. Pittsburgh police assisted with traffic control. It’s just a great sense of community here.” I know my friends are really good about themselves. “It makes me feel really good about myself. “I felt really good about Pride Month and I just felt like it was really worth it to come out and see the community,” Royea said.
He had on a black t-shirt with a rainbow heart and used a portable fan to blow bubbles along the route. Especially with the vaccine coming out and everything, it’s finally nice to see that things can start to slowly turn back to normal.”īrian Royea, 19, of Austintown, Ohio, marched with a group of friends. It’s really nice to get out here and see all the love and support. Especially through all the rough times it’s been. “It’s kind of hard to explain it, but it fills my heart with so much joy to see how many people are out here and supporting (the LGBTQ community). Mortimer said they could hardly hold in their excitement being back in the Steel City for the event after last year’s in-person parade was canceled due to covid. It’s very welcoming and it’s nice to know that there are still people out there who support us through all of this rough time.” “It gives me goosebumps,” Benedetto said. They watched as people marched along Seventh Avenue. Julia Benedetto, 17, and her friend Mik Mortimer, 18, both of Chippewa, Beaver County, had rainbow fans to help keep cool as temperatures pushed into the upper 80s.