Actor Wendell James, best known for his role as Hollywood husband to Emmy-nominated actress Kym Whitley on the docu-series Raising Whitley on the Oprah Winfrey Network, has been appointed as grand marshal for the 33rd Annual Long Beach Pride Parade.
The parade will take place Sunday, May 22 at 10:30am, starting at the corner of Lindero Avenue and Ocean Boulevard.
James decided to use his celebrity to be a voice and a positive force within the LGBTQ community by asking the tough questions and raising awareness to sensitive issues that affect all, according to Pride organizers. This decision came on the heels of a heartfelt episode of Raising Whitley, in which he revealed his longtime struggle with his sexuality and his religious beliefs.
“We all have some sort of struggle in life, and we all want to be heard, but some people are just too afraid to speak out for fear of what others may think,” James said. “I lived with my struggle long enough until I spoke out, and not only did it help me, but it helped others, so I decided to use my platform to speak for those who can’t.”
The parade and two-day festival produced by the Long Beach Lesbian and Gay Pride, Inc, are two of the largest events held in Long Beach, according to organizers, who say that last year more than 80,000 people attended the events.
The festival will be held Saturday, May 21 and Sunday, May 22 at the Marina Green & Rainbow Lagoon and will include music, performances, food, celebrities and vendors.
For this year’s festival, organizers are implementing some changes to facilitate a more enjoyable event.
“The Long Beach Lesbian and Gay Pride board really has paid attention to past festival goers, and this year the changes will be seen,” states a press release from the organization. “The major concern heard was the long lines. From purchasing an entry ticket to beverage tickets or beverage lines to over-21 identification check lines, all are being reduced this year.”
Frank Rubio, president of Long Beach Lesbian and Gay Pride, expressed a commitment to listening to the issues.
“I appreciate the fact that our community voiced their concerns last year, and we as an organization really have worked hard to address these issues,” he said.
To meet the concerns, organizers have added a ticketing agent to help Pride goers enter the festival faster and reduce the long wait. Pride has also brought in a new caterer, so there will be no beverage ticket sales. Instead, they will provide full-service beverage stations that will take cash, debit and credit cards. The full-service locations will offer beer, wine and spirits.
As a replacement for the usual five beverage serving locations, this year’s festival will offer 20 full-service beverage serving locations, which are expected to create a reduction in lines.
Other changes include shuttles for parking and identification clarification system. There will be shuttles running from 9:30am to 10:30pm both days from the Pike parking structure to the Pine Avenue entry way.
For more information, visit LongBeachPride.com .
