A bright and warm sun, upbeat jams, and an electric atmosphere set the tone for the 2nd Annual Pajaro Valley Pride on August 20. The day brought out a large crowd of about a hundred to the Plaza in Watsonville to stand in solidarity with and celebrate LGBTQ+ folks. The lively event featured a blessing ceremony and parade, as well as performances from drag queens, burlesque dancers, and musicians.

Pajaro Valley Pride Vice President Emilio Barajas asserts, "Pride culture is an important part of our beautiful and diverse community." Barajas also affirms, "we will not be coerced back into the closet and living in fear." The theme for this year's event was "We March Together, We Stand Together."

The first Pride celebration in Watsonville, organized by Maria Perez and Olga Fuentes of SOMOS LGBT, took place on August 24, 2008 and was an event decades in the making. In a 2008 interview about the road to Pride and beyond, Maria and Olga explain that the goal wasn't to put on the event, but rather to gain visibility for the LGBT community in Watsonville. Pride returned on August 23, 2009 with music, poetry, dance, information, visibility, safety, community, and more.

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