Thousands lined downtown Seattle to celebrate the city's 45th Annual Pride Parade, from elected officials to those they serve, all of them taking in the significance of this parade in the Emerald City.
Seattle's Pride parade kicked off as the nation celebrates the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall riot, which sparked the modern gay rights movement.
It wasn't lost on anyone the significance of this 45th Seattle Pride parade.
A rainbow of pride swept across Seattle today.
"I love it," said Ivaca Frerichs, Des Moines. "There's so much love."
"I love it," said Wayne Waits, who traveled from Everett for his first Pride parade. "I love the people."
Jenny Durkan marched in only her second Pride Parade as Seattle's mayor. The weight of history very much on her mind.
"I think it's amazing," said the mayor. "If you had told me as a kid that this would happen in Seattle or any city across this country, I never would have believed it."
It is an emotion that many here share, especially those who were alive when the riots at the Stonewall Inn in New York City erupted in 1969.
"Especially because it's 50 years after Stonewall," said Mary Yu, the first openly gay justice of the Washington Supreme Court. "We're celebrating life but we're also recognizing how far we've come."
Five years later, Seattle held its first Pride Parade.
"Could I imagine this?" asked Harley Broe, Seattle. "Never, never. Could I imagine the city of Seattle taking blocks and blocks of the thing? I mean we had a hard enough time to getting them to approve our marches in the early '80s. So here we are."
"It's a fabulous change," agreed Kris Melroe, Seattle. "It's so important that you change and the media's here. I'm very glad that you are. But I want you to recognize how far you've come."
A change that is reflected just about everywhere the eye can see.
"It's not people like me who started this movement," said Miguel Monserate, a recent 2019 University of Washington graduate. "It is people, black and trans women who stepped up so I could feel like I am part of family today. And I'm proud to honor them today. Fifty years."
This Pride parade had nearly 200 entries this year, the most ever. And many of those here said this parade felt more inclusive than ever.
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