Capital Pride recently announced the 2019 Grand Marshals for Washington, D.C.’s Pride parade taking place on June 8. Advocates Earline Budd and Brandon Wolf, Brigham Young Valedictorian Matt Easton, and members of the cast of FX’s Pose will lead the Parade in accordance with this year’s theme, “shhhOUT: Past, Present & Proud.” To commemorate 50 years since the uprisings at Stonewall, the theme turns to the past to inform the present and inspire the future of Pride.
“These Grand Marshals perfectly exemplify our theme of Past, Present & Proud,” says Ryan Bos, Executive Director of Capital Pride Alliance. “To recognize how far we have come in the 50 years since Stonewall, we must remember our history and work towards imagining our futures. These Grand Marshals epitomize what it means to be engaged with the struggles, needs, and hopes of the growing and changing LGBTQ+ community.”
Before Pose, Dominique Jackson—who currently stars as Elektra Abundance—starred in Oxygen’s 2016 docu-series, Strut, which garnered her a GLAAD Media Award nomination. Born in Tobago, Jackson moved to the United States to escape traumatic situations. Since then, she has modeled for Brooklyn Fashion Week and Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week, and competed in The Pageantry System of The Underground House/Ball Community, winning six crowns and titles. She is a leader in and advocate for her community, receiving numerous accolades, awards, and nominations, including the Legacy of Pride Award presented by Harlem Pride.
Jackson’s co-star Hailie Sahar has been performing since childhood, when she began her career as a SparKids dancer for the WNBA Sparks. She currently stars as Lulu Abundance on Pose and has previously had roles in Amazon’s Transparent, USA’s Mr. Robot, and the Off-Broadway production of Charm. Sahar has been involved in the Los Angeles Ball scene since the age of 18, and in 2015 she won the Queen USA Pageant.
The ballroom drama first aired on June 3, 2018 and immediately became a hit show. The show received several award nominations including the Golden Globe Award for Best Television Series. The second season will premiere on June 11.
“The impact Pose has on me is overwhelmingly beautiful,” says Sahar. “It has allowed me to be in a position of visibility as a representation for our LGBTQ community. Many of our youth have personally expressed their excitement and gratitude for a show like Pose. I’m humbled to be a part of a show that is changing history and giving others the opportunity to see someone on the screen who reflects them and speaks for them,” concluded Sahar.
The Capital Pride Parade will begin at 4:30 p.m. at 21st and P Streets NW and will continue along the 1.5 mile route to finish at 14th and R Streets NW. It will feature more than 200 organizations dedicated to expressing their pride through commemorating the history of LGBTQ community.
