- Title: Pride goes virtual with all the glitter and glam despite COVID-19
- Date: 28th June 2020
- Summary: VARIOUS (JUNE 27, 2020) (REUTERS VIA ZOOM) PARTICIPANT DRESSED UP WITH LED LIGHTS AND STAGE LIGHTING DANCING FROM HIS LIVING ROOM IN RECIFE, BRAZIL DJ, JEAN TRANJAN (CENTRE), DANCING DURING HIS SET FROM HIS HOME IN RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL VARIOUS MORE OF PARTICIPANTS DANCING
- Embargoed: 12th July 2020 22:54
- Keywords: 2020 Brazil LGBTQ+ community Mexico Pride United States Zoom online virtual virtual Pride
- Location: MEXICO CITY, MEXICO / MONTCLAIR, NEW JERSEY, UNITED STATES / MANAUS, BRAZIL / VARIOUS
- City: MEXICO CITY, MEXICO / MONTCLAIR, NEW JERSEY, UNITED STATES / MANAUS, BRAZIL / VARIOUS
- Country: Mexico
- Topics: Society/Social Issues,Editors' Choice
- Reuters ID: LVA005CKAB7EV
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text:With Pride events cancelled around the world due to the COVID-19 pandemic, a group of friends decided to take matters into their own hands and created an online virtual Pride event that spanned continents, languages and cultures.
Dozens of participants from Brazil, Mexico, the United States, Argentina, the United Kingdom, Italy and as far away as Australia came together for the daZoom Pride event where they were able to show their colours and shake their tail feathers from the safety of their homes while respecting local social distancing measures.
Jocelio Vieira, a Brazilian expat living in Mexico City, came up with the idea for the event along with his longtime friend Thiago Antunes who lives in Salvador, Brazil.
Vieira had cancelled plans to travel to his native Brazil because of the pandemic, so he and Antunes decided to create a virtual event where they could bring the LGBTQ+ community together to show their pride despite local lockdowns and cancelled Pride events.
They dubbed the party, daZoom Pride and quickly began reaching out to friends and family, mostly via social media, to spread the word.
The pair brought in the talents of four different DJs who spun during the party and even had performances from Brazilian drag queen Organzza.
Bethany Hall took part in the celebration from Montclair, New Jersey and said it was great to feel connected on the dance floor and to be able to unwind and celebrate.
Vieira said it was an important moment to commemorate love and to tear down prejudices while also remembering lives lost to the coronavirus and to violence against Black people as the Black Lives Matter movement has also spread across the globe.
Positivity is certainly welcome in times of unrest.
(Production: Sebastian Rocandio, Geraldine Downer) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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