DION: ONE OF THE FIRST CELEBRATIONS OF JUNE PRIDE MONTH KICKED OFF TODAY IN THE NORTH BAY. A SHOW OF UNITY IN THE WAKE OF LEGISLATION AFFECTING LGBTQ+ RIGHTS ACROSS THE COUNTRY. THAT EVENING AND THANK YOU FOR JOINING US. I AM DION LIM. TODAY'S EVENTS IN SANTA ROSA WAS DESIGNED TO PUT UNITY AND COMMUNITY. ABC 7 NEWS REPORTER CORNELL BARNARD IS LIVE WHERE THE EVENT IS HAPPENING TRADE ORGANIZERS SAY THE MISSION IS TO PROMOTE EQUALITY FOR ALL. CORNELL: FOR SURE, DION, AND THAT EQUALITY HAS BEEN CELEBRATED ALL DAY LONG AT THE SONOMA COUNTY PRIDE EVENT. THE THEME THIS YEAR IS COMMUNITY COME UP WITH AN EMPHASIS ON THE WORD "UNITY," AS MANY STATES ARE PUSHING BACK AGAINST LGBTQ+ RIGHTS. ♪ PRIDE WAS ON FULL DISPLAY IN DOWNTOWN SANTA ROSA, A HUGE CROWD SHOWING UP FOR THIS YEAR'S PARADE. >> I LOVE IT. I LOVE ALL THE PEOPLE THAT ARE HERE TO SHOW OUR COMMUNITY LOVE. WE SHOULD ALL HAVE A SENSE OF BELONGING. THAT IS WHY WE ARE HERE. CORNELL: CAPTAIN BRIAN BROUGHT HIS DAUGHTER. >> I LIVE HERE, SHE LIVES HERE, WE WANTED TO HAVE FUN TOGETHER, BASICALLY. >> THIS PARADE, THIS EVERYTHING IS A CELEBRATION OF THE FACT THAT WE HAVE, SO FAR AND AN ACKNOWLEDGMENT THAT WE HAVE A LONG WAY TO GO. CORNELL: MANY BELIEVE IN A NEW SENSE OF PRIDE UNITY AS SOME STATES SEEK TO DIMINISH EQUALITY 540 ANTI--LGBTQ BILLS HAVE BEEN INTRODUCED IN LEGISLATURES THIS YEAR. >> THERE ARE ANTI-TRANS LAWS AND BE LGBTQ IS STRONG IN OTHER PARTS OF THE COUNTRY, AND IT IS IMPORTANT TO STAND UP FOR OUR LGBT COMMUNITY, ESPECIALLY OUR YOUTH. >> MY 13-YEAR-OLD IS MARCHING. SHE HAS BEEN QUESTIONING HER SEXUALITY, AND SHE IS OUT AND PROUD THIS YEAR, AND WE ARE SUPPORTING HER AND ARE EXCITED TO DO THAT. CORNELL: PRIDE ORGANIZERS SAYING THIS IS THE EVENT THEY HAVE EVER HOSTED. SAFETY AND SECURITY MEASURES HAVE BEEN INCREASED TO KEEP EVERYBODY SAFE. >> MORE AND MORE, WE HAVE TO HAVE THESE EVENTS TO SHOWCASE THE PEOPLE WE ARE HERE, OUR RIGHTS ARE STILL BEING THREATENED, AND ALSO, YOU KNOW, TO ENCOURAGE MORE PEOPLE TO CELEBRATE AND COME OUT. CORNELL: HERE AND NOW, MANY SAY THE MEANING AND FEELING OF PRIDE IS STILL SHINING BRIGHT AND CANNOT BE TARNISHED OR ERASED. >> PRIDE MEANS A LOT OF THINGS TO ME, BEING ABLE TO SHOW UP AUTHENTICALLY AND BE YOURSELF AROUND PEOPLE THAT ARE CELEBRATING QUEER JOY, TRANS JOY, AND JUST BEING WHOEVER YOU ARE, THAT IS WHAT IT MEANS TO ME, AND IT IS REALLY IMPORTANT. CORNELL: ORGANIZERS TELL ME THAT THEY BELIEVE THIS EVENT WENT REALLY WELL TODAY, AND IT WAS SAFE. THEY WERE CONCERNED THAT PROTESTERS WOULD SHOW UP, LIKE THEY HAVE IN YEARS PAST, BUT THAT IS NOT HAPPEN. PRIDE EVENTS CONTINUE ON SUNDAY ACROSS SONOMA COUNTY. WE ARE LIVE IN SANTA ROSA, HAPPY PRIDE, CORNELL BARNARD, ABC 7 NEWS.
