An Irish LGBTQ group in New York will mark its 30th anniversary at the upcoming New York Pride march on Sunday.
Lavender and Green Alliance – Muintir Aerach na hÉireann, which was founded by LGBTQ advocate Brendan Fay in 1994, is asking all members of the community to join them during New York's Pride march.
The group's 30th-anniversary theme is "Éirimid-Amach Le Chéile! (We rise and come out together!)".
"We welcome all to join our Irish group in the Queer Liberation March this Sunday, June 30th," Fay said in a statement. "This year we step off where our modern LGBTQ civil rights movement began with the Stonewall Inn uprising in June 1969."
The group is gathering at 11 a.m. at 15 Christopher Street, the site of the former Oscar Wilde Memorial Bookshop.
Founded by activist Craig Rodwell in 1967, the bookshop was named after the famous Irish author who was sentenced to years of hard labor and imprisonment under Britain's anti-gay laws in the 19th century.
"We carry images of our friends, lovers and pioneers of our Irish LGBTQ community who made the road for freedom and equality," Fay said.
He added that the group will be honoring activist Malachy McCourt in this year's parade. McCourt, who died earlier in the year, played a key role in advocating for the LGBTQ community's inclusion in the New York St. Patrick's Day Parade.
Maya Milton, an Irish-American transgender organizer and member of the Lavender and Green Alliance, called on people to join the group for the 30th-anniversary celebrations.
"We need to be visible and be ourselves," Maya said in a statement. "Assemble time is 11 am and then we join the March which begins from Sheridan Square at 11.30 am. People can march or roll with us for a short while if they prefer."
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