ULM sociology professor Christopher Daunis does more for Northeast Louisiana than teach. Daunis also works at GO Care in West Monroe where, aside from being the Gay Men’s Wellness Center’s coordinator, he puts together community building events.
The biggest event Daunis is working on right now is Twin Cities Pride, a local gay pride festival. The event, which is scheduled for June 16 at the Atrium in Monroe, will be split into an afternoon event followed by a dinner later that evening.
The afternoon portion will have a drag show, a live performance by the band Everyone’s Ex and as many as 18 resource tables of LGBT supporting businesses and organizations from the community.
“Anyone is invited and more than welcome to come. You don’t have to be gay to attend,” said Daunis. “We strongly encourage everyone to come and bring their families and whoever else they want.”
Pastor Keith Mozingo from the Metropolitan Community Church of Baton Rouge will also be there to do a blessing of relationships.
The night portion of Twin Cities Pride will include a $25 dinner, which is strictly to cover the cost of the food. Also, a guest speaker, most likely from The Forum for Equality, will give a speech, and a few awards will be given out.
This local Pride event is modeled after a Baton Rouge style Pride, which Daunis has helped organize in the past. It’s not related to the last pride event held in the area. Twin Cities Pride is meant to bring more LGBT people and the community together.
One of the main goals of the pride event is to make the LGBT community visible.  Many gay students said these events are needed in areas like Monroe where the gay community is less free to express itself.
“We are a huge part of the community and need to be able to feel welcome,” said Blake Hagan, a music education sophomore from Oak Grove.
Daunis said, “The community and businesses need to know we’re here, and we’re just like everyone else. If we can’t break down walls and come together, we aren’t going to progress.”
Aside from the dinner fee that night and an optional cash bar that will be open all day, the rest of the event will be free. Twin Cities Pride is still in the planning process but will definitely be happening. Plans will be solidified by the beginning of May.
The event will be posted on Gay Men’s Wellness Center’s Facebook by the end of April.