Chicago Celebrates Pride Month in Northalsted

Chicago marked Pride Month with one of its signature celebrations, the 55th annual Pride Parade, held under the theme “Free to Be Proud.”

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The parade has long been a major draw for the city. About one million spectators lined the route last year, and another large turnout is expected Sunday for the event, which remains closely tied to Chicago’s Northalsted neighborhood.

“We are fortunate to be kind of the epicenter of that. Everyone knows Northalsted as the LGBTQ center of Chicago. But north, south, east and west there are Pride events from different organizations going on throughout the month,” said Kevin Barbeau, executive director of the Northalsted Business Alliance.

Among those local leaders is Daveon Mason, a board member of the Northalsted Business Alliance and general manager of SWAY, a queer-owned dispensary that has been using Pride Month to deepen its connection with residents, visitors and customers.

“We have been partnering with different non-profits like Brave Space Alliance, Chicago Gay Black Men’s Caucus. We do work in-store where we display different community artists, local artists that are part of our community and allies. And so, we display their artwork and 100% of those proceeds go directly to those artists. So, we support our community that way. We do local events monthly and throughout the year. And we connect with our businesses on the streets to hold events for our customers, you know, to responsibly enjoy cannabis,” Mason said.

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“Being a queer owned dispensary and operated dispensary, like, everyday is Pride to us. But this month, like, is really great for us because we get to highlight what we do for our community,” Mason said.

Barbeau said the Northalsted Business Alliance serves a role similar to a chamber of commerce, helping support and promote local businesses throughout the neighborhood.

The area’s place in LGBTQ history was formally recognized nearly 30 years ago, when Mayor Richard M. Daley designated the North Halsted corridor as the city’s official gay neighborhood.

“From top to bottom, at all city levels and departments, the LGBTQ+ community is respected, appreciated and have a voice at the table both at the Mayor’s office and with anyone we talk to. Whether at the aldermanic level or any of the rooms down there at City Hall.” Barbeau said.

“So that our community in Northalsted and the larger LGBTQ+ community in Chicago was seen and recognized so we could work to that point of getting that proclamation, getting that respect that was long deserved for our community,” Mason said.