The Harlem Renaissance era is often referred to as the golden age for Black artists — full of style, culture, art and music — so it is no wonder that Black Pride Colorado chose this era to be the theme of its second annual Strange Fruit of Black Excellence Gala.
The name of the gala is a reference to the iconic Billie Holiday song, “Strange Fruit.” The song is a heartbreaking reminder of the injustice and suffering Black Americans have faced, and continue to face, in America. In the song, Holiday describes the lynching of Black Americans, contrasting the smell of rotting flesh and to those of flowers. Last year’s gala was also named after the song.
[Previous coverage: Colorado celebrates Black Pride for the first time, with a focus on its roots in resistance]
On Friday, June 17, guests approached the Freyer-Newman Center at the Denver Botanic Gardens in style, walking down the red carpet to enter the building’s glass doors. At the event, guests gathered to celebrate not only Pride, but specifically individuals in the Black community who identify as LGBTQIA+. Many Black queer people have shared with Rocky Mountain PBS that they feel like a “double minority,” meaning that mainstream Pride is not as supportive to them because of their Black heritage, and that they often feel “tokenized” in their own community, all while dealing with racism and homophobia.
“For me, what Black excellence means is to be seen and heard and to be acknowledged for who you are, not what it is that you’re doing or how you’re doing it, but really taking up that space and really showing who you are, being affirming,” said Dr. Tara Jae, co-founder of Black Pride Colorado. “With the folks here in Colorado, there is not many of us and being able to take up that space where we are not tokenized is a very freeing and liberating opportunity.”
Guests were dressed from head to toe in vintage, 1920s-era clothing at the event, which included food and drink, as well as an auction to help fundraise for Black Pride Colorado’s future events.
