Dear Friends, The countdown to Pride 2008 has begun. The theme is set-- Sustaining Our Community, Conserving Our World-- the marshals have been chosen (see below); and our Committee is in full swing to bring you another breathtaking Pride Week. All we need now is YOU. We need your voices, your energy and your activism. Remember your first Pride? How amazing it was to see all those people who made you feel not quite so alone in the world? It’s always going to be someone’s first Pride… and they need to see you there! Help us make it happen. Feel free to stop by one of our weekly meetings, Tuesdays at 6:30 pm in the Wainwright Bank Community Room, right next to the Back Bay T stop on Dartmouth St., Boston. We'd love to see you. The Boston Pride Committee

In this issue 1. Festival Applications Now Online 2. 2008 Theme and Marshals 3. Make Us Healthy & Green 4. Calling All Chefs 5. Let Us Know Your Favorite LGBTQ Authors 6. Get to Work on that Float 7. Boston Pride Needs Your Help! 8. Shop (Online) Till You Drop 9. Allied News: The Sunset Soirée 10. Allied News: Latino Pride of New England 11. Allied News: Youth Pride 2008 12. Pride Meetings 13. About Boston Pride

1. Festival Applications Now Online Registration for the Festival is now open! Fill out the Registration Form now, as late fees will apply after May 16th. Last day to register is June 6th. www.bostonpride.org/festival. The Pride Festival is where it all comes together. Where the parade ends and the celebration begins. Come celebrate with us and over 100 merchandise vendors and community groups on City Hall Plaza, just steps away from the Gov’t Center “T” stop. With over 100 Merchandise Vendors, and Community Groups! Pssst… guess what? This year the Jumbo-Tron will be back by popular demand! And for the second year, we will be offering a Family area featuring carnival games, face painting and more. So come out and join the fun on June 14th at City Hall Plaza!

2. 2008 Theme and Marshals Boston Pride Week 2008 is proud of our theme: “Sustaining Our Community, Conserving Our World.” This theme is about a lot of things. Clearly, it’s green-leaning, and that’s amazing, because preserving the environment is an issue of local, national and global importance. But the theme is also about the ways that diverse groups of individuals can come together to infuse our community with vitality, cohesion and relevance. Our 2008 theme invites all members of our community to come together and work for a stronger, more just, cleaner, kinder world. We are taking the steps we can to create a more green, more sustainable world that focuses on the environment, health care issues and social reform. We thank all those who voted and we look forward to celebrating with you. Our Celebrity Marshal for 2008 is Leslie Jordan, an Emmy Award-winning actor from Tennessee who is perhaps best known for his role as Beverley Leslie on "Will & Grace." Our Honorary Marshal for 2008 is Cpl. Ciara Durkin, corporal in the Massachusetts Army National Guard, out lesbian and long-time Boston Pride volunteer who was killed in 2007 while serving in Afghanistan. Our Grand Marshal for 2008 is Tim McFeeley, founder of both the Boston Lesbian and Gay Political Alliance and the Bay State Democrats, and former board member of both Gay & Lesbian Advocates & Defenders (GLAD) and Boston Aging Concerns.

3. Make Us Healthy & Green We are looking for ways to incorporate the Boston Pride theme into all aspects of Pride Week. Do you have thoughts on how we can do that? Drop us a note at green@bostonpride.org.

4. Calling All Chefs One of the most delicious parts of Boston Pride 2008 will be Out In Dowtown’s cooking demonstrations. Boston’s finest LGBT chefs will hold demonstrations at Macy's at Downtown Crossing on Tuesday June 10th! We’re currently looking for LBTQ-identified chefs who would like to take part. If you, or someone you know, is interested email outindowntown@bostonpride.org.

5. Let Us Know Your Favorite LGBTQ Authors Come join Boston Pride and Borders Books and Music for our Second Annual Book Signing. This year, we will hold books signings at two Borders locations: Downtown Crossing and Back Bay. They will be held during the week of Pride, Monday June 9th through Friday June 13th. If anyone knows of any national or local authors that they would like to see, send an email to outindowntown@bostonpride.org. Deadline for this information is May 1st, so hurry and get those authors in. And continue to watch our website for a 10% off coupon off any purchase at Borders Books and Music at Downtown Crossing or Back Bay.

6. Get to Work on that Float Now that the theme is announced, get your group together and start gearing up those float ideas! Parade registration has been open for several weeks already, so download an application from www.bostonpride.org/parade and do it fast. Register before May 15 to avoid a rate increase. Last day to register is June 1. Jump on it!

7. Boston Pride Needs Your Help! The 2008 Boston Pride festivities kick off June 6 and we are looking for fun, fabulous, and fierce volunteers to help make this year's Pride Week the hottest one yet. If you have an interest in making Boston Pride a bit "greener" (check our theme above), then this is your year to shine. Run to your closet, dig out that rainbow t-shirt and visit www.bostonpride.org/volunteer to fill out a volunteer application. You can also learn more in person at our upcoming volunteer meetings found online at www.bostonpride.org/volunteermeetings.php.

8. Shop (Online) Till You Drop Visit Boston Pride's new online store at www.cafepress.com/bostonpride. You'll find the official source for tons of high-quality Pride gear, including clothing for the whole family and accessories galore. Huge thanks go to our spectacular Merchandise Chair, Cale, for all his hard work on this project. You also can access the site through a link on our web site, www.bostonpride.org. Shop away!

9. Allied News: Friends of GLBT Youth the Sunset Soirée Boston Pride is proud to support The Friends of GLBT Youth, a non-profit dedicated to eradicating homophobia and transphobia in order to allow all young gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender people the opportunity to reach their full potential. Please consider joining The Friends of GLBT Youth at The Sunset Soirée! Come out for a night of fine food, open bar, dancing, a dazzling auction and good will. On that very night The Friends are committed to raising $100,000 to support Youth Pride and its leadership programs for GLBT youth. Thursday, May 8th, 2008 6:30-10pm The Hotel Marlowe 25 Edwin H Land Blvd Cambridge, MA This year’s event will bestow the The David LaFontaine Award For Excellence in Commitment to GLBT Youth to our own Linda DeMarco, President of the Boston Pride Committee. Tickets are $75 (regular) or $150 (VIP: Valet Parking, VIP Bar with Top Shelf Liquor Selection, VIP Express Auction Check Out (No Lines!), and a Surprise Gift!). To purchase tickets please contact soiree@friendsofglbtyouth.org or visit www.friendsofglbtyouth.org.

10. Allied News: Latino Pride of New England Latino Pride of New England is scheduled for May 10th through May 18th. For information visit www.somoslatinoslgbt.org or read the New England Blade. The calendar of events includes movies, political forum, pageants, a reception, and so much more!

11. Allied News: Youth Pride 2008 Youth Pride 2008 will be held on the Boston Common on Saturday May 10th starting at 10 a.m. with events scheduled at the Parkman Bandstand until 4 p.m. The event is hosted by Raquel Blake and Pat Boccuzzi with performances by: All The Kings Men Foundation Movement Freezepop Drive Like Carson And many more TBA! The festival features a Resource Fair with local educational and advocacy groups to help you "get back to reality," local artists and vendors selling their goods, a clothing swap to support Boomerangs (AIDS Action Committee), DDR, Arts and Crafts, a Free Raffle, and Food! Youth Pride is followed by the BAGLY Prom! (Click here for more info: http://www.bagly.org/events) For more information please visit: www.massyouthpride.org or email klydon@friendsofglbtyouth.org.

12. Pride Meetings The Boston Pride Committee meets every Tuesday at 6:30pm in the Wainwright Bank Community Room, 155 Dartmouth Street in Boston (next to Back Bay T Station). Meetings are open to anyone and we welcome your participation.

13. About Boston Pride The Boston Pride Committee is an all-volunteer, non-profit organization registered in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Meet the Board of Directors and the Chairs of the Committee: Keri Aulita - Vice President, Board of Directors vp@bostonpride.org David Avruch - Community Outreach Chair outreach@bostonpride.org Cookie Belcamino - JP Block Party Chair jp-blockparty@bostonpride.org Sylvain Bruni - Board of Directors sbruni@bostonpride.org Malcolm Carey - Parade Chair parade@bostonpride.org Sarah DeChick - Volunteer Chair volunteer@bostonpride.org Linda DeMarco - President, Board of Directors president@bostonpride.org Kirk Dobson - Fundraising Chair fundraising@bostonpride.org Pierce Durkin - Clerk, Board of Directors clerk@bostonpride.org Michael Anthony Fowler - Logistics Chair logistics@bostonpride.org Kristie Helms - Board of Directors khelms@bostonpride.org Wilfred Labiosa - Board of Directors wlabiosa@bostonpride.org Shannon Lank - Entertainment Chair entertainment@bostonpride.org Jayme Martin - Festival Chair festival@bostonpride.org Cale Moore - Merchandise Chair merchandise@bostonpride.org Michael Young - Pride Day at Faneuil Hall / Flag Raising Chair faneuilhall@bostonpride.org "The Boston Pride Committee, Inc., serving the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender (LGBT) and allied community, works to enhance the visibility of Boston 's LGBT community through a week of events each June, in conjunction with year-round activities, to promote LGBT awareness, dignity, and understanding." Web: www.BostonPride.org Email: info@bostonpride.org PrideLine: 617-262-9405