Brighton Beach Pride and advocacy

Marchers on the Coney Island boardwalk behind a Brighton Beach Pride banner and a banner in support of Ukraine, with a performer in an orange dress in front. — The Brighton Beach Pride march on the boardwalk.

This page covers the 7th Brighton Beach Pride, held on May 21, 2023, and the advocacy of RUSA LGBTQ+ (now QARAVAN) in 2023.

7thannual Brighton Beach Pride, May 21, 2023
1,000people attended
20+television programs, newspapers, and online media featured RUSA LGBTQ+ in 2023

Brighton Beach Pride

RUSA LGBTQ+ organizes the annual Brighton Beach Pride, our flagship community and advocacy event. This celebration of LGBTQ+ identity and diversity brings the community together, raises awareness, and promotes inclusivity, especially in southern Brooklyn.

In 2023, the 7th Brighton Beach Pride was one of the biggest yet, with a thousand people attending. Speaking in support of LGBTQ+ refugees were:

Masha Gessen, a prominent journalist of the City University of New York (CUNY) and The New Yorker
Iman La Caire of TransAsylias
Sashko Krapivkin, a Ukrainian activist and actor
LGBTQ activist Ann Northrop
A representative of the office of New York State Governor Hochul

A man in a red shirt speaks into a megaphone in front of a large rainbow flag on a beach. — A speaker with a megaphone at Brighton Beach Pride.

This year, we also held the largest Pride afterparty, at the historic Coney Island USA building, featuring our community talent: drag performances, dancing, singing, and instrumental live music.

A woman in yellow sunglasses, a white cap, and a rainbow headscarf looks at the camera, holding a small flag with orange, white, and pink stripes. — A participant at Brighton Beach Pride.

Gay City News and several local bloggers and outlets covered the event.

“The way Brighton Beach Pride started was that there was an influx of LGBTQ refugees from Russia after the first round of anti-gay laws was passed in Russia, and a lot of them landed here in Brighton Beach and encountered a lot of homophobia and transphobia.”

Masha Gessen, quoted in Gay City News, May 22, 2023

According to Gay City News, Gessen delivered remarks to the crowd in Russian, referring to Russia’s notorious 2013 anti-LGBTQ law, which erased queer people from public life and led to widespread crackdowns on members of the community. The Russian government’s treatment of LGBTQ people has only grown harsher during the war.

Three smiling people stand on a boardwalk holding a hand-painted sign that reads Make love not war. — Marchers with a “Make love not war” sign at Brighton Beach Pride.

Advocacy

We advocate for our population through mass media appearances, commentary, and partnership building. We also join organizations and coalitions to better advocate for immigrants, refugees, asylum seekers, LGBTQ+ populations, low-income families, and other New Yorkers.

We participate in NYC Pride, New York City borough Prides, and immigrant and LGBTQ providers’ coalitions and networks. We meet with local elected officials to work together on better supporting LGBTQ+ immigrants.

In 2023, RUSA LGBTQ+ was featured in at least 20 television programs, newspapers, and online mass media.

PDF, 19 pages, 3.2 MB