Photo Feature: UCCS community participates in the 2024 Pikes Peak Pride Parade

On June 9, 2024, UCCS students, staff, faculty, alumni and friends walked in the 2024 Pikes Peak Pride parade in downtown Colorado Springs.

Pikes Peak Pride is an annual, two-day celebration of the diverse identities and achievements of LGBTQIA+ communities of southern Colorado.

UCCS had over 80 Mountain Lions walk in the Pikes Peak Pride parade down Tejon St. to the Colorado Springs Pioneer Museum. After the parade, the Division of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion hosted a community reception with food and refreshments was held at UCCS Downtown, where over 180 people stopped by to grab a bite, be in community, and celebrate with UCCS and their loved ones.

“Pride parades serve as powerful affirmations of identity and visibility,” said UCCS Vice Chancellor for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Rame Hanna. “Our participation in the Pikes Peak Pride parade was both a celebration and a commitment to fostering a greater culture of belonging at UCCS. Through the dedication of the Pride Planning Committee, Division of DEI, Staff and Faculty Pride Committee, and many campus partners, we achieved our highest attendance ever and debuted our first pride parade float organized by students in the Queer Transgender People of Color and Two-Spirit (QTPOC) club. This success underscores the profound importance of diversity, equity and inclusion in higher education, as well as the uplifting and empowerment of diverse voices, especially across our vibrant LGBTQ+ community.”

UCCS’ involvement in the 2024 Pikes Peak Pride parade and the celebration at UCCS Downtown afterward were sponsored by the UCCS Division of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, the MOSAIC and the LGBTQ+ Resource Center, the UCCS Faculty and Staff PRIDE Committees, and the UCCS Facuty and Staff Associations.