TAMPA, Fla. -- More than 50 members of Tampa Pride will board a flight early Thursday morning heading for New York City.
This is the first time in the history of World Pride that the event will be in the United States.
"We are looking for right around 7 million, and it's snowballed so fast," Carrie West the President of Tampa Pride said.
West is is also on the World Pride Sponsorship Committee.
"We are going to be in the front of the parade. Tampa Pride will be very, very honored," West said.
The event coincides with the 50-year anniversary of the Stonewall uprising, which is seen as the catalyst for the modern-era LGBTQ rights movement.
"We are not going to go backward in time, let's move forward in time," West said. "This is strictly a celebration. It's just showing equality. It shows diversity."
West said they are sponsoring pride organizations from across the globe. Some face persecution and even death for their sexuality.
"This year, I think we'll probably have additional around maybe 80 countries coming to World Pride that are smaller countries from around the world," West said. "We are getting people in from Afghanistan which they are putting their heads on the line that's truly the truth. It's a common practice out there that they go through there it's either stoning, hanging, or beheading for LGBT people if they find out."
From rallies to parties to lectures, there are free and ticketed events produced by NYC Pride and our official partners spread across New York City.
To see the full list of events, click here.
