Pride Journey: Indianapolis

Indianapolis has always felt like a second home to me. I used to publish a gay magazine there called UNITE a few years ago, so I was frequently visiting the city. This time, I wanted to experience things that I may not have had the chance to see on previous visits.
One event of major interest was the Lambda Legal Indiana Benefit gala which took place at the Indy Public Library, a stunning building located in the heart of the city. The Indiana Benefit was conceived in 1999 by a group of visionary individuals seeking to advance the civil rights of LGBT people and those living with HIV, in Indiana. That vision and dedication to Lambda Legal’s mission and work in Indiana have yielded some of the most important and strategic legal victories our community has experienced in the past decade, including the freedom to marry.
In 2017, it was an Indiana case that won a federal court victory affirming that workplace discrimination based on sexual orientation violates federal civil rights law. This year, the benefit honored philanthropists Neil Bagadiong and Kevin Warren, the Indy power couple who was instrumental in the Pence Must Go campaign that was enacted during Mike Pence’s final term as Governor of the state. They also host a weekly pool party for the community at their home during the summer.
After the benefit, the party continued at Tini...