E&H Takes Part in Second TriPride Parade
On September 7, 2019, TriPride held their second Pride parade and festival in downtown Kingsport, Tenn. Over 10,000 people gathered for the festivities, and among those in the crowd were members of the Emory & Henry community. Travis Proffitt, director of academic diversity initiatives at the College, had a role in getting those students and employees to the parade. “It’s important that the regional community sees Emory & Henry at events like TriPride because I would hope that our college wants to be on the right side of history and a part of social and cultural progress,” Proffitt said. “Saturday’s parade and festival was a celebration of diversity and a tangible expression of the richness of our local communities. I’m proud that we were a part of that celebration!”
E&H’s booth at the TriPride festival.Since 2017, the Inclusion & Dialogue Center at Emory & Henry has made strides towards a more inclusive campus for all students and employees, regardless of race, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, religion, ability and other salient identities that any member of the community may hold. While it may be easy to point to the ID Center as the place where inclusion happens, Proffitt hopes to change this misconception. “This event was put on by the College, with some help from the ID Center. It should be known that the ID Center is not the only place where diversity is celebrated, but rather all of Emory & Henry is where diversity happens and is celebrated.” Proffitt was excited to see the interaction with Emory & Henry and parade attendees. “”I was particularly struck by the number of alumni of the college who were there and cheered us on from the parade crowd or who stopped by our booth during the festival to share with us how much it meant to see the college at the event,” Proffitt said. “A large number of local high school students visited the E&H table and expressed pleasure in hearing that we are a college that would fully welcome them into the life of this place.”
The TriPride Parade will be headed to Bristol in 2020.
- Students and faculty of E&H ready with their parade banner.
It’s important that the regional community sees Emory & Henry at events like TriPride because I would hope that our college wants to be on the right side of history and a part of social and cultural progress.
-Travis Proffitt