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The (Bi)weekly Kiki | July 27
Meriden Pride Community Center
Community is at the heart of everything we do. This week, we're celebrating the ways we show up for each other. Whether it’s lending a hand, sharing a kind word, or standing strong together, support is what makes our Pride community powerful.
Check out what’s happening, how you can get involved, and how we keep lifting each other up—one act of love at a time.
-The Meriden Pride Team
Table of Contents
This Moment in Queerstory 🪶
International Drag Day
Image source: Rawpixel
International Drag Day, celebrated annually on July 16, was founded in 2009 by Spanish drag enthusiast Adam Stewart to spotlight the global drag community and its vibrant contributions to culture and LGBTQIA+ visibility.
"International Drag Day is a day where all around the world on every gay scene we take this opportunity to celebrate and thank the drag artists that add so much to gay life and culture,” Stewart told Guidetogay.com, who were the initial media partner. “This is the reason I launched this concept. I saw that there was no such day or event on an international platform in which we celebrated drag artists."
Drag has deep roots in queer history, with performers often at the forefront of resistance and change. During the Stonewall uprising in 1969—widely considered a turning point in LGBTQIA+ rights—many drag queens and gender-nonconforming individuals stood on the front lines. Figures like Marsha P. Johnson and Sylvia Rivera, both trans women and drag performers, played pivotal roles in advocating for queer liberation at a time when visibility came with real risk.
Over the decades, drag has remained a force of expression and defiance, challenging societal norms around gender and identity while offering community, satire, and joy.
Read More:
‘The Fabulous History of Drag’ (Source: BBC)
‘When Is International Drag Day And Why Is It So Important To Support Drag Queens?’ (Source: The Rainbow Stores)
July Events 🌞
Sun. 7/27, Parent/Guardian-LGBTQ+ Youth Open House. 2-4 p.m. @ Meriden Pride Community Center
August Events 🌟
Say hi to us at our booth at the Meriden Farmers Market every Saturday, 8 a.m. through noon at the Meriden Green (except Aug. 2).
Tue. 8/5, Meriden’s National Night Out. 5-8 p.m. @ Hubbard Park
Sat. 8/16, MERIDEN PRIDE FEST! 11 a.m. -5 p.m. @ Meriden Pride
Wed. 8/20, Gayme Night. 5-8 p.m. @ Meriden Pride
Wed. 8/27, Craft Night. 5-8 p.m. @ Meriden Library
Observances
(14) Gay Uncle’s Day
(20) Southern HIV/AIDS Awareness Day
Volunteer Opportunities 🙌
Connect with the LGBTQ+ community this summer! We’d love to have your help at events. Please fill out a volunteer form if you would like to volunteer with us.
Right now, we need volunteers for:
Meriden Pride Fest on August 16
Staffing the center with a committee member on Saturdays and Sundays
Email us at [email protected] if you have any questions. We are stronger together!
About the Community Center 🌈
The Meriden Pride Community Center offers a wide range of free resources and support services to empower and assist the community, including:
Sexual health supplies such as male and female condoms, dental dams, and lubrication
Free at-home COVID-19 test kits, Narcan overdose prevention kits, and blood glucose meters for health monitoring
Assistance with applications for heating and renters’ reimbursement programs
Personalized help connecting to broader city and state services
Borrowing books from our LGBTQ+ library
Complimentary internet and printing access
Committed to holistic support, the center strives to address immediate and long-term needs through its inclusive and accessible offerings.
Community Center Hours
Saturdays, 12-3 p.m.
Sundays, 1-4 p.m.
Donate to the Center 💝
Every donation fuels our mission to uplift the Greater Meriden LGBTQ+ community through free, accessible programming that celebrates identity, fosters belonging, and sparks joy. From inclusive workshops and peer support networks to vibrant Pride events and educational resources, we create safe spaces where LGBTQ+ individuals can thrive. Led entirely by volunteers, our work is powered by your generosity—ensuring queer voices are heard, stories are celebrated, and no one faces barriers to connection. Together, we’re building a world where everyone can live authentically, proudly, and without compromise.