Members of the UNMC and Nebraska Medicine community showed support for LGBTQ+ individuals on Saturday by marching in the Heartland Pride Parade in downtown Omaha.
Kari Zelenka, the current vice president of the UNMC and Nebraska Medicine LGBTQ+ Employee Alliance, said around 150 employees, students, family members and friends showed up to represent the med center at the parade.
“Despite the challenges from the severe storm causing widespread damage and power outages affecting so many from our community Friday night, it was incredible to see all of the love and support from so many people both walking in the parade and standing along the parade route Saturday morning,” Zelenka said.
See a slideshow and a photo album from the parade.
More than a dozen volunteers from the med center signed up to staff two informational booths at the Heartland Pride Festival at the University of Nebraska at Omaha’s Baxter Arena. One booth presented available resources for LGBTQ+ individuals at UNMC and Nebraska Medicine and a second booth offered information on Nebraska Medicine’s Transgender Care Clinic.
“Pride was a huge success,” said Laura Schutte-Lundy, membership chair for the alliance. “We had an amazing group of people who showed so much love and energy for this event.”
The theme of this year’s Heartland Pride was “Let’s get back 2gether,” acknowledging a return to the annual celebration after 2020 events were cancelled due to COVID-19. Zelenka said the alliance was thrilled to organize the med center’s fourth year of participating in Heartland Pride.
“Pride is about positivity, community and supporting each other,” Zelenka said. “The parade and festival served as an outstanding way to wrap up Pride month.”
For more information about the UNMC and Nebraska Medicine LGBTQ+ Employee Alliance, email LGBTQEmployeeAlliance@unmc.edu or visit the LGBTQ+ Employee Alliance website.