In an effort to promote equality and unity in the islands, a new Pride committee has been launched, alongside plans for this year’s celebrations.
The new committee includes members Zee Wright, Julian Foster, Tara Bush, Schmarrah McCarthy and Chantal Basson. This is the first year with a committee organising Pride events.
“I think we have a very wide-encompassing group of people who just want to put on an amazing event that shows Cayman we’re inclusive and that we’re happy to be out and proud,” Foster said on Compass TV’s Daybreak this week.
Bush told the Cayman Compass, “For the past few years, I kept noticing the lack of broader community participation in our LGBTQ+ events. After every Pride, I would message Noel Cayasso-Smith and say, ‘How can I help?’ Eventually, he said, ‘I’m tired—do you want to take it on?’ And I said, yes.”
She added, “I reached out to some incredible people I knew—people with different backgrounds and perspectives—and asked them to join me. It took a little convincing, but the heart of it is this: Pride is about community.
“It’s not about having the same voices or the same ideas—it’s about representing the rich, diverse tapestry of the 80,000 people who call this island home. It’s about creating space for each other, looking past our differences, and building on the common ground we all share: the need to belong, to be seen and to be heard. Pride is about all of us.”
Wright, the committee’s executive member, thanked Cayasso-Smith for his efforts in establishing Pride in Cayman and said, building on the success over the years, this year’s Pride parade, to be held on 28 June, will be free to all and will include other events.
“Being a part of this committee is to show you need to be heard, you need to be seen, no matter what shape or form, no matter what your sexual preference may be. You matter and that’s the key point of this Pride and what diversity means to me,” Wright said.
Along with the main event, this year’s celebrations will also include a flag-raising ceremony, a pickleball family day, a brunch and an after party.
“Pride is very much about allied support. It’s about the community showing up. Pride is one for all,” Foster said, adding that he hopes the efforts continue to grow.
“We want to have quarterly community events, just kind of create a space for the LGBTQ+ community. So, we’re excited to see where it goes and what happens,” Foster said.
Wright added, “Tolerance, respect and Pride is something celebrated worldwide, and it shouldn’t be something that is taboo or the minority or just the people that are set aside; we’re here to take space.”
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