Sallyportal: Madly Blogging Reed

Reedies March with Pride

By Maddy Wagar ’16 on June 15, 2015 03:55 PM

Reedies of all stripes marched in the 2015 Portland Pride Parade (yes, that's a giant griffin on the right-hand side.) Photo by Maddy Wagar

Wings adorned with rainbow streamers, a gargantuan Reed griffin joined the Portland Pride Parade on Sunday, as dozens of students and alumni of all vintages waved flags and sported rainbow-striped “Love Reed” pins that glinted in the sunlight.

The Reed contingent joined a diverse parade that included communities from the Portland Oregon Lesbian Choir to various church groups. Reedies and members of the ACLU swapped temporary tattoos, sharing griffins and hearts in a late morning bright with unity and camaraderie.

BEAMING WITH PRIDE. Reedies and Griffin float at the Pride Parade. Photo by Maddy Wagar

The demonstration of love and support began with a memorial bike ride to honor Mark Angeles ’15, who was killed in a traffic collision nine days after graduation. At that memorial, Kirsten Hawley ’16 described the way Mark moved through life: “In Mark’s eyes, love and respect were not things another person had to earn; they were a given just because that person was a human being.”

Tags: Portland, rainbow