With Pride festivals and parades peppering the calendar from coast to coast and around the world each year, some may forget—or indeed, may have never known—that it all started in Los Angeles.

In June 1970, a time when our community was the easy target of unfair laws and unbridled discrimination, one out, loud, and proud gay man dared to defy the status quo.  The Reverend Troy Perry challenged his congregation at L.A.’s Universal Fellowship of Metropolitan Community Church by stating, “We’re going to have a joyous celebration.  We want to march as homosexuals who are citizens, full citizens, of this country.”

This simple declaration sparked in local activist and Christopher Street West founder Morris Kight the vision of a parade.  So Kight and Perry, with the aid of Reverend Bob Humphries (founder of gay welfare organization United States Mission), amassed a shoestring budget and a few willing volunteers to stage the world’s first-ever Pride Parade.  At the historic event, church leaders and their flocks, community activists, and ordinary LGBT citizens (with their few but staunch straight supporters) took to the streets of Hollywood to rally for—and demand—the justice and full equality they desired and deserved.

Flash forward to 2010, and L.A. Pride—still presented by non-profit Christopher Street West—put on one of its best shows ever to celebrate not only its fortieth birthday but the 41st anniversary of the Stonewall Rebellion and the 25th anniversary of the City of West Hollywood.  Hundreds of thousands of LGBT men and women (and their non-queer loved ones) joined more than 1500 community-based volunteers and almost 500 distinct group participants (from performers and musicians to political groups and gay-friendly companies) for a 48-hour extravaganza that took place day and night on Saturday, June 12, and Sunday, June 13.

During daylight hours—with most WeHo restaurants and retail stores packed, and available parking spaces few and far between—much of the masses hoofed it to the main attraction: the Pride Festival grounds located in the park bordered by Santa Monica Boulevard to the north, Melrose Avenue to the south, San Vicente to the east, and Robertson to the west.  While revelers collected free offerings, purchased all manner of consumer goods, fed their faces, or had a drink at the many booths and concession stands within the perimeter, DJs from such popular local clubs as MJ’s, Mickeys, Rage, here lounge, Gold Coast, and Motherlode—not to mention super hot DJ Ray Rhodes, producer of 104.3 KBIG’s top-rated mix show “Disco Saturday Night,” which airs weekly throughout the Metro L.A. area—spun tracks in between live performances from such beloved divas as En Vogue and Martha Davis & the Motels.

On Saturday night, the main event was the Wonderland Party presented by Tom Whitman and KIIS 102.7 FM on the historic backlot of Paramount Studios.  More than 2,000 sweaty, shirtless guys (and a fair amount of girls) danced till the wee hours as DJs Manny Lehman and Wayne G kept the music pumping.  There were sexy, gravity-defying aerialists, a Ferris wheel, and a late-night performance by dance artist Kelis.  Attendees were also treated to an appearance by Whitman himself, always a sight to behold—that night, with his bright blue Mohawk.

No doubt many of these dancing boys and girls didn’t even make it to bed before showing up on Santa Monica Boulevard on Sunday morning for the Pride Parade, which kicked off at 11:00 a.m. at Crescent Heights and stretched all the way to Robertson with mother and daughter Sharon and Kelly Osbourne as Grand Marshals.  All the usual suspects walked the route—the overdressed drag queens and the underdressed go-go boys on their festive floats, the gay teachers and lesbian cops waving banners, the community organizations and their intrepid leaders fist-pumping, the politicos seated on the backs of convertibles, and the PFLAG contingent professing love and acceptance for their LGBT sons and daughters (and mothers and fathers).  No matter how often we’ve seen this rainbow-colored amalgamation of marching hearts and souls with so much in common and so much yet to fight for, we still get all choked up.

But by far the highlight of the weekend—at least for us—was cheering front row center when the sensational Kelly Rowland took the stage late Sunday night to bring us to our knees.  Introduced by beloved local celebs Billy Masters and drag queen Momma, Rowland walked into the spotlight wearing a commander’s cap; long, curly hair; a sexy strappy top; shimmery, sequined pantaloons; and a pair of pumps that would make Carrie Bradshaw weep with envy.  Donning a rainbow-colored wristband thrown onstage to her by one of her adoring fans, Rowland brought down the house with her hits “When Love Takes Over” and “Commander.”  But the loudest applause came when she simply thanked us—not for making her what she is (which we did)—but for being exactly who we are.

We couldn’t have said it better.  Happy Pride Month, everybody.  But don’t forget to carry that loving feeling for yourself—and for your brothers and sisters—throughout the year.

Los Angeles Pride, produced by Christopher Street West, the second weekend in June each year.  www.lapride.org