Did You Know?

2024 Mérida Pride Parade 

Each year, community members across the Yucatan peninsula gather in Mérida, Mexico for a weekend dedicated to all things Pride. Despite heavy rain or high heat, many thousands of people take to the streets to display their pride, whether participating in the parade, spectating, or taking part in the other activities happening around the city. 

The LGBTQIA+ community in Mexico, like all parts of the world, has a storied history.  Beyond the colorful floats and the joyful celebrations lies the legacy of the Mexican queer struggle for equal rights, a struggle that, while having progressed exponentially since its beginnings, continues to require advocacy for change. 

In the fifty plus years since the first openly gay movements began in Mexico City, members and activists of intersecting identities have joined the cause for equal rights and greater visibility within their valued communities. The 2024 Mérida Pride parade is an example of the progress that has been made.  

WorldStrides recognizes the importance of supporting our LGBTQIA+ team members and community. Our PRIDE Employee Resource Group and Mérida, Yucatan office representatives work together to coordinate our participation in the LGBTQIA+ community events and celebrations this June. The WorldStrides office in Mérida joined in the celebration by marching together down Paseo Montejo, past where our WorldStrides office is located, until reaching Parque de la Mejorada, a few blocks east of el Centro Historico de Mérida. Despite the downpour, many WorldStrides team members came to support, and they have shared some of their experiences.  

“Hello WorldStrides! 

Last Saturday I had the opportunity to join some co-workers at the Pride parade held in the city of Mérida. This is the second time that we have participated as a company in this event and this time I had the opportunity to be part of the organizing committee. So, we got to work and put together welcome kits with stickers, beautiful cinch bags, banners, electrolytes, first aid kits, sunscreen, and more. We planned all this because until a week ago we were recording temperatures in the city of up to 140 °F (unbelievable but true). However, the monsoon season started a few days ago and it hasn’t stopped raining since then. That didn’t stop us from marching proudly.

On Friday I started with a fever, but I made sure to get a shot that same day because I couldn’t miss the parade that I had been waiting for a year! It was pleasant to find there was not only coworkers who belong to the community, but also allies who were there to support us. The parade began at the Monument to Homeland, which is the most important monument on the main avenue of the city and ended after 2 miles and about an hour in one of the city parks where a concert was held with celebrities from the LGBTQIA2S+ community. During the parade, I could see grandparents accompanying their grandchildren and new families carrying their little ones. It is those details that make me keep faith and understand that it is for these new generations that we march for. If the movement had existed earlier in my city, perhaps I would have been able to be a happier teenager. It fills me with pride to belong to a company that is responsible for making us feel welcome and, above all, included and celebrated. Unfortunately, this does not happen with many companies in Mexico, but we had the opportunity to place banners with QR codes around the bus we got on so that more locals know about us and that there is a safe workspace in their city. I look forward to next year’s parade and hope that we can have greater presence and attendance as a company. Happy pride!”  – Oscar Liera, Sr. IPA – Mérida

“Hello WorldStrides!  

I wanted to share with you today an amazing experience I got to live recently: Mérida Pride 2024. It was a special event for me, and I wanted to share with you its significance, not only for me but for our community.  

This year I had the opportunity to go to Pride with some of my coworkers from WorldStrides. I was very excited to share this experience with people who I had spent many hours at work with and seeing how this experience made us even closer. Even though we come from many places and have different stories, we were all one community celebrating love and inclusion.  

Pride this year was particularly memorable for one reason, it rained… A LOT!  However, this didn’t stop our celebration. We were on top of a double decker bus decorated with the colors of the rainbow and you could feel the amazing energy even though it was raining. The rain turned into a perfect metaphor. No matter how many obstacles and adversities we face, our LGBTQ+ community will always find a way to shine and celebrate our identity.  

For me, this Pride was a reminder of the importance of visibility and union. Seeing all the people, all ages, and origins, marching together in a loving and accepting environment was very moving. It reminded me that even though we have come very far, there is still work to be done to guarantee that everyone can live free and love freely, without fearing being discriminated against.  

We can’t underestimate the impact of Pride in our community. These events are vital to reinforce the bonds within our LGBTQ+ community, and to educate and sensitize our society in general. Mérida, known for its rich history and culture, has shown again its open doors to all. Seeing families, friends and allies supporting and celebrating with us was encouraging.   

Besides, Pride is not just a party, it’s a declaration! Every step we take at the parade, every flag we wave, is an affirmation that we exist and deserve respect and rights. It’s a reminder that the fight for equality and justice continues and every voice counts.  

Celebrating Pride is crucial for many reasons. First, it’s a celebration of identity and diversity. It allows us to express who we really are without fear and with pride. Second, it’s a platform for visibility. It allows us to show society that we are still here, that we are an integral part of our community, and that our lives and rights are important. Last but not at all least, Pride is an opportunity to remember and honor all of those who have fought and are still fighting for LGBTQ+ rights.  

Just to wrap this up, I want to thank everyone who made Mérida Pride 2024 possible and to all my WorldStrides team members for sharing this experience with me. Despite the rain, the event was a resounding success, and an unforgettable celebration of love, acceptance, and community.  

See you next year, and HAPPY PRIDE TO ALL!” –  Alan Reyes, Telemarketing Mérida