The 2017 St. Joe Pride Fest will kick-off two days of activities starting Friday in downtown.

It’s the second year the Midland Empire Equality Coalition has hosted the event, which coalition president Daniel Ramming said actually started five years ago in St. Joseph. Ramming said the purpose is to bring awareness of the LGBT community.

“It’s family-friendly. We have some events for the kids,” Ramming said. “We’re just your neighbors and co-workers and family and friends.”

Felix Street Square will be the site of live music, a drag show, vendors, and various entertainment acts. Friday, the event will start at 6 p.m. with several drag performers, followed by a theater performance and live music as well as vendors, food and drink.  Then Saturday, a parade will start at noon at 3rd and Felix and follow a route downtown to end at Coleman Hawkins Park.

Ramming said the MEEC received official non-profit status last year and is serving people in northeast Kansas and Northwest Missouri. According to its website, MEEC is dedicated to the education, outreach and edification of all members of the LGBQT community and their allies.

“I’ve had lots of people ask, ‘Why does it have to be so public? Why don’t you just keep quiet about it?’ That’s like asking Rosa Parks to sit in the back of the bus. If people don’t know you exist you don’t get rights,” Ramming said.

He said, recently, a lot of the political climate seems to be sort of a backlash against some of the progress the LGBT community has made.

“We’re trying to make sure the community knows we’re not going to back down and we’re still going to be there to support them,” Ramming said. “There are people who seem to be having a rougher time at work. A lot of people don’t understand that even though we have marriage equality…People in Missouri except for some of the bigger cities don’t have a non-discrimination ordinance so they can be fired just because their boss thinks they’re gay or lesbian or bi-sexual or transgender.”

He said anyone in the region who needs assistance or wants to get involved with MEEC should come out to the Pride event or check out the coalition’s Facebook Page.