OutInform: Houston Pride Guide 2015 Issue | Page 26

Anna Eastman

Q&A

Ally GM

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I am incredibly excited to be among the first group of Grand
Marshals as the Pride Celebration moves downtown. I love
our city. While I love Montrose and spend a good deal of
time there, I think moving the celebration and parade into
the city’s business district says so much about Houston.
I’ve been in Houston for seventeen years. I did not want to
move here and am continually surprised by this city Brad
and I have chosen to make our home and to raise our kids.

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What does it mean to you being named Grand Marshal of the
Houston LGBT Pride Celebration?
After having been nominated twice previously among an
amazing set of community leaders, I was ecstatic to have
been named Ally Grand Marshal this year. My advocacy
comes naturally to me. One of my favorite verses comes from
the Quaker song, Simple Gifts, ’Tis the gift to be simple, ’tis
the gift to be free, ’tis the gift to come down where we ought
to be, And when we find ourselves in a the place just right,
’Twill be in the valley of love and delight.” I simply believe
every person should have the space, the right to find that
place. Being named Grand Marshal gives me hope that my
work is having that effect.
What do you think makes Houston’s LGBT Community so
unique?
I think the diversity of the community is what makes it so
unique. When I moved to Houston seventeen years ago, my
kids started preschool with children of same sex couples.
Even in the midst of the fight for HERO, there is a vibrant
trans community, our high schools have GSA’s, we have
progressive non-discrimination policies in our school
systems, we have successful LGBT leaders throughout our
city and we have resources for those who are struggling in
their journeys. I remember a friend from New York being
surprised by the number of religiously affiliated floats in the
LGBT Pride Parade. To me this is just another example of
how our every day Houston is much more open than some
would like to believe.

26 OUTINFORM

pridehouston.org

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What sparked your fire to begin the work that you have done
for HЕ