Rhode Island Pride proudly names The Womxn Project as Grand Marshal for Rhode Island Pride 2025.
The Womxn Project and its Education Foundation is a Providence-based nonprofit at the intersection of reproductive justice, LGBTQIA+ advocacy, and creative civic engagement. Through artivism—including impactful public installations, quilt projects, billboard campaigns, and yard signs—they bring issues like bodily autonomy, gender-affirming care, and hate prevention into the public spotlight. They’ve championed major Rhode Island policies such as the Reproductive Privacy Act and efforts to expand abortion coverage, while training community advocates through their “Empowered to Advocate” series. Their focus on intersectional feminism ensures that underrepresented voices—especially BIPOC womxn, trans, and nonbinary individuals—remain central to Rhode Island’s reproductive and LGBTQIA+ movements.
Recently honored with a $200,000 grant to secure a permanent home, their unique blend of advocacy, art, and education makes them a powerful voice for equity, inclusion, and grassroots empowerment. We are Unapologetically Proud to shine the spotlight on this extraordinary organization.
Rhode Island Pride proudly names Andry José Hernández Romero as an Honorary Grand Marshal, in solidarity with LGBTQIA+ immigrants facing injustice and inhumanity within the U.S. immigration system.
A gay man from Venezuela, Andry sought asylum in the United States to escape violence and anti-LGBTQIA+ persecution. Instead of finding refuge, he was detained in San Diego and wrongfully deported—alongside 238 Venezuelans—to El Salvador. U.S. authorities falsely accused him of gang affiliation based solely on a tattoo of three crowns on his arm, a claim made without due process or credible evidence. Recently, a judge dismissed his case in an attempt to erase the facts about him and his case.
Though Andry was never a Rhode Island resident, we join Pride celebrations across the country in amplifying his story as a call to action. His case has even reached the halls of Congress, where Rhode Island Congressman Seth Magaziner recently condemned this injustice. Naming Andry as an Honorary Grand Marshal is not only a gesture of recognition—it is a declaration that Pride must also be protest. We are Unapologetically Proud to stand with Andry and all LGBTQIA+ immigrants whose dignity and humanity deserve protection, not persecution.
One of the hardest things we do as a community and as a family is say goodbye. This year, a few key friends and supporters of Rhode Island Pride passed away, and we honor their memories as Honorary Grand Marshals.
Rhode Island Pride honors the memory of Myra Shays, as an Honorary Grand Marshal—a true ally, advocate, and changemaker whose legacy continues to uplift our community. Myra was never content to sit on the sidelines. In 1998, she founded the Providence chapter of PFLAG, creating a space of affirmation, education, and love for families of LGBTQ+ individuals across the region. For over 15 years, she led with compassion, conviction, and courage—mentoring others, editing content for OPTIONS, riding in Pride parades, and always showing up for what mattered.
Whether through her work with PFLAG, her leadership in Jewish community organizations, or her thoughtful presence in spaces of learning and care, Myra lived her values out loud. Her example reminds us that being Unapologetically Proud is not only about identity—but about an unwavering commitment to justice, family, and community. We remember Myra with gratitude, and we celebrate her legacy that continues to make a difference. May her memory be a blessing.
One of the staples of our Pride is the presence of our 76’ers—the original marchers of the first Pride in Rhode Island in 1976. Alongside them at the festival and parade for many years was a man full of joy and pride, though he was not one of them. His role was the husband of one of the 76’ers, Billy Mencer Ackerly, and the love of his life: Gail Lee Alexander—“Alex.” In January, Alex passed away, and this Pride will be missing one of its brightest lights. We thank you, Alex, for being there as a helper and friend to all of us, and for being full of joy and pride, always. You will be deeply missed.
Rhode Island Pride is proud to recognize and remember Dorothy “Dori” Shields as an Honorary Grand Marshal, paying tribute to a behind-the-scenes trailblazer whose impact on Pride events nationwide—including our own—cannot be overstated. Dori passed away on May 31, 2025, leaving behind a legacy of service, joy, and unwavering commitment to the LGBTQIA+ community.
As co-founder of Casswood Insurance, Dori played a critical role in making LGBTQIA+ celebrations possible, offering trusted coverage and guidance that ensured events like ours could thrive safely and sustainably. For years, Rhode Island Pride counted on Dori not only as a partner, but as a friend—someone whose steady support and infectious spirit left a mark on every project she touched.
A sharp mind with a kind heart, Dori was a consummate professional, a fierce advocate, and a joyful presence who believed in community and showed up for it every time. In honoring her, we remember the many hands—often unseen—that make Pride possible, and we celebrate Dori’s enduring legacy with gratitude, admiration, and love.