Duke Health and Durham Celebrate Pride with a Weekend of Community and Wellness

By Bernadette Gillis
Duke staff and students show their Pride spirit on a float during the community parade and march at Pride: Durham, NC.
Duke staff and students show their Pride spirit on a float during the community parade and march at Pride: Durham, NC. Photography by HuthPhoto.

The Durham community came together to celebrate “Pride: Durham, NC,” a three-day festival hosted by the LGBTQ Center of Durham. The event took place September 26-28 on Duke’s East Campus and downtown Durham, bringing together several groups from Duke, local residents, and others for a celebration of identity and community. 

Duke Health served as a presenting sponsor for this year’s festival, which had the theme “We Are the Rainbow.”  

The weekend kicked off Friday evening with a justice concert and rally, setting the tone for a celebration rooted in unity. On Saturday, attendees participated in a community parade and march, followed by the Health & Wellness Kickback, featuring a wide range of vendors and resources. A total of 12 Duke Health units took part in the kickback, offering support and services to promote well-being across the community. 

The festivities wrapped up on Sunday with a vendor and food truck market, where local businesses and food vendors showcased their offerings. 

Dane Whicker, PhD, director of gender and sexual diversity initiatives and one of the event organizers for Duke Health, emphasized the importance of Pride as a space for visibility, connection, and affirmation — especially in a year marked by significant challenges for the LGBTQ+ community. 

“Pride provides a space where erasure is met with visibility, loneliness is met with connection, shame is met with unconditional acceptance, and threat is met with safe spaces and allies,” he said.  

“This year, it was particularly heartening to see ‘the rainbow of humanity’ come together on Duke’s campus — members of the LGBTQ+ community, families, allies, students, faculty, staff, and curious new faces — joining together in a place of joy, safety, and acceptance.” 

  • Students from Duke University School of Medicine share resources at their booth during the Health & Wellness Kickback. The nursing school was among the 12 Duke Health units participating in the kickback on Saturday.
    Students from Duke University School of Medicine share resources at their booth during the Health & Wellness Kickback. The nursing school was among the 12 Duke Health units participating in the kickback on Saturday. Photography by HuthPhoto.
  • People on a Pride float.
    Durham and the Duke community came together for a festive weekend. Photography by HuthPhoto.
  • Shanna Gonder, (left) senior program coordinator, and Dane Whicker, PhD, director of gender and sexual diversity initiatives, represented the School of Medicine’s Office for Culture, Engagement, and Impact at the event.
    Shanna Gonder, (left) senior program coordinator, and Dane Whicker, PhD, director of gender and sexual diversity initiatives, represented the School of Medicine’s Office for Culture, Engagement, and Impact at the event. Photography by HuthPhoto.
  • Tonia Poteat, PhD, (left) professor in the School of Nursing, visits with second-year PA student, Lindsey Zipperer, at the Duke Physician Assistant Program booth.
    Tonia Poteat, PhD, (left) professor in the School of Nursing, visits with second-year PA student, Lindsey Zipperer, at the Duke Physician Assistant Program booth. Photography by HuthPhoto.

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