2024 Grand Marshals
Here are your new St Pete Pride Grand Marshals!
Dena Cass
Community Pick
I have been in the community and have Entertained for almost 40 years. I have held numerous national titles and have known nationwide. I have done countless benefits to raise thousands of dollars for HIV and AIDS and the trans community. I've lived in many states with Florida being my home now. I have continued to raise awareness for our community and stood with our community my whole life. What an honor it is to be nominated and I thank you very much. I am currently Miss heart of the nations at large which is held here in the beautiful state of Florida every year.
Jane Haskell
Community Pick
Jane is an experienced LGBTQ+ advocate, community organizer, & speaker experienced in higher education, the nonprofit sector & at the grassroots level. She is the LGBTQ+ Community Support Counselor at EPIC in St. Pete where she curates community spaces for the LGBTQ+ Elder Community, & has provided cultural competency training to over 30 local & national orgs on advancing equity in the aging space. Jane started doing advocacy in higher education for 6 years, prioritizing the needs of LGBTQ+ & BIPOC students. Jane has led teams at multiple Boston area colleges in the creation of LGBTQ+ inclusive policies; LGBTQ+ Cultural Competency Training for students, faculty, & staff; the creation of all gender restrooms; & the extension of gender inclusive housing policies. After beginning her gender transition, Jane left higher education to join the Transgender Emergency Fund of MA (TEF). Jane worked on the leadership team with the Executive Director to open the TEF Transitional Housing Program housing 8 homeless transgender individuals, a program that has housed over 30 people since its inception. Jane is currently a proud resident of St. Pete with her fiance Maddox & their dog Pepper.
Michele Rayner
Board Pick
Civil rights & social justice attorney, Michele made history in 2020 when she was elected as the first openly queer Black member of the FL legislature. She was raised by a family of changemakers in Pinellas County. Her parents both integrated in USF in the early 1960s, with her mother going on to become one of the first Black social workers in St. Pete & her father successfully putting himself through engineering school. Her parents established themselves as community leaders & set an example for Michele with their dedication to service. After law school, Michele joined the Hillsborough County Public Defender’s office. While serving as a public defender, she learned the importance of truly listening to & steadfastly advocating for clients who have limited agency. Growing up, Michele’s father always told her: “Help others, do the right thing & most of all, always keep your head up high.” To this day, Michele keeps her head up & will continue to do so as a leader for her constituents, ensuring an equitable recovery from COVID, protecting voting rights, & demanding real justice for underserved communities. Michele currently lives in St. Pete with her dog, Bella Alex and cat, JP Keona.
2024 Pride Partners
The contributions of our local partners enable us to achieve our mission of supporting the LGBTQIA+ community year round. Would you like to contribute to our cause?
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