Twin Cities Pride 2024 Preview: Taking PRIDE in Volunteering

Hosting an entire Pride event is definitely not an easy undertaking. It requires resources, planning, and of course, the hard work and dedication of tons of amazing volunteers. Too often, volunteers don’t get the praise and recognition they deserve, so this year, we’re showing allllll the love to the volunteers that make Pride festivals, events, and so much more into a reality! 

Twin Cities Pride has a wonderful team of volunteers, both year-round volunteers who have worked with TC Pride for years, and newer, event volunteers who help run and organize incredible events like the Twin Cities Pride Festival! Volunteer Coordinator Anne Kraus (she/her), says, “At Twin Cities Pride, we cannot function without our volunteers. Volunteers are the whole reason we are able to do the work that we do. We have year-round volunteers and volunteers who come here and there for various events. Both groups of volunteers are essential to the organization.” She elaborates, saying that volunteers help with a plethora of tasks, “Tabling events, running events, helping out at the office, organizing the entire festival, making sure the festival runs!” Basically, everything that happens at the festival… you can thank the volunteers for! Ann? Kraus sums it up perfectly when she says, “Our volunteers do everything!”

Volunteers are also deeply fulfilled by working with Twin Cities Pride; the feeling of gratitude is mutual. Kraus says, “Providing volunteers opportunities to support the organization also provides them with an opportunity to not only support the LGBTQ+ community but also find a place within the community. Volunteering with us provides a sense of community for folks volunteering as well as those attending the events. It is truly a full circle experience.” By creating a community that encourages us to lean on each other for support, we create even stronger bonds. Volunteers find community, friendship, passion and a place in the community, and organizations and attendees benefit greatly from all of the hard work of the volunteers. With this truly symbiotic relationship in effect, everyone feels supported and loved. And that is the foundation for a strong, long-lasting community. 

Twin Cities Pride’s volunteers work so hard to bring all of their events together, especially the festival, which is one of the biggest undertakings of the year. The community aspect of volunteering makes all the hard work worth it, and creates an atmosphere of love all around. Darcie Baumann, who has volunteered with TC Pride since 2008 and has held positions such as VIP Manager, Sponsorship/Social Media Manager, Board Chair, as well as her current role as the Entertainment Director, says “The feeling I had after my very first pride is what inspired me to volunteer. When my first pride weekend came to an end, I didn’t want to leave—I didn’t want that feeling of community to end. Growing up in a rural community I didn’t know this feeling of acceptance was possible, and I started volunteering because I wanted to be a part of making that feeling happen for others.”

Another TC Pride volunteer, Michael Kroeger, who has volunteered with Twin Cities Pride since 2012 and has held positions such as Board Secretary, Operations and IT Manager adds, “It takes a lot of time and effort to put together our largest event, but seeing the large crowds of people finding joy and happiness coming together and providing spaces to be their true authentic selves and find others that are like them is what keeps me doing it. I encounter people who it is their first time and they are in awe of the vibrant and diverse community we have and that they also fit into it. It’s the best feeling to be able to create these spaces and activities.” And the community appreciates all this devotion to Pride events as well. Baumann says “Every year we get the most amazing emails from folks thanking us for creating the space and what it means to them. Being a part of the team that creates these impactful moments for folks is the best feeling.”

So if you’re looking for your cosmic sign to volunteer with Twin Cities Pride, let it be Darcie Baumann, who says, “DO IT! Twin Cities Pride is a unique volunteering experience. Folks really have the opportunity to thrive here. If you volunteer for one thing but see something else you’re interested in you’ll be encouraged to try it.” And if that isn’t enough to persuade you, Baumann adds, “I’ve met some of my best friends and chosen family through this experience.” Pride is a celebration of who we are as a community, and what better way to celebrate all the love in the LGBTQ+ community than to support and applaud each other? So thank you, to all of the incredible Twin Cities volunteers—none of this would be possible without you! 

Learn more about volunteering with Twin Cities Pride at https://tcpride.org/volunteer/.