What We Do

Finding ways to celebrate and show support for LGBTQAI+ youth in Whatcom County.

History

Formed in late 2018/early 2019, volunteers including school staff, educators, parents, and community members came together with a shared goal of finding ways to celebrate and show support to LGBTQIA+ youth in Whatcom County.

In June 2019, the WYPC hosted one of the nation's only all-youth Pride Parade and Festivals.  LGBTQIA+ youth, allies, and their families marched along a short parade route while the community lined the in support.  The day culminated in a large festival with LGBTQIA+ youth-focused or allied organizations tabling, food trucks, and a youth-led drag and talent show.

In 2020 and 2021, the event took a pause as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic.

We were back in-person and better than ever in 2022.

We continued the positive momentum in 2023 and 2024…and look forward to 2025! There will be a Whatcom County LGBTQIA+ youth Pride parade, festival, performances, food trucks, makers space, queer youth art market, and more!

Meet the Whatcom Youth Pride Board of Directors

  • A person with short brown hair in a grey t-shirt that says Polaroid. They are standing at a city overlook looking into the camera and smiling

    Bethany Barrett

    she/her

  • A person with shortish brown hair and wire-rimmed glasses, smiling. They are wearing a black graduation gown and white silk stole that reads 'Western Washington University"

    Jules Bayer

    they/them

  • A smiling person with short brown hair, sunglasses on the top of their head, wearing a blue and white checkered shirt and dark blue jeans. They are kneeling next to a black and white dog.

    EJ Colen

    she/her

  • A person with blue hair, smiling, wearing white clown make-up with blue blush, red lipstick, pink eye shadow, and blue eyebrows. They are wearing a clown costume that is blue with red and yellow and white stripes.

    Kade Grossarth

    he/they

  • A person with shorter brown hair and brown eyes. They are gently smiling as they look into the camera.

    Eve Smason-Marcus

    they/them

  • A person with short brown hair and brown eyes wearing a red t-shirt with a white baseball on it, under a black, unzipped hoodie. They are also wearing a white sweatband with a blue stripe on their head that has a pronoun button that reads they-them

    Steph Thurman-Moore

    they/them

  • A person with brown hair wearing white glasses looking off into the distance. They have a blue puffy vest on over a black and white striped shirt and have a multi-colored camera strap over their shoulder

    Holly Tobasa

    she/her

  • You?

    Are you interested in joining the Whatcom Youth Pride Coalition Board of Directors? Send us your info. to learn more!

Advisors

  • Rae Baitx (they/them)

  • Amy Brewster (she/her)

  • Emily Carey (they/them)

  • Michelle Goldman (she/they)

  • Mike Kopf (he/they)

  • Devin Blue Lightle (he/him)