Upper Chesapeake Bay Pride (UCBPride) will host its 4th annual Pride Festival on Saturday, October 8, 2022, from 2 p.m. – 6 p.m. at Concord Point Park in Havre de Grace, MD. The free, family-friendly festival will feature live music, drag performances, and a magic show. Over 100 artists, vendors, and local non-profit organizations will be on-site for this year’s event.
This year, UCBPride is thrilled to announce two Presenting Sponsors for the Pride Festival. Harford Community College will again be a Presenting Sponsor for the event, marking four consecutive years for this level of support. Ashley Addition Treatment, another returning sponsor, will be the second Presenting Sponsor for this year’s festival.
The event will include a keynote from Paula M. Neira JD, MSN, RN, CEN, FAAN. Paula was a member of the U.S. Naval Academy Class of 1985 and graduated with distinction. She served as a Surface Warfare Officer during Operation Desert Storm. Her military decorations include three Navy Commendation Medals, the Navy Achievement Medal, and the Combat Action Ribbon, as well as numerous unit, campaign, and service awards.
An attorney and member of the Maryland bar since 2001, Paula was a leader in the repeal of the Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell policy and in the change of military regulations to allow for transgender military service. In 2015, she made naval history by becoming the first transgender Navy veteran to have her discharge documentation updated to reflect her correct name.
Paula is certified in emergency nursing and focused her career on adult emergency care and trauma resuscitation. She lectures nationally on the need for improved transgender cultural awareness and health equity and currently serves as the Johns Hopkins Medicine Program Director of LGBTQ+ Equity and Education in the Office of Diversity, Inclusion and Health Equity.
About Upper Chesapeake Bay Pride
Founded in 2019, Upper Chesapeake Bay Pride provides unwavering advocacy and support for LGBTQIA+ people, communities, and their families in Cecil and Harford Counties. For more information about the festival or our organization, please visit www.UCBPride.com.
