LA PRIDE GRAND MARSHAL MARIA MENOUNOS
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GAY PRIDE
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Maria Menounos
One of the most visible components of LA PRIDE is that of the Parade Grand Marshal, a bright light in an already colorful event. As in years past, this year’s Grand Marshal embodies the celebratory spirit, bringing fun and excitement to the Parade route. Christopher Street West is proud to announce Extra Host Maria Menounos as the Grand Marshal for her dedication to the LGBT community and her continuing efforts using her platform for equality. The LA PRIDE Parade takes place Sunday, June 9th at 11 a.m. on Santa Monica Blvd. in West Hollywood.
Maria Menounos is passionate about various issues affecting the LGBT community including anti-bullying, HIV/AIDS and marriage equality. Through her public outreach, Menounos has lent her voice bringing more attention to these issues and has encouraged countless others to do the same. In continuation of her LGBT support, Miss Menounos will be the focal point in this year’s LA PRIDE Parade encouraging attendees to celebrate diversity and stand up for equality.
“The LGBT Pride Parade represents something truly American. It’s the celebration of community, a celebration of uniqueness, diversity and progress, and it’s the celebration of a new United States where we do more than “tolerate” or “accept” our gay brothers and sisters, but embrace and celebrate them” says Menounos.
Maria joined Extra (now in it’s 19th year on-air) in 2011 and has had the opportunity to cover stories from celebrity news, red-carpet events, movie premieres, fashion and more. In her career as a journalist, Menounos has had the distinct honor of interviewing a pre-presidential Barack Obama in an interview that is touted as a defining moment leading to Obama’s victory.
In addition to working with EXTRA, Menounos is the New York Times Best Selling Author of The EveryGirl’s Guide To Life. She also is the CEO and Founder of the largest after-show network, AfterBuzz TV (www.afterbuzztv.com). She recently launched her new online talk show series “Conversations with Maria” (www.conversationswithmaria.com) and will soon be seen in the center of a new Oxygen Network docuseries, sharing the antics of her wild family life and crazy days at work.
The youngest person to host Entertainment Tonight at the age of 22, Menounos went on to set an industry first as the youngest to host the TODAY Show, and was also the youngest to report for NBC Nightly News while simultaneously co-starring on a television series, ‘One Tree Hill’. She has appeared in major motion pictures starring opposite the likes of Ben Stiller and Robert Downey, Jr. and has produced films featured at the Tribeca Film Festival, South By Southwest, Hollywood Film Festival and Palm Springs Film Festival.
Join Christopher Street at the 2013 LA PRIDE Festival and Parade in West Hollywood, California. The Festival will take place June 7-9th, 2013 at the West Hollywood Park. Tickets can be purchased at www.LAPRIDE.org.
The 2013 LA PRIDE Parade will take place on Santa Monica Blvd. on Sunday June 9th and is open to the public.
About Christopher Street West
For over 40 years, Christopher Street West (CSW) has produced LA PRIDE, a series of events celebrating the accomplishments of the LGBT community and shedding light on its continued struggle for equality. A year after the modern lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender liberation movement was launched by the mob-led rebellion at the Stonewall Inn on New York’s Christopher Street in June 1969, activists in Los Angeles’ community came together to honor the rebellion with the world’s first PRIDE Parade in Hollywood, CA. Today, the organization continues to promote equality and diversity amongst the LGBT community and its peers with a three-day event held in West Hollywood, CA. The non-profit organization is comprised of volunteers committed to the goals of human rights, education and outreach.
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