This Saturday in Park Slope the streets will be filled with energy, vibrant colors and lots of self-expression for a Youth Pride celebration.
It's been almost 10 years since Laura Shkouratoff and C have been in a relationship. They moved here from California a few years ago and say they found a new family in Youth Pride.
"It's really just being yourself," said Shkouratoff, a performer for Youth Pride. "There's no normal queer or certain stereotypes. There's so many different types of queer people so just show up as yourself."
Their band Outer Shapes will be performing for the second time this year at the celebration.
"It feels like we're really giving back to the next generation of queer youth and giving them something they can relate to," said Santos, another Youth Pride performer.
Youth Pride was created for the LGBTQIA+ community and their allies to have a safe space to show their love.
"This gives them exclusivity for meeting like-minded teens or allies just in case they may or may not have friends at their main school this gives them the opportunity to meet other kids," said Cam Moore, director of communications for Youth Pride. "As a kid just trying to figure out what your identity is and how you want to navigate this path, we're just here to say we're here to help," said Moore.
Organizers say it’s meant to celebrate all Brooklyn residents ages 13 to 21, giving them the freedom to be who they are.