There won't be an SF Pride parade this year, but instead SF Pride is hosting a series of socially distanced in-person events for the 51st annual iteration of the event. Despite the lack of a parade, there will still be Grand Marshals, and SF Pride recently announced 2021 Community Grand Marshals for this year’s proceedings. The Western Addition’s African American Art & Culture Complex co-executive directors Melonie and Melorra Green have been elected in an online vote as Community Grand Marshals.

SF Pride added that Oakland LGBTQ Community Center has been named organizational honoree as Community Grand Marshal, while the Green sisters are the individual honorees.

"They continue to elevate their promise to inspire and empower Black people to tell our stories and uphold our truths," SF Pride said in a statement to the Bay Area Reporter. "Their pride in being Black + queer + women was nurtured in the Bay Area and they are proud to BE, represent, and acknowledge what they fought so hard to not be ashamed of."

As Hoodline noted in our 2015 profile of Melorra and Melonie Green, the twin sisters from Memphis also co-executive-produced the San Francisco Black Film Festival, coordinated a shutdown of the Castro on MLK weekend that year, and host a weekly radio show on KPOO every Tuesday. 

But they’re best known as the executive directors of the African American Art & Culture Complex, which is currently hosting virtual exhibits Black Art form the Edge of the Universe and The Black Woman is God. 

This year’s SF Pride will otherwise feature Frameline Pride Movie Nights at Oracle Park June 10 and 11, a Pride Expo whose dates have not yet been announced, and a Black Liberation Event on the eve of Juneteenth (June 18) held at, of course, the African American Art & Culture Complex.

SF Pride is expected to name the remaining Grand Marshals next week.