HELLO HOMO: Pride and Protest Part Two with Kim Salvaggio

Hello Homos! (and everyone under the rainbow umbrella, of course), 

This is part two of a two-part series, Protest at Pride. In part one, I interviewed Z (they/them theirs) from Bread and Roses to answer Jill’s question: 

Hello Homo,

What information do you have about the protest that took place at Pride on Saturday? I only caught the latter part of it. I was intrigued by some of the points made by the speaker and am curious about the conflict with the Center on Colfax. I would like to know more. 

–       Jill, Denver 

 Z led the protest that took place on the stage on Saturday and shared the goals, mission, and requests of the protest. They provided insights related to concerns of the current state of Denver Pride and LGBTQ+ social justice. Check out the full interview here. 

Here in part two, the dialogue continues with a response from the new CEO of the Center on Colfax, Kim Salvaggio. The Center on Colfax was founded in 1976 as part of Denver’s Queer liberation and justice efforts. Today, the Center hosts a wide variety of programming every week, including social events, support groups, art and movement classes, and educational opportunities. The Center also produces the Denver Pride festival, which was the focus of the protest led by Z and Bread and Roses. Please check out part one for more context. 

So, Kim, how would you like to begin responding to Jill’s question and the previous interview with Z?

I was really struck by some of the points raised by the speakers. As the new CEO, it’s incredibly important to me to understand the diverse perspectives within our community. I’ve stood on stage with the protesters, met with them, gathered insight from staff, and learned a great deal in a short amount of time. I’m a quick learner—and I still have a lot to learn.

Equity work is not a destination—It is a practice.

In response to my interview with Z and the protest at Pride, could you speak to some of their demands?

Apartheid-Free Zone

At The Center on Colfax, our mission is rooted in creating a world where LGBTQ+ people—across identities, backgrounds, and borders—are free to live, love, and thrive in dignity and safety. We believe that liberation is intersectional, and that justice for one community cannot come at the expense of another.

As part of our commitment to equity and human rights, we will:

• Review corporate or institutional partners who directly support or profit from apartheid practices and violations of international human rights law.
• Affirm that LGBTQ+ liberation is global, and that we must listen to, uplift, and make space for voices from marginalized communities who live at the intersections of multiple oppressions.
• Commit to ongoing education and dialogue around systems of oppression, including those outside our borders, and how they show up in our work, funding, and community relationships.

Equity work is not a destination—It is a practice. It reflects our values, our responsibilities, and our belief that no one is free until we are all free.

This is a process rooted in transparency, accountability, and collective responsibility. As of writing this, our goal is to report back to the community in 30 days’ time of our progress.

How about the concerns for trans safety, especially in the current political climate?

Trans Protection

The Center’s Transgender Program serves Transgender, Gender-Expansive, and Non-Conforming individuals ages 18 and up. In 2024, the program hosted a range of events including Transgender Day of Visibility, Transgender Day of Remembrance, a clothing swap, voice and makeup workshops, legal Q&A, and a Queer Author Expo.

It expanded to offer 14 total support groups, with new additions such as a Trans Women Alumna group, a group for significant others, an aromantic group, a Trans-inclusive family group, and a divorce support group.

Outreach efforts included presenting at CU Boulder’s Transforming Gender Conference, providing training for Denver Police Department recruits, and visiting Transgender detainees at the Aurora ICE facility roughly 20 times.

In 2024, the program served 632 unduplicated and 8,027 duplicated participants—its highest engagement to date. With increased migration of Transgender and Gender-diverse individuals and families to Colorado, the program continues to adapt to growing needs.

In early 2025, the program has already hosted approximately 150 support groups, held another clothing swap and Trans Day of Visibility event, and launched trauma-informed and neurodiversity training for facilitators.

A lot of the global, more specifically national attacks on transgender rights hit close to home here in Denver with the recent loss of Jax Gratton. 

While I did not know Jax personally, my heart is with our community and especially Jax’s friends and family.  At the request of the community, we held a vigil for Jax at our building on May 3.    As a mother and human being, I was devastated to learn about the loss of Jax and hope they are resting in peace and power.

PrideFest and Police

PrideFest draws over 550,000 attendees over two days. To secure a permit for an event of this scale, the City of Denver requires a Denver Police Department presence on-site. While we are not able to eliminate law enforcement under current city regulations, I want to be clear: That’s not the whole story.

There is a long and painful history between police institutions and Queer communities—especially for Black, Brown, and Trans people. We do not ignore that. We work intentionally with LGBTQ+ officers within DPD to help mitigate harm and foster understanding. But we also know that, for many in our community, the presence of police does not equate to safety—and often signals the opposite.

Because of this, The Center also contracts non-police security—organizations that are specifically trained in inclusive, culturally competent practices for our queer community. This dual approach has been part of our practice for several years.

Still, I know that isn’t enough. If we, as a community, want to envision a Pride without police, it’s going to require collective, sustained action. This cannot fall on The Center alone. As CEO, I’m committed to continuing that conversation—and to working alongside our community to define what safety truly means for all of us.

This is a great example of healthy community tension, knowing our history, our current context, along with our ideals moving forward, and coming together to discuss. 

This also raises the very real and necessary question of repair. And repair cannot happen without truth.I cannot speak for previous leadership or how decisions involving police were made in the past. What I’m learning about those choices—and the fear, trauma, and danger they caused—is deeply upsetting.

The history of policing queer people is steeped in violence and marginalization. It is harmful when people in positions of power don’t fully understand how police intervention impacts the lives of our community members.

As the new CEO, what is your vision for Pride moving forward?

As I grow into this role, I ask for your trust—to listen, to learn, and to do better. I will do the work of repair wherever I can.

My role as CEO includes knowing when—and only as a last resort—police involvement might be necessary. A key question I ask myself, and ask you to consider too, is this: “Are we in danger, or are we uncomfortable?” It’s our collective responsibility to sit with discomfort—but never to sit in danger. And we must have the courage and wisdom to know the difference.

Beyond the specific asks raised by protestors, much of what was said resonated deeply with me.

Pride may not be for everyone. And that’s OK. But for over half a million people, Denver PrideFest—as it exists now—does mean something. The energy. The chants. The clapping fans. The joy, the rage, the “Love Is Love” shirts are all real. They are Pride. If Denver PrideFest feels like your Pride, I hope you’ll keep showing up. If it doesn’t, I hope you’ll find—or create—the space that does.

To me, that’s the point. Every day, our very existence is a protest. For me, that protest looks like kissing my wife in public. It looks like holding space for disagreement. It looks like dancing my heart out at a drag show. We get to choose. Protest or celebration. Rage or joy. Or all of it at once. That freedom—to live, to dissent, to celebrate, to love—is the point. And we will continue to offer a Pride celebration that includes:

• Entertainment across multiple stages
• A dedicated Gayborhood with over 90 Queer-owned businesses (with sliding scale fees for vendors)
• Areas for resources, health, and community connection
• A parade, a Fun Run, and so much more.

As CEO, I hear a wide range of feedback. Some applaud the protests. Others strongly disagree. And again, that’s OK.  Taking in feedback, listening, and evolving is the job.

We know, as queer people, that we are not a monolith. No single voice speaks for us all—and that is the beauty of our community. Pride will continue to change, respect its history, grow, and evolve.

Protest or not—it’s your Pride, your choice.

With pride and in solidarity,

I want to thank Kim and Z for both taking the time, care and attention to participate in this conversation. As I mentioned in Part 1, the goal here is to map out dialogue and community conversations that need to be had around topics that tend to polarize people into binaries: us versus them, good versus bad, insider versus outsider. With cancel culture running rampant and so much division within LGBTQ+ conversations, I am very honored that both Z and Kim agreed to participate in this conversation to demonstrate a healing dialogue.

I invite OFM readers to sit with both of these interviews and simply notice what you feel before coming to any conclusions. Notice if you polarize with one side or the other, notice where your biases and ask yourself where do you think that comes from. As a complex and diverse LGBTQ+ community, to be able to hold and understand differing perspectives and commit to collaboration as a means forward is a powerful stance in the face of our current challenges. This is not the end of the conversation, but rather an opportunity for further dialogue. 

Follow the Center on Colfax on Instagram @centeroncolfax

Follow me on Instagram @holistic.homosexual for updates on my column, and stay tuned for the next HELLO HOMO! See you next week!

Have a question you would like answered? Submit your questions directly to me at hellohomo@ofm.media

Disclaimer: Hello Homo is for informational and educational purposes and is not a substitute for mental health treatment. Hello, Homo (Jesse Proia) is not providing mental health advice, diagnosis, or treatment to readers. If you or someone you know is experiencing a mental health crisis or emergency, please contact 911, 988 or go to the nearest emergency room.

Images/photos courtesy of Kim Salvaggio