SAN JOSE, Calif. – The San Jose Earthquakes will celebrate Pride Day on Sunday, May 22 vs. Sporting Kansas City (4:30 p.m.), presented by Adobe. May 22 is Harvey Milk Day which recognizes gay rights activist Harvey Milk, the first openly gay person elected to California public office.
The match will celebrate the thriving LGBTQ+ community in the Bay Area. Of all major metros in the United States, San Francisco has the biggest proportion of LGBTQ+ residents at 6.2%.
Pregame festivities will include a meet-and-greet with Deja Skye, a contestant in RuPaul’s Drag Race Season 14, who will also serve as a co-host for the video board and kick the ceremonial first goal. A mural by Houyee Chow, a San Jose artist, educator, and LGBTQ+ activist, will be on display outside of the main gate of PayPal Park. Additionally, the national anthem will be performed by the Silicon Valley Gay Men’s Chorus.
Epicenter activities for fans include a Pride Resource Fair and pride flag painting. The team will also hold a pride flag presentation on the field before kickoff.
Special event tickets to Pride Day can be purchased here, which includes a free poster designed by Houyee Chow. There will also be Pride-themed merchandise in the team store, including new 2022 adidas Pride pre-match tops, socks, scarves, and headwear.
Ahead of Sunday’s match, the Earthquakes and Adobe will unveil a street mural by Houyee Chow at Decca Design in Downtown San Jose on Thursday, May 19 at 6 p.m. Ms. Chow will speak about the inspiration for the mural during a reception at Petiscos Adega. Fans interested in attending the reception can RSVP here.
