The parade celebrated love, diversity, equity
Posted: October 21, 2025
More than 70 teachers from all over the islands joined more than 75 students from five Oʻahu public schools Saturday as part of the Hawaiʻi State Teachers Association’s unit in the annual Honolulu Pride Parade to celebrate diversity.
Thousands of people participated in the parade, which featured more than 130 groups, with floats, bands, trolleys, and marchers from businesses, nonprofit organizations, social groups, government agencies and more.
HSTA’s Human and Civil Rights Committee organized the group of educators to march in Saturday’s pride parade, which is now in its fourth decade after Honolulu’s first Pride Parade in 1974.
Teachers stand united to show students ‘are included and matter’
Teachers from around Hawaiʻi joined HSTA’s group Saturday, representing educators from Oʻahu, Maui, Hawaiʻi Island, and Kauaʻi.
Andrew Lavine, a special education teacher at Wheeler Middle, attended Saturday’s parade and said, “I’m here because I care about everyone, and I care about our youth, and I think they should care too.”
Seventh grade special education English teacher at Niu Valley Middle Lindsey Borg joined HSTA with her school’s GSA (gender sexuality alliance) club.
“It’s important for all of my students to have a safe space and know that they are included and matter,” Borg said.
Colten Moore, a 6th grade math teacher at Chiefess Kamakahelei Middle on Kauaʻi and member of HSTA’s Human and Civil Rights Committee said, “I’m here because if you don’t stand for everyone, you stand for no one.”
Jingwoan Chang, a resource teacher for world languages at the Office of Curriculum and Instructional Design, said, “I’m here because I want to support all students and all teachers.”
Kalanianaʻole Elementary and Intermediate Title I curriculum and Title I coordinator Adam Tuifagu, traveled from Hawaiʻi Island to march in the parade and said, “I came today to stand up for the rights of our people and for the generations to come.”
Alex Tam, a 7th grade math teacher at ʻEwa Makai Middle, stressed the importance of showing up to the parade, especially in today’s times.
“The reason I’m here at Pride is because queer students and teachers matter, especially in times like these, where they’re trying to erase people who have always existed. I’m here to stand out and say no, we are here and we are real,” Tam said.
‘Our future is inclusive and includes everybody’
Students from five Oʻahu schools’ GSAs (gender sexuality alliance) clubs marched with HSTA in the parade:
- ʻIlima Intermediate
- James Campbell High
- ʻEwa Makai Middle
- Nānākuli High and Intermediate
- Waipahu High
- Niu Valley Middle
EWAlution 96706 from a Coalition for a Drug Free Hawaiʻi has helped transport GSA students to Honolulu Pride for five years. They make sure the students receive snacks, swag, and a bento dinner to help build a sense of community and belonging for the kids.
ʻIlima Intermediate STEM teacher Sarah “Mili” Milianta-Laffin helped organize a large group of students from her school’s GSA club, the Rainbow Royales, to attend Saturday’s parade.
“[HSTA] put this event together to make sure teachers can come out and really show their students how much we care. We want our kids to know the future is inclusive and it needs everybody, and we build that space in our classrooms across the state every day,” Milianta-Laffin said.
“These are the reasons that we come to work — to make sure that we’re building the world that these kids deserve to have […] We had a kid get off the bus and say, ‘Miss, there’s so many of us!’ and they need to understand where their community is, and we teachers can help build it,” she added.
