Pride Houston 365’s New President Champions Visibility, Unity, and Year-Round Impact

Kerry-Ann Morrison, 47, is the new president of Pride Houston 365.  Born in poverty in Jamaica, she has lived in Canada for thirteen years, New York for ten years, Los Angeles for ten years, and settled into Houston two years ago. An immigrant herself, she is deeply concerned about the problems immigrants face in America today.

Morrison accepted the responsibilities of her new role because she believes in the power of representation. “I’m a person who has stood on the front lines all my life and said that I matter,” she says. Identifying as a lesbian, she wants to help show that all LGBTQ people matter. “I believe in the diplomatic route, and members of Pride Houston 365 call me the ‘diplomatic president’.”

Morrison’s goal for the organization is to give Houston’s LGBTQ community a time for celebration. “I want the celebration to be seamless,” she says, “a time when people can come out and show their pride unapologetically and stand in power. I want a Pride that is not just seen, but is also felt.” Working to achieve this means that Morrison often stays up until 4:00 a.m. 

“We represent the entire colors of the rainbow—race, gender, sexuality, creed, and especially the marginalized transgender members of the community,” Morrison says. “We want to have a sustainable impact—not just a once-a-year temporary spectacle, but all 365 days of the year. We especially want to show up for our youth and help them find a safe space, and we want to be there for people coming out of the prison system. I want to align our events with intentionality so people can see themselves reflected in Pride.”

Morrison may be new to Houston, but not to Pride celebrations. She worked with Toronto Pride when they hosted World Pride 2014, and she’s served on several Pride boards.

“So, when I came to Houston,” she says, “it was my nature to say ‘How can I be of service? How can I give my knowledge to this city that I have chosen to be my home?’”

What Morrison loves most about Houston Pride’s June celebrations is the freedom. “It is one day when no one cares what you look like. No one cares what you sound like. No one cares about your accolades and who you know and who you don’t know. Everything is just open, honest freedom—strangers hugging each other, talking, dancing, singing.”

Looking back, Morrison identifies two defining moments in her life. One is her son, who recently moved to Houston from California. “I almost lost my life giving birth, but we both survived. He gave me a purpose on top of the purpose that God gave me.”

A second defining moment was when the Pride Houston 365 board members said to her, “We just need you to say yes because of your heart. We want you to lead this board.”

“They saw my strength and trusted me,” she says.

Reflecting on the current political environment, Morrison believes growing up in Jamaica prepared her for these times. “I lost my father to political violence,” she explains. “One day when I was 2, he went to buy orange juice and a newspaper and never returned. I genuinely believe in democracy, and I believe that everything is a season. It’s the rhythm of life. You just have to ride the waves. I still believe the world is a beautiful place, even though there is cruelty. But we can take adversity and turn it into our superpower.”

Keep up with Pride Houston 365 on Instagram @pridehoustontx.