Frontline Workers Celebrated as Our 2022 Seattle Pride Parade Grand Marshals

On June 1^st, as a very special kick-off to Pride Month, we went to personally invite LGBTQIA+ frontline workers with festivities and fanfare who are being named as grand marshals for the return of the Seattle Pride Parade. Frontline workers including a flight attendant, teacher, metro bus driver, healthcare worker, and bank teller, were surprised by our community-selected grand marshal, Gaysha Starr, with an official ‘Grand Marshal’ sash and thanked for the enormous contributions to the community throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.

This year’s Parade will feature a contingent of frontline workers who will all be honored as grand marshals during the festivities. Read about our frontline workers below!

Elissa Maples: Maples is a Horizon Air flight attendant and trans woman who started working for Alaska Airlines shortly after the pandemic began in their Lounges, and is now fulfilling her long-time dream of becoming a flight attendant. She’s said that through the pandemic, she’s found that there are chances to go above and beyond to turn someone’s day around. For her kindness, hard work, and ability to bring a smile to people’s faces, Maples will be honored as frontline grand marshal at this year’s Parade at Alaska Airlines Headquarters.

Johnathon Futch: Futch is a self-proclaimed transit geek and LGBTQIA+ King County Metro bus driver and minority affairs executive officer for Local ATU 587. Futch, has helped fill a critical community need throughout the COVID-19 pandemic – making sure people can get to their jobs and essential services safely. For continuing to help the community by getting them to where they need to go, and for bringing humanity and kindness back to people’s lives, Futch will be honored as a frontline grand marshal at this year’s Parade in front of the Metro Pride bus at their central transit base.

Brandice Tranholt: Tranholt is a McMicken Heights Elementary fifth grade teacher and a fierce ally of the LGBTQIA+ community. On top of being an amazing teacher, Tranholt has been working through the COVID-19 Pandemic to educate children. Tranholt will be honored as a grand marshal because of the safe kind space she has created for all her students, and her allyship for the LGBTQIA+ community.

Mattie Mooney: Mooney works for Swedish at First Hill Family Medicine Clinic as a Senior Program Coordinator for Transgender Healthcare Navigation. They will be honored as a grand marshal for their work in coordinating care and supporting gender diverse patients.

Janella (Jai) Locus: Locus works for WaFed bank doing one of the most important things – handling peoples’ money! They will be honored as a grand marshal for their dedication, kindness, and the amazing work done at WaFed during the pandemic.

Frontline workers inspire us every day with their grit, patience, and dedication to their job. There is so much to appreciate about the healthcare workers, first responders, educators, transportation and utility workers, government employees, food workers, and every employee that falls under the frontline worker title. We want to continue to thank them the best way we know how, by honoring them at the front of the Pride Parade.

We are looking for additional frontline workers to walk in the front of the parade. If you fall under the frontline worker category, we want you to join us at the Seattle Pride Parade! You still have time to sign up to walk with us! Registration is free and easy. Below you will find all the information you need to register.

● REGISTER HERE: 2022 Frontline Worker Registration

● Registration Deadline: Friday, June 10, 2022

● Seattle Pride Parade: Sunday, June 26^th at 11:00 a.m. (registrants will be provided with details on arrival time)