Grand Marshal
BEN JOHANSEN
MTh e Ribbon Maker any symbols of love and
community came out of
the tragedy at Pulse in
June 2016, but arguably
none have had the same impact and
reach as that small rainbow ribbon with
the black band across it seen pinned
onto hundreds of thousands of people.
The birth of that ribbon was started
on one of Orlando’s darkest days by
Ben Johansen, or as he has come to
be known throughout the world — The
Ribbon Maker.
What is now commonly referred to
as The Orlando Ribbon Project was
started by Johansen as a way to identify
volunteers at The LGBT+ Center in
the days after the Pulse tragedy. It has
now become a worldwide movement to
honor and remember the 49 lives lost
at Pulse.
Johansen’s rainbow ribbons have
made their way to all 50 states, 65
countries on six diff erent continents
and have even been seen pinned to
world leaders and celebrities including
Hillary Clinton, Bill Clinton, Pete
Buttigieg, Jamie Lee Curtis, Nancy
Pelosi, Lance Bass, Alice Cooper and
more.
Nearly one million ribbons have been
made since Johansen folded that fi rst
one in 2016. The one millionth ribbon
will be made by Johansen on stage
during the Community Rally at Come
Out With Pride’s 2019 Parade and
Festival at Lake Eola.
22 COME OUT WITH PRIDE 2019