Autonomy Project Returns to Columbus Pride!
The Autonomy Project Returns to Columbus Pride: Year 2, Louder and Queerer Than Ever
Pride Month is here — and The Autonomy Project is showing up big for Year 2 at Columbus Pride.
Last year, we made our debut at the festival and were blown away by the response. Hundreds of people stopped by our booth, grabbed zines and stickers, signed up to volunteer, and told us, “I’ve been looking for something like this.” So this year, we’re going even harder — with new experiences, new merch, and the same unapologetic commitment to queer joy, mutual aid, and radical inclusion.
Whether you’re already part of our community or just discovering us for the first time, you’re invited. Here’s everything you need to know about what we’re bringing to Columbus Pride 2025, why it matters, and how you can be part of it.
Who We Are: A Queer-Led, Volunteer-Run Movement for Liberation
The Autonomy Project is a grassroots nonprofit and community space based in Columbus, Ohio, powered entirely by volunteers. We create events, workshops, mutual aid, and culture-shifting programming for people too often pushed to the margins — including queer, trans, disabled, neurodivergent, BIPOC, sex-working, and creative communities.
We don’t chase grants or cater to respectability politics. We believe in radical care, consent culture, and community as a tool for survival, not just celebration.
We’re not only an organization. We’re a movement, a family, and a living experiment in what community can look like when no one’s left behind.
Photos from last year.
What We’re Bringing to Columbus Pride 2025
We’re coming to Pride not just to table — but to create a whole experience. Stop by The Autonomy Project booth for:
📸 Free Queer Photo Booth
Capture your Pride power! Our photo booth is completely free, fully fabulous, and designed to help you feel seen — whether you’re soft, spiky, sparkly, or just sweaty and real.
Renegade Dance Party
Catch us in the crowd with a mobile sound system and some serious queer energy. We’ll be throwing surprise dance breaks and spreading the vibes that corporate floats can’t touch.
🖤 New Fundraiser Merch Drop
We’re launching limited-edition Pride merch that directly funds our programming. Think T-shirts, stickers, and more — all made with love, rage, and unapologetic style. Every purchase helps us keep our space open and our events accessible.
📚 Zines, Consent Culture Tools, & Resources
Grab one of our FRIES bookmarks, take home a Pride brick keychain, or learn more about what we do year-round — from workshops to kink education to sober socials and more.
Volunteer Sign-Up & Community Plug-In
Want to get involved? We’ll match you with real, meaningful roles — whether it’s event planning, mutual aid, education, or helping out behind the scenes. No resume required. Just care.
What We’re Bringing to Columbus Pride 2025
Pride started as a riot — and in today’s political climate, it still needs that fire.
In Ohio and across the U.S., LGBTQIA+ rights are under attack. From anti-trans legislation to restrictions on drag, education, and bodily autonomy, we’re watching a dangerous wave of backlash rise.
And too often, mainstream Pride responses have been…safe. Sanitized. Sponsored.
But safety doesn’t come from corporate floats. It comes from community.
Liberation doesn’t come from rainbow logos. It comes from organizing.
At The Autonomy Project, we’re not here to make Pride more palatable. We’re here to make it powerful — rooted in truth, resistance, and joy that refuses to be watered down.
Pride is where we find each other. Where we remember we’re not alone.
And where we build something better — not just for a month, but all year long.
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KEEP THE LIGHT ON
When the world feels uncertain, safe spaces like The Autonomy Project become a beacon of hope. Your donation keeps our lights on—literally and figuratively—for those who need it most.
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