The Bourbon Friday Show

The Bourbon Friday Show with Michael Powers from Tower Grove Pride

On this episode of the Bourbon Friday Show, we had the opportunity to talk with Olamide Adeboye, CEO and Founder of Wakava.

On this episode of the Bourbon Friday Show, we had the opportunity to talk with Michael Powers, Co-Founder of Tower Grove Pride.

Bourbon Friday – Michael Powers // Tower Grove Pride

Today, we're talking with Michael Powers, Co-Founder of Tower Grove Pride, a festival dedicated to celebrating the LGBTQ+ community, allies, and the Tower Grove community. The festival is coming up on Saturday, June 29th! Learn more here: https://www.towergrovepride.com/?fbclid=IwAR2f_3ZHnvpbjzJZFCA3UbKVk5LITF4JQ8BK1Oyaqbvlj-H6JR-Rwl1LJTM

Posted by EQ – Entrepreneur Quarterly STL on Friday, June 21, 2019

Tower Grove Pride—Highlighting the Best of St. Louis

It’s amazing that what started out as a block party seven years ago has turned into one of the biggest Pride events in the state of Missouri.

Every July, over 250 vendors and 10,000 participants converge in Tower Grove Park to celebrate the St. Louis LGBT community as well as feature the best of what St. Louis has to offer.

“The things that we like to highlight, you know, are the quirky side of the LGBT community and also a lot of those small local independent businesses that make St. Louis great,” says Powers.

With loads of activities, performances, shops, and food options, Tower Grove Pride is truly a festival for everybody.

Additionally, all non-profit partners have spaces to set up and interact with festival-goers by offering fun activities and helpful resources about topics such as LGBT rights, reproductive rights, animal rights, bullying in schools, the environment, and victims of crime.

While the Tower Grove Pride Festival has already passed in 2019, be sure to follow their Facebook page or website for more info about next year’s Pride festival and other LGBT events happening in the St. Louis community.

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Bourbon Innovation

As always, the Bourbon Friday team does their best to choose a fitting drink for the occasion.

The drink of choice was Old Forester 86 Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey. This bourbon is made by Brown-Forman, who not only supports and donates funds to Habitat for Humanity (Powers’ full-time employer), but are also involved in supporting the LGBT community.

In fact, for the last 9 years, Brown-Forman has had a 100% rating on the HRC equality index due to their efforts to support LGBT rights in the community and internally. For example, in the community Brown-Forman participates in Pride parades and proudly flies the Pride flag outside of all of their facilities.

Internally, they’ve implemented an in-house PRIDE organization that aims to continue improving company culture and support all LGBT individuals in their workforce.