WILTON MANORS, Fla. — Executive Director of the World AIDS Museum Dr. Requel Lopes and four-time Emmy award-winning NBC6 meteorologist Steve MacLaughlin will be the Grand Marshalls of the 2021 Stonewall Pride Parade and Street Festival.
The event, one of the largest Pride events in South Florida with a typical draw of 35,000 spectators, takes place in Wilton Manors on Saturday, June 19, 2021, starting at 3 p.m. with a twilight parade at 7 p.m.
“This year’s Nominating Committee was unanimous in its vote for Dr. Requel Lopes and Steve MacLaughlin — two outstanding South Floridians whose individual work, passion and influence benefit South Florida’s LGBTQ+ community well and who are truly role models,” said a spokesman for WMEG Community Marketing and Events, the nonprofit that organizes the annual festival.
Dr. Lopes is an acupuncture physician and the executive director of the World AIDS Museum, the world’s first museum and educational center of its kind which opened its doors in May 2014. The museum’s mission as a nonprofit is to promote dialog that eliminates HIV/AIDS stigma through education, artistic expression and cultural programming.
Dr. Lopes earned her undergraduate degree in psychology from Barnard College and advanced degrees from the AOMA (Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine) Graduate School of Integrative Medicine.
Her community involvement is extensive. She is the former treasurer and director of The Poverello Center, former director of the GLBX Council of the Greater Fort Lauderdale Chamber of Commerce and is the chair of the Broward County HIV Planning Council.
Dr. Lopes is the owner of Dragonfly Wellness located in Oakland Park where she practices Acupuncture and Chinese Herbal Medicine.
Her non-profit work experience includes serving in senior capacities at Care Resource, Inc, Kids in Distress and Broward House.
Steve MacLaughlin joined NBC 6 in February 2017. In addition to presenting the weather, Steve is a science & environmental reporter with a strong focus on climate change.
His career began as an intern for NBC 4 in New York City. He was later hired as a weather producer for NBC 4 and for NBC’s “Today” show, where he worked with his mentor, Al Roker.
After college, Steve worked for NBC 12 in Richmond, Virginia, then became Chief Meteorologist at WPHL in Philadelphia. From there, he spent six years at KXAS, the NBC-owned station in Dallas, Texas. MacLaughlin has also had the opportunity to fill in at The Weather Channel in Atlanta and PIX 11 in New York City.
Steve has won four Emmy awards including Outstanding Weathercaster in 2019 and has been nominated a total of 13 times. He has also won an Associated Press Award for Best Weathercaster.
Steve graduated with honors from Rutgers University in New Jersey with a degree in meteorology and a double major in journalism. He is a Certified Broadcast Meteorologist through the American Meteorological Society.
Steve is also passionate about animal rights. He is a vegan and host of “Clear The Shelters,” where animals ready for adoption are featured on NBC 6.
For more information about the 2021 Stonewall Pride Parade and Street Festival, visit www.stonewallpride.lgbt.
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