WarnerMedia, in partnership with BMW of North America and Procter & Gamble, is holding a one-day, 5,000 square-foot interactive exhibit called “Queer City: A CNN Experience.” The exhibit is a celebration of Pride month and the 50th anniversary of the 1969 Stonewall Uprising, a confrontation between police and LGBT patrons of the bar in Greenwich Village.
Open to the public on June 27 at the Hudson Mercantile in New York, the exhibit illustrates what life was like for a queer person in New York City from 1940 through today. Nearly 300 artifacts will be on display to commemorate these human experiences throughout the decades, including personal photos and home videos, clothing, letters and journals, as well as historic Stonewall ephemera.
“We are proud to mark this important day with an experience that brings to life the real, human side of the LGBTQIA+ rights movement, beyond just the headlines. This partnership is more than just a one-day event; it’s about telling the story of the queer community and the people who have helped build it, along with their personal and intimate struggles and triumphs, throughout history,” said Michal Shapira, SVP content partnerships and Courageous Studios, WarnerMedia ad sales.
At the official WorldPride event, a 25-minute documentary, Out of the Shadows, will air during content breaks in the screening room. The film, produced by Courageous Studios and Procter & Gamble, shares the story of brave Procter & Gamble employees who persevered in the face of prejudice and hate in their fight for LGBTQIA+ rights within the company. Alongside CNN.com, Procter & Gamble will run additional promotion of the film.
“Their journey highlights how far we’ve come, but there is still more work to be done for equality. That is why P&G is partnering with Great Big Story to tell their story, so others can learn from our past to make a better future where everyone is valued, and everyone is included,” said Procter & Gamble chief diversity and inclusion officer Shelly McNamara.
The exhibit will also include a screening room featuring films about WorldPride, Stonewall, and the history of marriage equality. Artifacts from each of the films will also be on display.
Attendees can enjoy a photo booth that is meant to encourage public displays of affection for all couples—an act that was at one time illegal for LGBTQIA. BMW, the photo booth’s sponsor, plans to run a spot across CNN linear, digital and social—developed with Courageous—commemorating the progress made by the LGBTQIA+ community over the past 50 years.