PORTLAND, Ore. — The Portland Gay Men's Chorus was born in 1980, with 20 singers joining together to make music and find community.
"There's meaning here that we get to bring to our audiences — plus, we get to add the Portland flare to that," said founding chorus member Gary Coleman.
The group was one of the first gay men's choruses in the United States, eventually performing to audiences in Portland, throughout the country and around the world. They were the first LGBT chorus invited to sing at an inaugural event of a major elected official — the 1984 inauguration of Oregon Secretary of State Barbara Roberts, who later became governor.
The AIDS epidemic took its toll on the chorus, which diminished from more than 100 members to fewer than 30. But they kept singing and kept dancing, and they've re-grown since then — with more than 1,600 people becoming members throughout the years, bringing the joy of music to everyone and standing up for the rights of the LGBTQ community.
"When I moved to Portland, I was not out," said Vikram Srinivasan, a tenor in the choir. "I had never sung in a men's chorus. I didn't even know what men's choruses were like or what kind of music they create ... Overnight, they just took me in, and I found the family that I was always looking for."
Performer Casey Magis-Agosta described the group's performances as "just queer people expressing joy and being themselves."
"Visibility and singing is one of the many ways that we can advocate (not only) for ourselves, but for a better society at large," said Braeden Ayers, the artistic director of the chorus.
The Portland Gay Men's Chorus is the fourth-oldest gay-identified chorus in the country, and they've produced eight professional recordings.
"It's such a lift for all of us to be together, to make this music together," bass singer Gregory Pang.
"It's always been needed, but it's timely because we're proud of who we are, and to stand up and make a stand, but also to support each other," said Coleman.
KGW's Breaking Barriers series features Oregonians making a difference in the world of sports, arts, government, business and more. You'll see stories throughout June for Pride Month.