|
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
|
Courthouse Square was bursting with rainbows and hearts during Redwood City’s third annual Pride flag-raising event.
A small, colorful crowd gathered to kick off Pride month with face-painting, rainbow cookies and the ceremonial raising of the flag. This year, for the first time, the city flew the Progress Pride flag as a symbol of inclusion for people of all, particularly underrepresented, LGBTQ identities.
“Redwood City is a welcoming city,” Mayor Giselle Hale said, addressing the attendees. “And what that means is that we are committed to supporting the visibility, the dignity and the equality for LGBTQ people in our diverse community.”
The Progress Pride flag was created in 2018 by nonbinary artist Daniel Quasar. The new design integrates a triangle of black, brown, light blue, pink and white stripes into the rainbow to bring greater visibility to trans and non-binary individuals, as well as people of color. The original rainbow flag was created by activist Gilbert Baker in 1978.
Council member Lissette Espinoza-Garnica, who in 2020 became the first non-binary legislator in the Bay Area, said that, for them, raising the Progress Pride flag has special significance.
“It speaks to a change in the discourse,” they said, explaining that the Progress flag embraces a more intersectional LGBTQ community. Espinoza-Garnica, who identifies as “queer, nonbinary, a person of color and working class,” said that these many identities aren’t often acknowledged in the professional world.
Looking forward, they said they “would like to see more honest portrayals of people.”
Hale also presented a proclamation declaring June to be Pride Month throughout Redwood City.
“Raising the progress pride flag is such a small act,” said Chris Sturken, a member of the county LGBTQ commission, which acts as an advisory body to the Board of Supervisors. “But it's so meaningful because it lets members of the LGBTQ+ community in Redwood City—lets them know that they are seen and that they are heard.”
The event was put on by Redwood City, in collaboration with the San Mateo County Pride Center and the San Mateo County LGBTQ Commission.
