City Council Joins Stonewall Columbus To Celebrate Pride Festival
The Columbus City Council is joining Stonewall Columbus to
celebrate Pride Festival 2015 the week of June 15-21. The annual event, now in its 34th
year, is one of the premier gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender,
questioning, and allied (GLBTQA) events in the nation and showcases Columbus’
open, smart, and diverse community. The theme
for 2015 is Pride: Be the Change and features parade grand
marshal Jim Obergefell, an Ohioan who is among those leading the fight for
marriage equality in America.
“The
City of Columbus has a strong record of inclusion and protecting the rights of
all of our citizens,” said Council President Andrew J. Ginther. “While other communities and states are
turning back the clock on equality, we are promoting inclusion. We have created a domestic partnership
registry and offer domestic partner benefits to city employees. And our voters overwhelming approved a change
in our charter, Columbus’ constitution, to protect residents from
discrimination.”
At Monday night’s City Council
meeting, Council President Ginther is sponsoring a resolution to recognize
Stonewall’s decades of advocacy on behalf of the GLBTQA community. Council will also consider legislation to help
Stonewall leverage private contributions so the group can reach their goal of
installing 150 banners promoting the Pride Festival that will be displayed
around the downtown and Short North. Then at dusk, Councilmember Shannon G. Hardin
will host a ceremony that will transform City Hall lights into the various
colors of the rainbow. That ceremony
includes the unveiling of a street sign at the corner of Front and Broad
Streets to celebrate Pride Week.
“One of the reasons why Columbus is such
a special place is our ability to make people of all ages, regardless of race,
gender, or sexual orientation, feel welcome and engaged in making our
neighborhoods better places for all of us to live and work,” said Councilmember
Hardin. “Columbus is a city where everyone
has a voice. Everyone’s life is valued and our differences
make us stronger.”
Stonewall Columbus, the organizers of the Pride Festival,
have a long list of events during Pride Week, with the centerpiece being the
annual Pride Parade, held June 20 beginning at 11 a.m. in downtown Columbus.
“The
City of Columbus has always provided tremendous support to the GLBTQA
community,” said Karla Rothan, Executive Director of Stonewall Columbus. “Pride Week has become one of the most
important weekends of the year in Columbus because it unites our city as one
loving, caring, and most important, inclusive community.”
Click here
for more information on Pride Week festivities.
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