Mayor Domenic J. Sarno, Health and Human Services (HHS) Commissioner Helen Caulton-Harris, Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer Judi Crowell and city officials joined Springfield Pride CEO Taurean Bethea and the Springfield LGBTQ+ community for the Springfield Pride flag raising ceremony at City Hall on Thursday, June 1st. Mayor Sarno brought greetings and presented a proclamation declaring the month of June, 2023 as LGBTQ+ Pride Month in the City of Springfield.
State Representatives Angelo J. Puppolo and Carlos Gonzalez, City Council President Jesse Lederman, Veterans Services Deputy Director Joe DeCaro, Assistant HR Director Caitlyn Julius, Kristen Elechko and Lamar Cook from Governor Maura Healey’s Western Massachusetts Office, MGM Springfield President and COO Chris Kelley, Springfield College Vice President Calvin Hill, STCC President Dr. John Cook, Michelle Grout from the Springfield BID, and Ray Berry from White Lion Brewing were also in attendance.
The Springfield Pride Parade will kick off their 2nd annual Pride parade on Saturday, June 3rd at 10:00 am from the campus of Springfield Technical Community College and end at Stern Square. The event will feature music and fun with speeches delivered by the parade organizers and city officials to support this hallmark event in support of our LGBTQ+ community.
Mayor Sarno stated, “Commissioner Helen Caulton-Harris, Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer Judi Crowell and I are looking forward to joining with Taurean Bethea and our Springfield LGBTQ+ community in support of our 2nd annual Springfield Pride Parade by kicking off the festivities with the Pride Flag raising ceremony here at City Hall. A good person is a good person, no matter what creed, color, background, sexual orientation, or gender identity. As a longtime member of Mayors Against LGBTQ Discrimination, I am proud to stand in solidarity with our LGBTQ+ community to remind all that each of us deserves the same level of equality and respect. This month in particular, we honor those who have fought for equality for our LGBTQ+ community and recognize that respecting the rights of all makes for a better city and community.”
The mission of the Springfield Pride Parade (SPP) is to support LGBTQ+ youth through resources, understanding and fundraising. To help promote care for Springfield’s LGBTQ+ community and youth, SPP founded the Safe Space Initiative – a commitment from local businesses to disavow hate speech, hateful actions, or aggressions targeting the LGBTQ+ community in their establishments. The movement is marked by a public facing decal affirming that their business is a safe space. Numerous businesses that have signed on as safe spaces include Dewey’s Lounge, TD Bank, Focus Springfield, White Lion and the Ethnic Study.
HHS Commissioner Caulton-Harris stated, “The City of Springfield’s Department of Health and Human Services is proud to join with all of our community supporters as key sponsors for the Springfield Pride Parade. The City of Springfield is proud to sponsor and support Springfield’s second annual Pride parade and we plan to tap this enthusiasm and energy when we come together in June to celebrate the LGBTQ+ community in partnership with Springfield Pride.”
For more information on Springfield Pride Parade, please visit their Facebook page @SpringfieldPrideParadeOrganization
