Over the past decade we have seen LGBT+ pride celebrations grow across the peninsula. Whether you’re in San Mateo, Redwood City, Pacifica, or Filoli, you can find communities hosting their unique Pride celebrations.
In Palo Alto, we have a significant population of LGBT+ youth but no local Pride celebrations. Hosting a local pride parade or pride festival on California or University Avenue would be a fantastic way to bring the Palo Alto community together and help make Palo Alto a leader in supporting the LGBT+ community.
The lack of cultural celebrations is a real problem in Palo Alto. We are a diverse city, but compared to other cities on the Peninsula, we don’t always empower all of our different communities to thrive.
Even though I live in Palo Alto, I am incredibly aware of the cultural celebrations that take place in other nearby cities, as the celebrations draw so many people.
Redwood City’s cultural celebrations have made the city a focal point on the peninsula. Any time of year, you can stroll through Redwood City’s town square and there will be a huge Lunar New Year festival, a Fiestas Patrias celebration, or a colorful display of lights and music for the month of LGBT+ pride.
This attracts people from all over the peninsula to come to Redwood City, to celebrate and support local businesses. Palo Alto should make a similar investment in our cultural and community celebrations, and a Pride celebration is a step in the right direction.
Currently, cultural celebrations in Palo Alto are rather isolated; they may occur in an enclosed community center rather than on our main public streets. The whole point of so many cultural celebrations is to involve an entire city and broader community. It’s knowing that local businesses will participate, that friends will be there, and that a community will be seen and celebrated.
Cultural celebrations are a reminder that community members are valued, that they are loved, and that their identity is important. This reminds me of how powerful the Lunar New Year celebration in Redwood City was this year. Just a week prior, the Half Moon Bay shootings had occurred and Lunar New Year was an important time for cities to show that the AAPI community would be protected and celebrated.
Nationally, recent years have been politically tumultuous, during which many communities have been targeted. For Palo Alto, this has translated locally into an increase in hate crimes, including earlier this year when a pride flag was vandalized in Palo Alto.
The Palo Alto Unified School District’s California Healthy Kids surveys show the impact of this difficult time, with many young people in our marginalized communities feeling isolated and experiencing worsening mental health. This led the Palo Alto City Council to make “community health and safety” an ongoing priority encompassing mental health, equity and a sense of belonging.
It’s a huge detriment when you have to travel to other cities to find celebrations recognizing your culture, and it’s important for Palo Alto to support mental health and community equity by giving our community members as much as many opportunities as possible to connect and celebrate the cultures of all the different members of our community.
The Palo Alto community has long been a progressive leader, especially in supporting children and families. Whether your child has just come out or is planning to attend college out of state, Palo Alto families believe there are just under 500 bills in the United States which prevents LGBT+ children from having essential activities. necessary to support their well-being.
We live in a time where LGBT+ young people, particularly transgender children, are targeted by legislation that prevents them from playing sports, accessing healthcare, imposes discrimination and bans LGBT+ books and resources in schools.
In Palo Alto, families of all backgrounds and identities can thrive, kids can be kids, they can play sports, enjoy an incredible public education and community. Hosting a Pride celebration would be a fantastic way for Palo Alto to showcase our progressive leadership and continue to show our children and families that they are still celebrated and safe here.
Last June, on the occasion of LGBT+ Pride Month, I had the privilege of attending different LGBT+ pride celebrations on the peninsula. It’s so exciting to see different towns and communities take pride on their own, whether it’s joining the Pacifica Pride Parade along a coastal street of local businesses lined with rainbow flags. sky leading to a lively Pride celebration at a local primary school or to attend the magnificent Filoli Pride showcasing local produce. LGBT+ artists with interactive exhibits on local LGBT+ history.
It’s amazing to imagine how Palo Alto would do its own Pride celebration.
Katie Causey is a lifelong member of the Palo Alto and Palo Altan Human Relations Commission. It can be emailed to katie@katiecausey.org.
