Photo by: Andy Alfaro
On the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall Riots, there is a group in Modesto organizing a “straight pride” parade on August 24 at Graceada Park. The California Straight Pride Coalition has applied for a city permit to host this event and is expecting around 500 attendees. This will be the first of its kind in California, following a similar situation in Boston, MA where a straight pride will take place this month as well.
In response to this event, the Central Valley Pride Center, organizer of MoPride, will be providing a safe refuge for individuals at the Central Valley Pride Center located at 400 12th Street Suite 2 in Modesto from 10am to 8pm on August 24. They are working to partner with local businesses to provide additional safe spaces throughout the city. More information can be found here. Furthermore, due to a lack of staff and organizers, MoPride has cancelled their event this year. Stockton Pride will still be happening on that same day as well at Weber Point, 221 N Center Street in Stockton from 11am to 7pm on August 24. More information can be found here.
The Center is in solidarity with our neighboring LGBTQ center and Pride events. Please consider attending Stockton Pride or donating to the Central Valley Pride Center/MoPride here.
The Sacramento LGBT Community Center supports the Central Valley Pride Center’s actions to create safe places for people who may not have a place to go on that day. The Center understands the right to free speech, but hosting this event rooted in homophobia, xenophobia, white supremacy, and religious exclusivity is a violent attack on queer people.
“This sends a terrible message to our LGBTQ kids, who are five times more likely to attempt suicide than their peers. A lot of these kids already feel alone and scared – this just makes things worse for them,” said Representative Josh Harder in a statement.
We share the common belief that LGBTQ people everywhere deserve the basic right to thrive.