Pride month kicked off Sunday in Rockville with the 8th annual Rockville Pride event in the town square.
“For Rockville, we do this every year, because this is part of who we are as a city,” said Rockville Mayor Monique Ashton. “We are an inclusive city, not just a diverse city.”
“I still think it’s important for us to get together in a space where we don’t have to fear anything,” said Alejandro Santiago, who said he is pretty new to the area and was checking out the event. “I think a lot of people are allowed to feel safer letting their guard down a little bit more in events like this.”
There were booths around Rockville Town Square representing different groups, like SMYAL, an organization serving LGBTQ youth across Maryland, Washington, D.C. and Virginia.
“We have a housing program for LGBTQ youth, it’s actually the largest in D.C. right now,” said Rebecca York, SMYAL Director of Youth Development and Community Engagement. The organization also does free clinical services for youth and programming in and out of schools.
Multiple religious organizations had booths at the event. “I think it’s just really important for faith communities to be out here showing that there is space for everybody at God’s table,” said Catherine Manhardt, Curate with St. James Episcopal Church in Potomac, noting that churches have not been welcoming spaces for many in the LGBTQ+ community.
There are more upcoming Pride events in the county this month including the first-ever Poolesville Pride Fest on June 15 and Silver Spring’s Pride in the Plaza on June 30.
