The SOURCE Speaks on Pride Month

By: Monica Aviles

During LGBTQ+ Pride Month, many celebrate by attending large parades, pride events, concerts, etc. Some also attend memorials for those who have been lost to hate crimes or HIV/AIDS. The purpose of Pride month is to acknowledge the impact that LGBTQ+ individuals have had on history. Not only that, but to achieve equality for the LGBTQ+ community.

LGBTQ+ Pride Month, in the United States, is in June in order to commemorate the Stonewall riots, which occurred at the end of June 1969. The first United States president that officially declared a pride month was President Bill Clinton (1999 and 2000). Then from 2009 to 2016 (each year he was in office) President Barack Obama also declared June Pride Month. Donald Trump became the first Republican president to acknowledge Pride Month in 2019.

A non – profit organization in Visalia, the Source, is one of many organizations that provide a safe space for LGBTQ+ individuals. The Source has just celebrated it’s 5 year anniversary on May 6, 2021. The Source has 5 full time and 5 part time staff as well as community volunteers that help with their events. The Source first began with only about 30 people. Co-founders Brian Poth and Nick Vargas met in 2015 and began talking about creating a
community center after moving back home from Los Angeles and San Francisco. Within 6 months, The Source had raised $10,000 to open on Main Street.

Brian Poth (he/him), Co Founder and Executive Director of the Source, says their mission is to “provide spaces within our community for LGBTQ+ people to learn, grow, belong, transform, question, and support.” The Source offers over 25 programs and services including: “free rapid HIV Testing and counseling, free mental health services, peer support groups, youth groups, Leadership Academy, transgender resource, and a library.”

Poth explains that Pride month commemorates “the beginning of the LGBT civil rights movement that started with a riot against police brutality of LGBT people in 1969 at The Stonewall Inn in New York City. Every year in June, LGBTQ+ people celebrate our civil rights movement with Pride parades, festivals, and rainbow flags.”

“Pride month is a time to come together as a community to celebrate our diversity and beauty. We have made many strides in the US over the last 50 years, but we have much further to go. We must continue to fight injustice and discrimination wherever it is, especially for trans women of color, our trans youth, and gender non conforming students.”

– Brian Poth

In June 28 1969, police raided a gay bar in the West Village of Manhattan that was know as the Stonewall Inn. The Stonewall Inn “was owned by the mafia to arrest trans and queer follks for dress code violations and solicitation. Drag queens, trans folks, and other LGBT+ people fought back against the police and took it into the streets” said Poth.

Important LGBTQ+ figures during that time was Marsha P. Johnson and Sylvia Rivera who started this movement and stood up for themselves and their community’s rights. “Transgender women of color have always been at the front of our movement” says Poth. Some important, local figures include “Harvey Milk, the first openly gay elected official in California. Amy Shuklian, out lesbian and current Tulare County Supervisor, and former Mayor of Visalia.”

Poth hopes that there is more acceptance, inclusion, and more “young folks advocating in their schools for better treatment and more resources.”

The Sorce’s pride event will be held on October 23, 2021 at the Rawhide.

https://www.thesourcelgbt.org/

“Fly your flags. Let people know that you support the community. Come to Pride.”

– Brian Poth

Tags: community, LGBTQ+, pride, pride month, source