Beautiful weather set the scene at Stone Park on June 2nd, the evening when Ashland Is United raised the PRIDE flag to kick off Pride month, a time to celebrate and support the LGBTQIA+ community.  Town officials, state representatives, and community members came together to recognize the strength, beauty, resilience, creativity and breadth of the LGBTQIA+ community.  Susan Brostrup-Jensen, a member of Ashland Is United, shared the following goals for the event in her opening remarks.  She said,

We are here tonight 

• To celebrate you as you are and the history, contributions and strength of the LGBTQIA+ community,

• To send a message that Ashland is striving to be a safe and inclusive community, and

• To affirm that we are committed to raising awareness and pushing back against the recent challenges and polices in the national landscape.

The program continued with inspiring words from Representative Jack Lewis who shared personal recollections and a call to action.  Additionally, he reminded us during these extraordinary times to have patience with those who may trying to engage as allies for the first time and to remember that finding joy is a form of resistance.  He was followed by Michael Herbert, the Town Manager, who moved the group with his vision of Ashland as a community that is welcoming and safe for all.  Sophia Silva, President of the Gay Straight Alliance at Ashland High School, spoke with words of gratitude and vision for the kind of town Ashland is and what it can become. Each challenged the group to commit to becoming involved in ways that make Ashland and the world a place that accepts and honors each person.  

A representative from OUT Metrowest shared the resources the organization offers all ages of youth and young adults, including group meetings, social events, and counseling.  The organization’s main office is in Framingham, with satellite locations in Medway, Acton, and Westborough.   To learn more about their services go to https://outmetrowest.org/  

The speeches were followed by raising the Pride flag.  In the past, the Pride banner has been hoisted at Town Hall for the month of June.  With the Town Hall under restoration, the flag will fly at Stone Park instead.

Children and adults enjoyed bubbles and pinwheels in rainbow colors and the chance to answer trivia questions that were posted around the gazebo.  For example: What do the letters in LGBTQIA+ stand for?  In what year was same sex marriage legalized? What does each color in the PRIDE flag represent?  Finally, people were encouraged to decorate and pen messages of allyship and encouragement on stones painted by several high school students as part of their Day of Community Action.  Placing the stones along the Riverwalk concluded the event.  Townspeople can visit the stones and possibly leave their own stone and message throughout the month of June.

This event was organized by Ashland Is United.  It is the third year the organization acknowledged the importance of Pride with a townwide celebration.  The purpose of Ashland Is United is to create a culture of inclusivity and acceptance in Ashland so that all community members feel they belong and are equal in the town.  To find out more about Ashland Is United please check the website www.Ashlandisunited.org.