(The Westfield News/Masslive – Amy Porter) A good-sized crowd gathered on the lawn of City Hall on June 1 at 6 p.m. for a short ceremony and raising of the LGBTQIA+ pride flag to kick off Pride Month in the city.
Before the program started, Westfield Pride member Tina Gorman, executive director of the Westfield Senior Center, made sure to note all of the “dignitaries” who were present, including retired Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court Justice John Greaney, Mayor Michael McCabe, state Sen. John Velis, and several members of the City Council.
Other Westfield Pride members were setting up tables and greeting residents. The Rev. Barbara Hesse of the Second Congregational Church UCC said she was “thrilled to be a part of it.” Hesse said the church earned the “open and affirming” designation last November, thanks in part to the work of longtime member Scott Clark. Also at the flag raising was the Rev. Paul Nesbit, the new settled pastor of First Congregational Church in Westfield and Southwick Congregational Church. Nesbit said he is the first openly gay pastor at 18 Broad St.
Kathi Bradford, Westfield on Weekends Creative Arts Center director, said the Westfield Pride committee grew this spring from four to 30, thanks in part to the debate among city councilors on the raising of the flag. The council ultimately voted 10-3 to fly the flag.
During the ceremony, Westfield Pride member Dennis Akins asked for a moment of silence to remember those who had gone before, not only in Westfield but around the country.
In her remarks, Bradford, who retired as director of alumni relations at Westfield State University, said she had been a member of the community for 42 years.
“I’m proud to be here with this mayor and this City Council. This is one for the record books,” she said.
McCabe said it was a pleasure to be there, “representing this magnificent city.” He specifically thanked the Westfield Pride committee for “your quiet confidence that we would get it done together. I am grateful to you and thankful for all. Westfield is a city where we should all feel safe without being discriminated against for who we are. If the raising of this flag brings us closer to that, let it fly,” he said.
He also related the story of Sally Ride, the first American woman to go into space, who became public about her same-sex romantic relationships only in her obituary.
“No one should have to be ashamed of who they are, regardless of their personal identity,” McCabe said, quoting President Barack Obama as saying, “when all Americans are treated as equal, no matter who they are or whom they love, we are all more free.”
Velis acknowledged Greaney’s presence at the flag-raising. He said sometimes people forget that Greaney, a Westfield resident, wrote the concurring opinion on Goodridge v. Department of Public Health, which led to the legalization of same-sex marriage in Massachusetts, the first state to do so.
“I thought it was really important to be here for the flag-raising,” Velis said. He said as the Senate chair of the Mental Health and Substance Use Committee, he gets alarming reports on mental health as it relates to kids. He cited increased hopelessness and suicidal ideation present along all kids, but more acute and pronounced in the LGBTQIA+ community.
Velis promised to be there with an open door for anyone who wanted to have a meeting or a conversation.
“We can and must do better,” he said.
Westfield Pride members James Homan and Kelli Nielsen talked about the history of the committee. Homan said it existed informally until Gorman hosted an event at the Senior Center, inviting the community to breakfast. He said the pride flag flew at City Hall for the first time under former Mayor Don Humason, with Councilor Mary O’Connell, who was present, and former Councilor Agma Sweeney in attendance.
“Our flag acknowledges our contributions in the community,” Homan said.
Committee member and Westfield on Weekends Director Bob Plasse thanked business sponsors M&T Bank, Westfield Gas & Electric, TD Bank and Elovate Studios, and invited representatives to say a few words.
Returning to the podium, Akins thanked the 10 city councilors who supported the pride flag-raising, and promised them the community’s support.
Akins then presented the second Westfield Pride Outstanding Advocate Award to Tina Gorman. The first was given two years ago to Greaney.
“This person who gets the award this year is an incredible individual, responsible for raising the flag the first time, [our] acting director and COA director. This is the kind of individual that changes the world,” Akins said about Gorman.
“This is one of those times that I’m almost speechless,” Gorman said in accepting the award. She said a few years ago, she was approached and asked to be more open to the LGBTQIA+ community, one that she admitted she did know much about at the time. Since then she has been active on the Westfield Pride committee.
“I am so grateful to the committee,” she said.
Gorman, Greaney, Mello and Sean Elovirta of Elovate Studios then raised the flag with the help of some little ones, as the crowd applauded and cars honked as they passed.
The flag raising was followed by a Pride Night Out at Hutghi’s at the Nook on Franklin Street. Bradford said there was a great turnout for the event, despite the loss of power for an hour and a half, with the open mic comedy resuming as soon as power was restored at 8:30 p.m.
The June 1 events kicked off a month’s worth of LGBTQIA+ activities in the city. Upcoming events include an educational panel on June 14 at the Creative Arts Center on 105 Elm St., beginning at 6:30 p.m. Due to limited space, advance reservations are requested at 413-579-5967.
On June 17, Westfield Pride will participate in the opening of the downtown segment of the Columbia Greenway Rail Trail at 9:30 am. in the Stop & Shop parking lot.
June 24, there will be an Over the Rainbow breakfast at the Westfield Senior Center, with reservations required, and on June 25, an ecumenical pride church service at First United Methodist Church, 16 Court St., Westfield.
The month will end with a solemn vigil on June 28, 5-6:30 p.m. to remember the 54th anniversary of the Stonewall Uprising, at a location to be announced.
Bradford said everyone is welcome to all of the events.
“You don’t have to own one of the letters in order to be part of the community,” she said.
After Pride Month is over, she said Westfield Pride will reconvene, and talk about organizing as a nonprofit organization.