ENGLEWOOD, N.J.—June 19 was a day to remember in Englewood! Despite the intermittent rain, over 150 residents, visitors and dignitaries gathered at the Englewood Public Library at 6 p.m. for the city’s first LGBTQ+ Pride ceremony and flag raising, a spectacular event.
Mayor Michael Wildes served as host and welcomed: Bergen County Sheriff Anthony Cureton, Council Members Katharine Glynn and Charles Cobb, Rev. Richard Hong, Ryan Ruggiero from sponsor Out@Universal NBC, Bergen County Executive Office Chief of Staff Marc Shrieks, resident Chris Gagliardi, and speakers Lt. James Tracy of the Englewood Cliffs Police Department and “Real Housewives of New Jersey” celebrity Margaret Josephs. Other special guests and community leaders also attended, including Joseph’s fellow actor on the hit television show, Jackie Goldschneider.
After the presentation of the colors by the Englewood Police Department, Nick Galluci, a student at The Performing Arts School at bergenPAC, sang “God Bless America” and Rev. Hong gave an invocation.
Mayor Wildes gave a dramatic speech about the importance of Pride Day, asserting that it will now be an annual event in Englewood.
“On May 31, 2016, President Barack Obama proclaimed June to be Pride Month, and it so happens that this year marks the 50th anniversary of Stonewall, which propelled the gay rights movement forward and was a turning point, of sorts, for LGBTQ acceptance in America,” said Wildes. “I’m honored to serve as mayor in marking the first raising of the Pride Flag in Englewood, New Jersey. This flag will fly for the month of June as a symbol to all that Englewood is proud that the LGBTQ community is significant part of our diverse city.”
Following Wildes’ speech, he read a resolution officially declaring June as Englewood’s Pride Month and asked Sheriff Cureton to come forward as Bergen County Executive’s Office Chief of Staff Shrieks presented a proclamation to the City of Englewood. The document commended Englewood’s diversity and declared June 2019 as Pride Month.
Then two Dwight Morrow High School students, LaNee Thomas and Jaden Edmonds-Williams, delivered moving remarks about their experiences in the LGBTQ+ community, the negativity that they have faced and overcome and thanked the people who have helped validate their feelings.
The crowd then listened intently to keynote speaker Josephs, an Englewood resident, who in addition to her “Real Housewives of New Jersey” role is an American fashion designer, entrepreneur, lifestyle expert, wife and mother.
“I am honored to be here as we mark the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall uprising and half a century of LGBTQ liberation. Pride is not about the need to celebrate being gay, but the right to exist without persecution, to come out from the shadows to declare who I am and be proud of it,” said Josephs. “Growing up in the 1970s with a single mother of three children, my mother had many gay friends, all of whom were completely fabulous. I was raised to not know that there was a difference between straight or gay. My mother explained the relationship of her gay friends as, ‘they were in love,’ and it was easy to understand, because love is love. We should all be free to love whom we choose.”
Following Joseph’s speech, Wildes presented her with a key to the city amidst a hearty round of applause.
“The fact that you are raising your children in the same open-minded tradition as your own upbringing ensures that you have the hearts, the minds and the eyes of the next generation,” Wildes said.
As people started to disperse after the ceremony and flag raising, Amy Wildes handed out rainbow striped water bottle gifts from the mayor. There were also gift bags from Englewood Stigma Free.
Many of the Pride attendees finished the evening at Blue Moon Restaurant, where the first 150 people at the Pride event received tickets for a free drink.
