TENAFLY, N.J.—June is LGBTQ+ Pride month, and Tenafly is one of the many communities in Bergen County that have been holding celebrations to commemorate it.
Nearly 50 years after the June 28, 1969, Stonewall Inn riots in New York City sparked a movement for equality and acceptance, Tenafly hosted its second annual Pride Festival. It began June 4 with the raising of the rainbow colored flag at Huyler Park at 3:30 p.m. The time was selected so that students of the Tenafly Middle School and Tenafly High School Gay/Straight Alliance Club and their faculty advisors—Nick Rzonsa and Agapi Schmarge—could participate.
Natalie and Dori Kavanagh were co-chairs for Tenafly’s Pride celebration and they were assisted by Dori’s husband, Jesse Bayer, who brought the couple’s three young daughters.
By 3:45 p.m., dozens of Tenafly residents and distinguished guests had gathered in the park, including Rabbi Jordan Millstein, Mayor Peter Rustin, Bergen County Freeholder Tracy Zur, and Tenafly Council Members Lauren Dayton, Mark Zinna, Max Basch and Venugopal Menon.
In addition to the huge rainbow colored LGBTQ+ flag, many people held smaller flags and wore rainbow colored clothing.
Since its creation in 1978, the flag has been a symbol of solidarity and unity with the LGBTQ+ community. The six colors symbolize Life, Healing, Sunlight, Nature, Serenity and Spirit, all key components of the LGBTQ+ movement.
Gay Pride was first commemorated nationally on June 2, 2000, when President Bill Clinton declared June “Gay & Lesbian Pride Month.” In 2009, President Barack Obama expanded on the name to be more inclusive, proclaiming June Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Pride Month.
In recent years, the acronym “LGBTQ+” was formed to include lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer. The “plus” stands for love, acceptance, and the embracing of all.
Zur began the ceremony with a passionate speech.
“I am so thrilled to be here today,” she began. “I initiated an advisory committee on the Bergen County Board of Freeholders so that we can ensure that all voices are heard. We also had our first LGBTQ Youth Summit. It is such an amazing thing to see that more and more communities are coming together for events like this to show that we are standing together with all our neighbors to embrace everybody for who they are, whatever their identity. I am so proud of Tenafly for being one of the 10 communities that are doing flag raising.”
Zur was followed at the podium by Lola Barreras, a Tenafly High School student from the school’s Gay Straight Alliance (G/S) Club.
“We all joined the Gay Straight Alliance Club for a sense of community. We joined to have a place where we knew we’d be accepted and supported and didn’t have to censor part of ourselves to fit in,” said Barreras. “So many kids our age, around the country and around the world don’t have that right.”
Rabbi Millstein also delivered an invocation and began by thanking Natalie and Dori Kavanagh and other members of the Temple Sinai congregation.
“In the Reform Jewish congregation we believe strongly in ‘Tikkun Olam,’ which means ‘repairing the world.’ We understand that the world is broken in many ways, from global challenges such as climate change, to national issues such as gun violence, immigration, poverty, health care, and racial profiling,” Millstein said. “The Reform Movement fights for equality for all individuals and communities. Today, the struggle for LGBTQ+ equality is at the forefront of efforts to secure civil rights.”
Millstein reported that earlier that day, LGBTQ+ flags had been burned in front of the Alibi Lounge in Harlem.
“Today, all of us are here to say we stand with you. We support you. We are here for you, not just today, not just this month, LGBTQ+ Pride Month, but every day,” Millstein said.
The last speaker was Mayor Rustin, who thanked everyone for attending.
“I’m so proud to see so many people today. When I heard about the Pride parade a year ago, I didn’t know if it was going to work,” Rustin said. “Well, it more than worked! Because we have made Tenafly an inclusive town. We don’t worry about religion or anything. If you have love to share with us, you are going to get it back ten-fold!”
With that, two Tenafly police officers hoisted the flag up the flag pole where it flew just beneath the American flag, and people recited the Pledge of Allegiance.
Councilman Mark Zinna commented, “The Pride flag that we raise today isn’t the end of the fight. It’s the beginning of the fight!”
On June 8, the celebration continued with a parade that started on George Street at 9:30 a.m. and proceeded through town to Huyler Park. Over 300 residents and visitors participated, including community leaders Mayor Rustin, Chamber of Commerce Director Christine Evron, Council Members Daniel Park, Dayton, Basch, and Menon, council candidate Adam Michaels, and Rev. Dr. David C. Bocock, pastor at Cresskill Congregational Church, UCC.
Also in the parade were scores of Tenafly Middle School and high school staff and students hoisting Gay/Straight Alliance Club banners. Joining them was special guest Lady Keyante, the 2017 Miss Gay New Jersey Winner.
On site was the Tenafly Volunteer Ambulance Corps led by First Lt. JP Pedoto, a former Tenafly High School graduate.
At Huyler Park, there were exhibits set up with complimentary Pride flags, rainbow colored bracelets and other mementoes of the day.
As the crowd gathered on the lawn, the dignitaries were seated at a dais, and several delivered remarks of praise and support.
Dori Kavanagh, who served as MC, greeted everyone.
“My mom came out when I was in elementary school, but we struggled with feeling comfortable as an open family in this community at that time. I kept my mom’s authenticity a secret for inherent safety reasons because kids were homophobic and there were no anti-bullying laws in place to protect us or teachers speaking up when they heard the hurtful attacks being made,” she said. “I graduated THS in 1999, and today I am so proud that we accept everyone and we welcome everyone!”
Councilman Park, gave Tenafly a proclamation from the Bergen County Executive’s office. Music was provided by Hart Music Studios of Tenafly, featuring Christina Hart on vocals and Jason Hart on keys.
Later in the afternoon on Saturday, the Tenafly Public Library hosted Drag Queen Story Hour at 2 p.m. featuring Lady Keyante. She read stories to children that captured the imagination and play of the gender fluidity of childhood and gave kids glamorous, positive, and unabashedly LGBTQ role models.
As the event concluded, Natalie Kavanagh expressed how delighted she was with the turnout.
“This event was the product of donations and sponsorship and our community is extremely proud of its support for the diversity of its residents.”