WESTWOOD, N.J.—Dozens of supporters, some holding their young children close, lent their cheer and calls to action outside Westwood Borough Hall on Sunday, June 1 for the Third Annual Westwood & Township of Washington Pride celebration and flag raising.
Speakers included event founders Lisa Bontemps and Dee Kalman; Mackenzie Fox, Christopher Haffler, Anne-Marie Jonas, Casey Bontemps, Bob Dzienis, and Christopher Doran, who also performed “Edelweiss.”
The event resonated with the LGBTQ+ community and allies from Westwood, the Township of Washington, and wider Bergen County, and came replete with Pride flags, stickers, and neckerchiefed dogs. Lending their support: members of the Bergen County Board of Commissioners and a representative of Rep. Josh Gottheimer’s office, who presented a certificate. The evening concluded with a benediction by Pastor Rodney Haveman of Parkside Community Church.
LGBTQ+ Pride Month, celebrated each June, honors the 1969 Stonewall Uprising—a pivotal moment in the Gay Liberation Movement. What began as “Gay Pride Day” has grown into a month-long celebration featuring parades, events, and gatherings that draw millions worldwide.
Bontemps shared how her daughter, Casey’s, quiet, brave coming-out transformed her understanding of motherhood—from protection to advocacy. Of cofounding Westwood Pride, Bontemps spoke of the deep love, pride, and fear that come with raising a trans child in a time of growing political backlash. She condemned harmful policies “disguised as issues of parental rights” and affirmed that raising the Pride flag is not just celebration—“it’s resistance.”
She condemned “hateful organizations” that “defame, harass and attempt to intimidate churches and individuals that affirm LGBTQ+ persons, and schools that follow the state laws designed to help protect LGBTQ+ children from being outed without their consent.”
To youth in attendance, she said, “Fear will never be greater than our love. It will never be greater than our determination to raise our voices, to show up, and to demand better for our children—for all our children.”
She said, “When we raise this flag today, it is not just a celebration—it is an act of resistance. It is a promise … that we will not be silent. That we will protect, uplift, and stand beside our queer and trans family members—not just during Pride, but every day. That we will not go back!”
And she said, “To the young people here, especially those who may feel scared or uncertain about your place in this world: please know this—there are mothers like me who will never stop fighting for your right to live freely, joyfully, and safely. You are loved exactly as you are. You are not alone.
“So stand tall, show up each day as the person you were created to be, and celebrate that you are not alone, and that in this community we have your back.”
Fox, a queer college student and environmental studies major—and a former student representative to the Westwood Regional school board—spoke at Westwood Pride about applying four pillars of environmental justice—her favorite subject—to LGBTQ+ advocacy:
- Intersectionality – Recognizing overlapping identities and pushing beyond the historically narrow, white-cis-male focus of the pride movement.
- Scale – Emphasizing that queer people have always existed and honoring those who fought for rights like marriage equality.
- Justice Outside the State – Critiquing current federal inaction and calling for community-based resistance.
- Indispensability of Every Being – Affirming the unique value and dignity of all LGBTQ+ individuals.
She said in part, “I want to thank everybody for coming today and being such a supportive, welcoming community. Two years ago, when I last spoke at Westwood Pride, things were different. It was a different presidential administration with a lot more hope for the future of this movement. But even though we don’t have the support of the federal government, we cannot lose hope. We must continue uplifting and holding onto each other and keep fighting against these harmful words and actions coming from D.C.”
Fox said, “As we celebrate who we are today, let us keep moving forward, as loud and proud as possible, until every voice is heard, every life is valued, and equality is no longer a dream, but a reality.”
Jonas spoke powerfully about hope as both resistance and responsibility. Drawing inspiration from “Hope in the Dark: Untold Histories, Wild Possibilities” by Rebecca Solnit, she reminded the crowd that hope isn’t blind optimism—it’s the courage to act in uncertain times.
Reflecting on past struggles and victories—from Stonewall to marriage equality—she emphasized that memory fuels resilience and that collective action still shapes the future. Pride, she said, is a declaration: we will not be invisible.
She said in part, “Hope is not enough on its own. … [M]emory is the root that sustains our branches. We remember the friends we’ve lost, the battles we’ve fought, and the victories we’ve won—so we know that change is real.”
She said, “We remember Harvey Milk’s courage, Marsha P. Johnson’s spirit, and the countless nameless heroes who built this movement from the margins. Their stories are our arsenal against hopelessness and despair.”
And she said, “I see in this community the same spirit of solidarity that leaps up in moments of crisis. So, too, we can lift each other up now. We can stand together in pride and resistance, knowing that every act of visibility, every hand held, every story told, reshapes the world we inhabit.”
Dzienis and his husband, John Punturieri, shared their journey of finding home in Westwood, where they’ve lived openly and happily since 2006. They spoke about the simple joy of being known not as “the gay couple,” but just as Bob and John—neighbors, friends, family.
Their message emphasized that Pride is about visibility, belonging, and reminding everyone—especially those who feel different—that they are welcome and loved. “We stay in Westwood because it feels safe to be ourselves,” Bob said. “And that shouldn’t be revolutionary in 2025—but in some places, it still is.”
He said, “Pride isn’t just about big cities and big parties—it’s about showing up, being visible, and reminding every kid—or adult—who feels different that they belong. Right here. In this town. On this street.
So from our little corner of Westwood to yours: Happy Pride. Keep showing up. Keep shining. And if you ever need advice on relationships, real estate, or where to get a good sandwich in town—we’ve got you covered.”
Immediate past mayor John Birkner Jr., who also attended, told Pascack Press in part, “Now more than ever it is critical that Westwood demonstrates and maintains its position as the truly welcoming community to all we claim to be.”
He said, “Pride events such as this serve to remind us that there is beauty in being different. We are reminded of the struggle felt by many young members of our community, and how our warm embrace can provide the confidence and motivation to be their best selves regardless of who or how they love, or how they dress. It sends the message that we see you, we hear you, and we love you for who you are.”
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