Jamestown Mayor Eddie Sundquist declared the month of June as “Pride Month” during a press conference on Monday at City Hall, out of respect for the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer community.

Joining Sundquist were members of the Jamestown Pride Steering Committee and the Chautauqua County Mental Health Association who had, prior to the outbreak of COVID-19, planned the city’s first Pride festival that was to include several events, including a flag raising ceremony over City Hall.

“Even though we live in a very strange time, at least we can celebrate to our community some of the work that has been going on for years,” Sundquist said during his remarks to those gathered in the lobby. “Two weeks ago, we should have been raising the Pride flag high above city hall and peacefully joining together in our streets and in our parks to celebrate the incredible diversity that we have here in Jamestown and as a special way to honor the hard work and dedication of the LGBTQ trailblazers that came before us and those that guided the way to bring light about this amazing community, a way to honor our LGBTQ friends and allies who find hope from struggle and to honor how far our city has come, overcoming adversity and shedding the bonds of shame and repentance in order to promote diversity, hope, inclusion.”

See PRIDE, Page A3

“Ten months ago, people came together organically in the community and decided that Jamestown needed to recognize Pride and we came together to organize a Pride festival that would be the first Pride festival in Jamestown and in Chautauqua County to recognize Pride month,” Steven Cobb, executive director of the mental health association said prior to providing some history on the Stonewall Riots in New York City that took place on June 28, 1969 that served as the genesis for the Pride movement.

“During this time of great change in our society, I think we can find inspiration from the riots that took place at Stonewall in 1969 and we can all remember the power of a few committed individuals looking out for the greater good in our community,” he said, noting that those who organized the riots were trans-African American activists.

“We forget that the Gay Rights and Queer Rights movement really started with a few people realizing that things needed to change,” he added. “We’ve made great progress, we know there’s progress that still needs to be made and that’s why we were bringing our Pride festival to Jamestown in 2020. Pandemics change things, so we’re being flexible in changing and we’re looking forward to 2021.”

Sheridan Smith, also of the mental health association, also told those in attendance of a collaboration with the Fenton History Center to document the community’s LGBTQ history.

“The Fenton History Center applied for a grant to document the history that hasn’t been documented,” Smith said. “We tend to chronicle the politics in individual communities, but the Fenton History Center saw there was a gap with the queer community, so what they did was apply to be able to create a space to gather stories of our history, stories of things that are happening right now and things that are going to happen in the future. They’re going to gather that and put together an entire exhibit and create an archive for the Queer community in Chautauqua County. The Pride community was very happy to hear happen, but it’s something the Fenton History Center decided to go after themselves.”

Smith also said the collaboration will also yield an event, the means of which are yet to be determined, to celebrate National Coming Out Day on Oct. 11, which annually celebrates and supports those in the LGBTQ community who “come out of the closet.”

“We are looking to do some sort of event,” he said. “We’re keeping it loose … whether it’s online or whether it’s in-person, that will be another great collaboration with the Fenton History Center. We are going to see if we can gather stories of what it’s like to be queer in Chautauqua County, but also to gather ‘coming out stories.'”

“Today might be a more muted celebration as we face uncertain times in our nation,” Sundquist added. “Everytime I turn on the news, I feel defeated. I feel as though our community tries to take one step forward but gets thrown two steps back. It does not waver, it does not stop fighting. You may knock us down, but we get right back up.”

Monday’s celebration of the month also comes a week after the Supreme Court’s 6-3 decision in Bostock v. Clayton County which protects LGBTQ workplace rights under the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

“To rule that a federal law protects workers against discrimination of gender identity and sexual orientation is huge,” Sundquist said. “I’ll be honest, I didn’t think I would see it in my liftetime. But, it tells us that we’re moving in the right direction. We’re pushing forward toward real change in this nation and it starts right here in Jamestown.”

That begins with education, he noted, something he also stressed during Friday’s Juneteenth Silent Blackout March outside at Tracy Plaza.

“The only way to make real change is to educate those who are ignorant,” he said. “It is up to each and every one of us to remember the fight, remember our struggles and educate those who are stuck in their ways. The Pride committee tried to do just that, to shine light on a community often forced in the dark and to educate each other and educate our whole Jamestown community. Just because people seem different does not make them less of a human being.”

He added, “I’m proud to be the Mayor of Jamestown during these strange and trying times, something I do not take for granted. More importantly, I’m proud to be a member of this community as we continue to fight for equality and inclusion as we continue to fight for those around us. It’s time to end fear and bring about understanding.”