June 1 marks the start of Pride month, a tradition that spawned after the 1969 Stonewall Riot in New York City. To kick off the month-long celebration, the city of Monterey held a Pride flag-raising ceremony.
Monterey Mayor Tyller Williamson was the master of ceremonies for the event. “It's so important for us to show this visible symbol of support. It's essential and critical,” he said.
Williamson was elected mayor last November and became the first openly gay person to hold the seat.
While the city has displayed the Pride flag in prior years, this is the first time it’s held a flag-raising ceremony to celebrate the start of Pride month. Willamson says the ceremony is important because it helps create visibility for the LGBTQ+ community — especially in this moment.
“We're still seeing anti-LGBTQ plus legislation happening throughout the country, even within the state of California,” he said.
Melanie Zaragoza co-chairs the non-profit Monterey Peninsula Pride. Her group will be hosting a Monterey Pride event in July.
Zaragoza says the city's culture is predominantly straight. “So having queer spaces may seem nuanced to some people, but it's so important to Queer people to walk into a room and not be othered,” she said.
Monterey’s Pride event isn’t until July 15, but other local cities are already celebrating. Santa Cruz kicks off a weekend of Pride festivities today — including a parade Sunday at 11 a.m.
Other Monterey Bay area cities to hold Pride flag-raising ceremonies include Santa Cruz, Salinas, and Pacific Grove.
List of local Pride events
- Santa Cruz Pride: June 2 - June 4
- Monterey Peninsula Pride: July 15
- Pajaro Valley Pride: Aug. 20
- Salinas Valley Pride: Oct. 14
- Central Coast Pride (San Luis Obispo): June 2 - June 4