NOW BE IT THEREFORE PROCLAIMED … | Dallas Mayor Pro Tem Pauline Medrano, from left, and LGBT Task Force members Pam Gerber, Omar Narvaez and Patti Fink display a city proclamation declaring June as Pride Month in the Flag Room at City Hall on Wednesday, June 5. (David Taffet/Dallas Voice)
Dallas officials and LGBT leaders gathered in the Flag Room at City Hall on Wednesday to declare June LGBT Pride Month in the city and celebrate the first of many related events this month.
Pam Gerber, member of Councilwoman Delia Jasso’s LGBT Task Force, spoke briefly about the history of Dallas city Pride events. Two years ago was the first time the city held a reception marking Pride Month, followed by last year’s series of events. More events are planned this month to continue to educate and celebrate the city’s LGBT community.
“Thanks to the leadership of the Task Force and Delia Jasso, we now have a very high profile June Pride month,” Gerber said. “It certainly has become a big thing that we’re very, very proud of.”
Jasso was not among the roughly 40 people who attended, but several council members did, including Mayor Pro Tem Pauline Medrano, Angela Hunt, Ann Margolin, Scott Griggs, Monica Alonzo, Sheffie Kadane, Linda Koop and Councilman-elect Adam Medrano.
Gay former Councilman John Loza and District 14 candidate Philip Kingston were also in attendance.
Mayor Mike Rawlings was out of town and did not record a video message like last year.
Task Force member Omar Narvaez spoke about Pride’s history and the important milestones in LGBT history from the Stonewall Riots to the Lawrence v. Texas ruling 10 years ago.
“That case was the first time that the U.S. Supreme Court legitimized same-sex relationships. They struck down all the sodomy laws across the entire United States,” he said. “Our history has moved so fast and so furious. … We honor our past because those brave men and women at the Stonewall riots, they stood up and said enough was enough.”
This article appeared in the Dallas Voice print edition June 7, 2013.