WOODLAND PRIDE MONTH CELEBRATIONS CONTINUE
Ahead of the Woodland Pride March set for this Friday, Woodland Public Library and Elevate Queer Yolo partnered up for a fun few hours of activities under the increasingly hot summer sun.
Outside of Square One, located at 250 First St. on the ground floor of the library, youth 12-plus worked making tie-dye shirts and masks and had the chance to read up on LGBTQ+ history on Wednesday. Inside the much cooler Square One building, everyone in attendance had the chance to make signs and buttons for the Pride March.
Woodland kicked off the weeklong celebration of LGBTQ+ pride on Monday with three virtual education panels.
“I think events like this are important because it makes the kids who are here now and kids that couldn’t come today feel very seen,” said Kelsie Hale, a peer partner with CommuniCare Health Center, who was onsite helping out. “Even if they are not out or can’t come to these events, they can at least see them and think, ‘oh my god, the place that I live is having an event for someone like me,’ which I think is super important and a really important message.”
Last summer in Woodland, the Pride March took place in combination with the George Floyd March.
This year, according to Hale, CommuniCare Health Center worked with the original organizers of that summer march to plan a big pride celebration. Events have been spread throughout the week.
Pride Week’s events are hosted by CommuniCare Health Center and overseen by Elevate Queer Yolo — a part of CommuniCare’s Behavioral Health Department that works with LGBTQ+ youth and young adults in Yolo County.
On Thursday, the first Queer Peers meeting will occur at Woodland Community College at the Eagle’s Perch in building 800. The young adult’s meetup is open to community members over the age of 18. There will be arts and crafts and refreshments to celebrate Pride Month. Queer Peers will meet up on a biweekly basis after the Thursday meeting.
On Friday, the Woodland Pride March will take place starting at Pioneer High School located at 1400 Pioneer Ave., beginning at 2:30 p.m. Participants will march to Woodland Community College, where a community event will take place from 3 to 6 p.m. — which will involve various booths and food trucks. The day will end with a viewing of “Love, Simon” on the lawn near building 200 at 6:30 p.m.