Photos courtesy of Patrick and Hossein Carney
The 2024 Pink Triangle on Twin Peaks, a highly visible reminder of the Holocaust and a reclaiming of the pink triangle as a symbol, was larger than ever before. The installation was composed of three 5-foot-wide sheets of sailcloth, which were each up to 230 feet long for the outline that was filled in with 175 canvases. The display as a whole was nearly an acre in size and could be seen for 20 miles.
Also record-breaking this year was the number of volunteers for the project. Leader and founder Patrick Carney, who additionally works with his husband Hossein and family members on the project, told the San Francisco Bay Times, “We remain very gratified by the nearly 900 volunteers who signed up for the six main Pink Triangle volunteer opportunities. 640 volunteers signed up for the main installation on Saturday, June 8, and most showed up despite the heavy fog, constant drizzle, and mud-like conditions, and had a great time meeting new friends and being part of this community tradition. Everyone received a Pink Triangle t-shirt for their effort.”
Fewer volunteers tend to come for the take-down, making that work more challenging, so please keep that in mind if you would like to help out next year. This year’s take-down took place on Sunday, June 30, and Carney is very grateful to those who came.
He added, “As you know, the pink triangle and the rainbow flag are the yin-yang of our gay rights symbols. One was tragically forged in the Holocaust, and the other was created out of love, hope, optimism, and nature.”
Joanie Juster, who has both volunteered for the Pink Triangle project and has also been honored during the morning ceremony at the site, shared these words about this annual display during Pride:
“June 30 was a beautiful day for a parade. The sky was clear and blue, and marching westward up Market Street, we could all see, straight ahead of us, the giant Pink Triangle on Twin Peaks—a somber but defiant reminder of why we need to keep marching every year. We must never forget the oppression and cruel homophobia of Nazi Germany that forced homosexuals to wear the pink triangle—nor must we ever forget that oppression and cruel homophobia didn’t disappear when World War II ended and the concentration camps were liberated. The fight for freedom goes on to this day.
Looking up at the enormous Pink Triangle on Twin Peaks also reminded me that so much of what we cherish in our community comes about because one person not only has a vision, but also the energy and drive to turn that vision into reality. We all owe a debt of gratitude to Patrick Carney for creating this annual memorial, and somehow coming up with the energy, funding, and hundreds of volunteers it takes to make it happen each year. We cannot take our freedoms for granted, nor can we take for granted the people who work so hard to remind us of our history, and inspire us to work for a better future.”
Published on July 13, 2024
Recent Comments