By Rebecca Kaplan, Vice Mayor of Oakland–
Wishing you all a healthy Pride week, and welcome, including virtually, to join in Oakland’s community and celebrations.
Oakland has one of the largest, and most diverse, LGBT communities in the nation, and has worked extensively over the years to build a welcoming environment. This includes a strong history of activism for social justice, and working to build more effective responses to the challenges we face, from the pandemic of AIDS/HIV to the pandemic of COVID, to the challenges of prejudice, injustice, and homelessness.
In recent years, our community has built Pride marches and festivals, an LGBT community center, strengthened the trans community, and helped provide education and information to allies and potential allies to help remedy prejudice.
We have worked with local organizations, including those led by the trans POC community, to expand access to COVID vaccination, information, and support.
We have worked to ensure that Oakland’s programming and funding for youth services includes LGBT youth, and are working with a multi-racial, multi-gender, all-orientation group, led primarily by Black women, to bring a WNBA team to Oakland.
We have built and expanded local businesses, nonprofits, and community organizations, and have worked to expand support for our unhoused community members and to expand access to health services.
We appreciate everyone who has helped advance these vital goals, and share in the commitment to continue to expand these vital efforts.
Councilmember At-Large and Council President Rebecca Kaplan was elected in 2008 to serve as Oakland’s citywide Councilmember; she was re-elected in 2016 and 2020. She also serves on the Alameda County Transportation Commission (ACTC). Follow Councilmember Kaplan on Twitter @Kaplan4Oakland (https://twitter.com/Kaplan4Oakland) and Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/Kaplan4Oakland/).
Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, in-person events planned over the past several months for Oakland Pride have been cancelled. The decision was made just a few weeks before the Parade and Festival were to have taken place in downtown Oakland on September 12. The San Francisco Bay Times had planned to have a booth again this year.
There will, however, be a virtual celebration. Here is the full statement from Oakland Pride:
“It is with great regret that Oakland Pride has to cancel our in-person parade and festival this year … but, we will be doing an online digital pride!
We are saddened that this decision had to be made; we feel it’s the best choice considering the obstacles we faced planning a safe event while in the middle of a pandemic.
Our number one concern in producing Oakland Pride, is safety. We want our event to be a safe place for all … and this year we can’t guarantee that if we gathered in person. The only thing Oakland Pride wants to spread in the LGBTTQ+ community is love!
We want to thank you all for your understanding as we all learn to navigate in a healthy and safe manner, and we want to thank all of our sponsors who are still supporting us in our digital event. We encourage all of you to visit and support our sponsors.
We look forward to seeing everyone at Oakland Pride 2022!”
Oakland’s historic and beloved storybook theme park, Fairyland, remains open but with special precautions taken to safeguard visitors during this pandemic time. As of this writing, the 4th Annual Family Pride Day at Fairyland is still scheduled for Saturday, September 11, from 1 pm–3 pm.
Located in the Teddy Bear Picnic Area, the event will include hand painting and outdoor games for kids (and children of all ages). Admission for children under 1 year is free!
Information about this and other events offered by the Oakland LGBTQ Community Center is at:
Fairyland is a great destination for families all year round. Located close to Lake Merritt, it makes for a fun day trip. Multiple restaurants and cafés are in walking distance or are a short drive away on Grand Avenue, Lakeshore Avenue, and other nearby streets. https://www.fairyland.org/
Published on September 9, 2021
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