Message from Deputy Mayor Ellen Zimmerman | June 2, 2023
Every June, I am proud to say Scotch Plains is a statewide leader in our observation of Pride Month. It is the opportunity of so many of our residents to celebrate diversity, identity, and love within the LGBTQ+ community, as well as throughout our community.
Pride Month is our way to offer a platform to highlight the achievements and resilience of fellow Scotch Plains residents who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, or other sexual orientations and gender identities.
Our community gathered last night at the Alan M. Augustine Village Green for our annual “Pride in the Park” event to kick-off Pride Month. The well-attended program, on a beautiful evening, served as yet another reminder that everyone deserves equality, acceptance, and respect.
Together, the community raised the Pride flag at town hall. There was live music, information from community groups, a street artist and plenty of crafts and activities. The three-hour event, coordinated through the township’s Department of Parks and Recreation, was a great way to embrace and celebrate our diverse identities, while enjoying a spring night in our downtown.
I always look forward to the any community-building activities on the Scotch Plains calendar throughout the year. Events like Pride in the Park, Juneteenth and MLK Day foster a sense of belonging and reinforce the message that we, as a community, are always stronger together.
Throughout Pride Month, I hope you will join in activities and events that promote positive change, advocate for equal rights, safeguard from discrimination, and encourage broader societal acceptance.
Another signature event is on the horizon. Union County Pride in the Park is set for Saturday, June 24 from 4-10 p.m. at Tëmike Park in Cedar Brook Park in Plainfield. This free, family-fun event will feature kickball tournaments, arts and crafts, games, a DJ & decades dance parties, food trucks, local non-profit organizations and informational tables, followed by an outdoor movie presentation of “Strange World” at dusk, approximately 8:30 p.m.
I am pleased that Union County has the state’s very first Office of LGBTQ+ Affairs, established in 2018 under the Department of Economic Development. It offers a platform for leadership and collaboration to support equality, and serves as a catalyst for advocacy, awareness and action on current and emerging issues that impact the lives of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer individuals.
For Pride Month schedule updates and more information about the Office of LGBTQ+ Affairs, visit ucnj.org/LGBTQ.
Together, let’s continue to work toward a more inclusive society where the rights of all residents are respected and upheld. Together, we can strive for a world where love, acceptance, and equality flourish, year-round, not just during Pride Month, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity.
