Brian Hagberg
WARREN, Pa. – There was more than a little uncertainty as organizers planned Warren County Pride 2021. Whether there could even be an event due to COVID, how well it would transition from Gen. Joseph Warren Park to Betts Park, and if the community would come out to support.
All those questions were answered with resounding positivity Saturday as hundreds turned out to the DeFrees Pavilion area for Warren County Pride.
“It turned out better than we could have imagined,” Organizer Jill Sumner said. “We did not expect this turnout. It’s been a wonderful, inclusive event. People are mingling, socializing, shopping, hanging out and having fun. It’s just wonderful. I don’t know how else to describe it.”
Saturday’s event was highlighted by a speech from Pennsylvania Lt. Gov. John Fetterman and also included addresses from State Representative Malcolm Kenyatta (181st District, Philadelphia), Dr. Tyler Titus, Pastor Julia DiFiore, and Jamestown Community College professor Dr. Greg Raab.
“I just want to say how affirming and wonderful it is to come here and see this amazing event full of people from all over enjoying themselves, getting a chance to express themselves, and creating an environment of inclusivity and acceptance,” Fetterman said. “And that needs to spread. We need to get to a place in Pennsylvania and our society where it’s no longer an issue. And I’m never going to stop pushing for that until we get there. Thank you for being part of an event that would make any Pride festival proud.”
See Fetterman’s full speech here:
Fetterman, who was the first elected official to solemnize same-sex marriage in the state and did so before it was legal, also stressed the importance of adding equal protection under the law for all LGBTQ members.
“Can you imagine the fact that we are eight years removed from being criminally charged simply for reaffirming everyone’s right to love who you love? Now, we have marriage equality, but in Pennsylvania, we still don’t have true, full, equal protection under the law for our gay and trans communities here in Pennsylvania,” Fetterman said. “I don’t understand that either. Why would you want to make anyone feel less than, or other? Or any of these issues, when they deserve the same basic protections that somebody like me deserves, I’ll never get that.”
Kenyatta is hoping the Pennsylvania Fairness Act, which he co-authored, helps move Pennsylvania to more equal protections.
“(The Act) is to make sure Pennsylvania is a place where no matter where you are, who you love or how you identify that you’re treated with dignity and respect,” Kenyatta said. “For a long time, we’ve sort of tied ourselves in knots around regional differences, around racial differences or religious differences when the reality is, Pennsylvania, is a better place when everybody in Pennsylvania is treated fairly. And that’s what folks here at the Warren County Pride are saying that everybody needs to be treated fairly. And this is so important for our young people, particularly young people who are queer or questioning, to know that there’s a community of people who see you and love you.”
The family-friendly event included activities for young and old alike, and attendees ranged in age from months old to over 70.
“I wanted to have an event where young people and older people and come together,” Warren City Councilman Doug Hearn said. “I also wanted to have an event where gay and straight people come together because when we come together we start to become more comfortable with one another and suspicions and ideas that we have about one another start to break down.”
Sumner told yourdailylocal.com earlier in the week that one of the things event organizers wanted to do was promote Warren County. That was almost certainly the case as many in attendance, including vendors, traveled from outside the county to take part in the festivities.
“We want to promote the area,” Sumner said. “We want people to come here and visit. We want them to see what nice parks we have, and we posted information on our website and our Facebook. Links to places to shop, places to stay, our state parks. What we have to offer here with boating and rafting. We’re hoping that people come back.”
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Hearn said he sees Warren County Pride continuing to grow every year. And with that growth will come more opportunities to show what the county has to offer.
“I like the uniqueness of what we have here, but I also think that we could do much more,” Hearn said. “And what I’m hoping to do is bring people in from outside of our community. When we bring people in from outside of the county. And they see what we have to offer, they go back home and one weekend, they might say to their family, ‘Hey you know what, let’s go to Warren today and see what’s going on.'”
Part of that growth includes seeing how much support the LGBTQ community has in Warren County.
“I think there is a lot of support for the LGBTQ community in Warren,” Sumner said. “I just think people didn’t realize how much support was there.”
Multiple vendors and attendees said that they felt Warren County Pride was “bigger than Jamestown’s or Erie’s event.”
Kenyatta agreed that Warren County Pride was one of the biggest he’s seen.
“I will tell you, this has been one of the biggest events, which is so exciting,” Kenyatta said. “State College just did one which was a huge turnout there. But Warren County, you know how to throw a Pride event. You know how to do it. This is pretty wonderful.”
While many made lasting memories during Warren County Pride, Hearn was visibly emotional when talking about his best moment of the day.
“My best moment is when I see families together,” Hearn said. “My husband is here with me. My son and his fiance are here with me and my granddaughter’s here. And when I hold our seven-month-old granddaughter, and I know not what her future may bring for her. I’m just so proud to have all of my family here with me. And that’s a memory, a memory that I’ll carry with me for a long time.”
