What Does Pride Mean to You?

Originally published in the New Pine Plains Herald. Photo by Ava Battinelli

On June 7, Thomases Equestrian hosted the fourth annual Stanford Pride Celebration, featuring food, music, and, of course, community. Despite the rainy weather, nearly 200 people from Stanford and its neighboring communities gathered to share their passion for inclusion and the power of visibility.

During the 3-hour celebration, the Herald asked participants, What does Pride mean to you?

Steve Bruman and Tom Ambler

“The Pride movement is all about community,” said Bruman, the Stanford Pride Committee leader who owns and operates Bangallworks with his husband Tom Ambler. “The friendships and relationships that we’ve made in Stanford, through this and many other events, are incredible.”

“I couldn’t have said anything better; it really is,” Ambler, also on the Committee, added. “Pride is about a community, and it’s something that we’ve practiced before we arrived here. Now, seeing this in its fourth iteration has just been wonderful, and our neighbors show up for everything. The fact that you can actually get this kind of a turnout in the town of 3,000 people is pretty impressive.”

Lynn Tondrick and Lynn Massimo 

“Pride means love for community and love for yourself, both of those things, and support for everyone in the community,” said Tondrick, another Committee member. “And that’s what today is all about. Honestly, probably half the people or a third of the people here are not gay. This is really about community, and the community comes out absolutely in support. And that, to me, is really special.” 

Massimo, also on the Committee, added, “That is the most amazing thing. In the past, we’ve had 200, 250 people or more, and most of them are just allies. And that’s the amazing part — to be in a community where there are that many allies who will show up.”

Stanford Town Supervisor Wendy Burton

“[Pride means] celebrating everyone’s ability to love anyone that they want to. That’s it.”

Jordan Backman and Chris Rosekrans

“For me, Pride means just a time to celebrate with my community and feel included and have a place to belong,” said Backman. 

“I would say community also, and it also means talking over very loud dance music,” Rosekrans added. “I feel like that is actually very prideful.”

Jules Wing Vasquez and Izzy Vasquez

“Pride means feeling free to be myself around my neighbors,” Jules said. “Pride and comfort in myself, but also pride and comfort in my community, knowing that there’s space to be weird and have fun. That’s what everyone wants, and we’re safe and together and can have a big old party and bring all of ourselves.”

Their sibling added, “Being able to be comfortable, no matter where I am, and being comfortable in myself around anyone.”

Frank Pepe

“Pride is very much a part of my life, my full life, and has been since I was a child,” said Pepe. “During the darker days, there have been gay and lesbian members of my own family. And so that when my son came out, it was a natural thing for me to love him, to endorse him. Since he came out with our loving support in high school, I have participated in many organizations, been on the boards of directors and so forth.” 

Natalia and Aries Toohey 

“I’m normally socially awkward… But I’ve been here for five seconds, and I feel amazing,” Natalia, a Stissing Mountain Junior High School student said.

Aries, also a student at Stissing Mountain High, added, “Pride is really important for feeling good about who you are and who you love, and not being judged for it.”

Katie Toohey, Michele Mugnos, and Tanner Newman

“Pride means resisting tyranny, fighting the regime that aims to exclude you from existence,” Toohey said.

“As every queer person knows, there are queer people everywhere,” said Mugnos. “When you create a queer organization in a small town, people are like, Oh my God, I’ve lived here my whole life and I’ve never seen myself so represented.”

Newman added, “I think Pride to me is standing up for the people close to us and being proud of the community that we’re building together. I think it’s really important to help people in need and to, you know, build each other up in a way that we can all be together.”

Chris Valerius

“Pride is about letting people enjoy whatever and whoever they love… That’s the way the world should be.”