Paul Bass Photo
Officially ushering in New Haven’s four-day Pride Weekend, Toni Harp used a punch line to make a serious statement about what kind of city she serves as mayor.
“Thank you,” she said with a wink of a smile as she stood at a lectern beside gay activists and drag queens to welcome a festive crowd at a New Haven Pride cocktail hour kick-off held Thursday evening in City Hall’s first-floor lobby, “for coming out.”
Ba-dum-bump.
The punch line got the laughs. Then Harp continued with the point, minus the jokes: New Haven is place that includes people as one community, rather than excluding them for their differences.
Pride Weekend, revived in New Haven after a two-year absence, will feature four days of “family-friendly events celebrating the exuberance and creativity of our LGBT community.” (Read more about that in this story, and about event details here.) Harp called gatherings like these “important for New Haven to show its embrace of diversity.”
“LGBT and civil rights are one and the same in New Haven. I welcome you with open arms,” she said. “I want you to fell welcome in our city and to feel proud.” Then she read a proclamation officially declaring Sept. 18 Gay Pride Day in New Haven.
Harp’s remarks were a hit. So was the rendition of “We Shall Overcome” that ascended to the rafter of City Hall courtesy of the ensemble Shades a capella group.
Participants from around the state socialized, posed for cell-phone photos, perused an art display …
… while Gotham Citi bartender Raymond Bartee kept the 2013 Ariel Cabernet Sauvignon flowing.
“It’s everyone coming together, everyone who identifies as queer, gay, straight lesbian. It’s just a time for everyone to come out and celebrate,” said Summer Orlando, pictured (at left in photo) with fellow Waterburyite and Pride veteran Lucia Virginity.
As the party continued, Virginity broke from the pack to escort Mayor Harp out of the reception and thank her for the city’s embrace.
It's nice to see that such a good cause is so well endowed.