Thank You From Ridgefield CT Pride

**News Release Submitted by Ridgefield CT Pride**

Nov. 23, 2023

Ridgefield CT Pride extends heartfelt thanks to everyone who has supported Ridgefield’s LGBTQ+ community and their families. Thank you to our elected officials, religious leaders, non-profits, local businesses, educators, students, and community members who participated in our many Pride events this year. We are also grateful to those who simply held a warm spot in their hearts for the LGBTQ+ community or endeavored to broaden their perspective about LGBTQ+ topics. Ridgefield CT pride warmly welcomes our new arrivals to town, attracted by the fact that Ridgefield is developing a reputation as a welcoming, safe and inclusive place, not just for the LGBTQ+ community, but for EVERYONE.

2023 has been an active and fulfilling year for the Ridgefield CT Pride community. Our on-line and in-person support groups continue to offer support to our entire LGBTQ+ community, including caregivers, friends and family of LGBTQ+ individuals. Looking ahead to 2024, Kids in Crisis Lighthouse will launch weekly meet-ups for our LGBTQ+ youth. Stop by and say hello at the Kids in Crisis Lighthouse table at the Holiday Stroll on December 1st.

Ridgefield CT Pride’s annual events thrived and expanded in 2023, with beautiful rainbow banners lining the streets for Pride month, thanks to the Ridgefield Arts Council. The turnout for Ridgefield’s second annual Progress Pride Flag Raising on June 1st was robust. Yet again, there was overwhelming participation and support for Pride in the Park by businesses and attendees. In fact, business participation has increased 10-fold since 2019, demonstrating that Pride is good for our local economy. Support for the Pride crosswalk was truly inspirational, with community members writing letters, speaking out and speaking at the Board of Selectpersons meeting and the Board of Police Commissioners meeting. Ridgefield’s LGBTQ+ youth came out in force and had the courage to share their stories and explain why visibility was so important. The Pride Crosswalk Dedication Ceremony was moving and extremely well-attended by our local community, along with the Secretary of the State, Stephanie Thomas, Representative Aimee Berger-Girvalo and Ceci Maher and our First Selectperson, Rudy Marconi - each sharing a personal story about Pride and inclusion.

For each of these moving events, Ridgefield’s Poet Laureate Emerita, Barb Jennes, miraculously crafted a new, unique and thought-provoking poem.

On the education front, the RHS PTSA and Ridgefield Library presented Tools to Talk - LGBTQ+ 101: An introduction to Identities & Allyship on May 30th at the Ridgefield Library. On Wednesday, November 15th, nationally renowned LGBTQIA+ historian Susan Ferentinos PhD, presented a lecture on LGBTQ+ History in CT at the Ridgefield Public Library to a packed house, as part of Ridgefield’s Oral History Project. The goals of this project are to record, preserve, and share Ridgefield LGBTQIA+ stories, which are underrepresented in the Ridgefield Historical Society’s collection; to foster intergenerational conversation; and increase civic pride and awareness. Ridgefield CT Pride thanks the Ridgefield Historical Society under the leadership of Stephen Bartkus for spearheading this tremendous project and partnering with Ridgefield CT Pride and the student volunteers from Ridgefield High School and the High School’s GSA Club.

Thank you to all who voted in this past election in favor of the charter revision that instituted gender-neutral, inclusive titles, areplacing Selectmen with Selectpersons.

Finally, thank you to Fairfield County Bank which chose Ridgefield CT Pride to be one of the competitors for their charity of the month for the month of December.

Ridgefield CT Pride is profoundly grateful to our community, who sincerely recognize the value of all people. In 2023, Ridgefield CT Pride persevered in our struggle against hate, stolen Pride signs, hate mail sent to LGBTQ+ children, disparaging public comments and letters, and virulent opposition to the Pride Crosswalk. Love triumphs over hate in Ridgefield, and Ridgefield CT Pride appreciates every ounce of support..

For more information on Ridgefield CT Pride, any of our initiatives, to volunteer, donate or for resources go to ridgefieldctpride.com.

Ridgefield CT Pride
Alisa Trachtenberg, Chairperson