North Hempstead raises Pride flag at town hall

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Town Councilwoman Mariann Dalimonte said that this is the third year that the town has raised the pride fag in front of town hall.

She said the reason the annual tradition started is because she received a phone call from Port Washington LGBTQ+ organization Be the Rainbow asking her what the town does for Pride Month.

Dalimonte said she didn’t know when she was asked, so she looked into it and found nothing. So she did something about it and started the tradition of raising the Pride fag.

Dalimonte thanked the LGBTQ+ organizations present at the celebration, referring to them as “beacons of hope” in North Hempstead, Nassau County and Long Island.

“Nationally, we have made tremendous headway since the Stonewall uprising in 1969, and I am proud that the town was able to play a small role in that important cause,” Dalimonte said.

While progress has made in advancing LGBTQ+ issues, Kilmnick said the fght is not over.

“We have to continue the fght here to make sure that everyone is safe and realize that Pride matters,” Kilmnick said. “It matters that the fag is going up here today in the Town of North Hempstead. It matters for the leadership that we have here in the Town of North Hempstead from the supervisor level to the council members. Representation matters, Pride matters, and we look forward to celebrating it with everyone here.”

Be the Rainbow will be hosting a Pride march at 1 p.m. on June 17 at the Baywalk Park in Port Washington and fnish at the John Philip Sousa Memorial Bandshell.