To the Editor,
I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who supported the LGBTQ+ Pride Progress Flag raising that we held on June 1 on the Town Common.
The Pride Progress flag will fly proudly on the Town flagpole for the entire month of June in celebration of Pride month. A special thank you to the amazing support of people who attended the multiple Select Board meetings required to get the request approved by the Select Board (final vote of 4:1). Thank you to the crowd of people (residents and nonresidents alike) who attended the Flag rally on our Town common. Your voices were a welcomed sound and successfully overwhelm the hateful comments and actions of others in this town. To MBTS resident Jennifer, and her family, I want to thank you for sharing your unfortunate experiences of prejudice and hate and I can only hope that in some small way this event and milestone eases some of that shameful burden. To the MBTS Condakes family, we all owe you a debt of gratitude for being the first family to get the Pride flag raised 5 years ago. To the groups of North Shore Pride, Inc., North Shore LGBTQ+ Social Network and Manchester Essex Diversity Council, your support has been greatly appreciated and your missions help us be a better and more welcoming community. Finally, to my amazing wife Lisa, you are my voice of reason and you help me to find hope when I tire from the journey. I thank you and love you.
Thank you all once more and ... Happy Pride!
Hope Watt-Bucci
Manchester
