Cristina Olds, right, one of the founders of Pride events in Los Alamos, with her girlfriend. Photo Courtesy FLAC
BY KELLY DOLEJSI
Friends of Los Alamos Pride
It’s time to celebrate LGBTQ+ pride! This year marks the sixth Los Alamos Pride Week, June 11-17, and the fourth in-person Pride Festival from 3-7 p.m. Friday June 16, on the lawn at Central Park Square (adjacent to Boese Bros and the Y Express). As Pride Week continues Friends of Los Alamos Pride would like to introduce its board members — the heart, soul, blood, sweat, and tears behind all the county’s Pride festivities. Today, we would like you to meet Cristina Olds, one of the founders of our local Pride events.
Cristina Olds
Who are you?
I moved to Los Alamos in 2014 and joined Los Alamos National Laboratory as a communications specialist in 2016. I looked for the queers in town and at my workplace and found nothing. In 2017, some awesome pioneers (including Roberta Beal) started an LGBTQ+ employee resource group at LANL and I got involved right away. Some of those same folks joined forces with others in town (including Tina DeYoe) to launch the first ever Los Alamos Pride in 2018, and I’ve supported the festival and other Pride activities in town since then. I’m an organizer and networker, a writer and communicator, and an out-and-proud lesbian since 1991. I’m also a mountain biker, skier, pickle baller, dog mama, friend, and girlfriend.
Why did you join FLAP?
It’s important to me to have and to build community where I live and work, and FLAP definitely fosters inclusion and belonging in this weird little burg.
Why is Pride important to you, to Los Alamos, and to the broader community?
I’ve heard from young people who grew up here that they never would have thought their home town would hold such a great little festival for the queers — I like being part of history in Los Alamos and helping bring gay pride to this corner of New Mexico. Pride is a visible confirmation that there are queer folks living and working here, and that we are a welcome and celebrated part of the community.
Why is Pride important right now, at this point in history?
Politicians in this country are making our personal lives politicized and actively taking away rights of humans. It’s absolutely my responsibility to use my privilege to fight back to protect the rights of all people — transgender, nonbinary, queer — and Pride is one small way to show resistance to this current mess at the local, national, and global level.
What Pride event are you most looking forward to?
I enjoyed the all-ages cabaret show at the Pond last year, and I love a gay pride festival. Allies: Come out and show your support of your friends, colleagues, and neighbors by attending Pride events, throwing money at LGBTQ+ causes, and speaking out in the face of