FRIENDS OF LOS ALAMOS PRIDE NEWS RELEASE
What says “resilience” to us Los Alamosans more than the ubiquitous mule deer strolling our streets? And how to represent political “resistance” to the challenges the LGBTQ+ community faces just with their existence? Add a unicorn’s forehead horn, some rainbow colors, and maybe wee fishnet stockings and you have the 2024 LA Pride mascot: the deericorn!
“The new t-shirt design came from discussions about how to represent resistance and resilience which the Friends of Los Alamos Pride board chose for the theme this year,” said board member and deericorn artist Erin Brown Cook. “Changing things up a bit, we decided to go with a cartoon/anime style.”
Erin populated a print-on-demand website with the spunky and very queer deericorn where you can buy t-shirts, tank tops, and hoodies now in time for the June 14 LA Pride festival.
Melissa Mackey in the political act of reading at a past LA Pride festival
Why do we bother celebrating LGBTQ+ Pride Week in LA?
Taking the lead organizer role on the FLAP board this year is Melissa Mackey. When asked why she cares so much about the cause, Melissa shared, “I have many progressive ideals I believe in. I give so much time, money, and personal capital to Friends of Los Alamos Pride because I believe everyone deserves to know they are safe, that they belong, that our families and communities are meant to lift us up, not tear us down. I’m privileged to have been a safe person for people who felt unsafe, invalidated, ignored, and derided.”
“In my professional life as a librarian, I meet readers, teens especially, who need materials
that reflect their lived experience,” Melissa said. “Years of listening to sometimes alienated young people have only cemented my conviction that allyship, representation, celebration, and a life lived out loud are my only real choice.”
Erin Brown Cook being the change!
It’s almost LGBTQ+ Pride Week in Los Alamos — how are YOU participating? Erin has served on the FLAP board for a few years now, and says, “I absolutely love all the events we have planned for Pride week, but my favorites are always the underpass mural painting, painting the white rock with uplifting and inclusive messages, and the flag parade at the Pond.”
For the full schedule of events, visit the Friends of LA Pride website. To help financially support the festival, visit LA Pride gofundme. Donations will offset costs for giveaways and other Pride Week activities and any overage will be donated to Self Help, Inc.’s Techo fund for housing related expenses for queer youth. https://www.gofundme.com/f/los-alamos-pride-festival
“The inclusivity of our Los Alamos Pride family and the love, care, and acceptance they show for everyone is astounding and beautiful,” Erin added. “I’m blessed to be a part of something bigger than myself through the spreading of love, information, and community to Los Alamos.”
It’s almost LGBTQ+ Pride Week in Los Alamos — how are YOU participating?
Erin has served on the FLAP board for a few years now, and says, “I absolutely love all the events we have planned for Pride week, but my favorites are always the underpass mural painting, painting the white rock with uplifting and inclusive messages, and the flag parade at the Pond.”
For the full schedule of events, visit the Friends of LA Pride website. To help financially support the festival, visit LA Pride gofundme. Donations will offset costs for giveaways and other Pride Week activities and any overage will be donated to Self Help, Inc.’s Techo fund for housing-related expenses for queer youth.
“The inclusivity of our Los Alamos Pride family and the love, care, and acceptance they show for everyone is astounding and beautiful,” Erin added. “I’m blessed to be a part of something bigger than myself through the spreading of love, information, and community to Los Alamos.”