Copyright 2010
| Pride Week Celebration
The City of Boston this week joined cities and communities across the country to celebrate Pride Week. Boston Pride 2010 began its week-long celebration with the historic Flag Raising at City Hall Plaza and culminated with the annual Pride Parade last weekend. These events remind us of the importance of embracing our City’s diversity and supporting our gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender (GLBT) community. It gives me great pride to see every year the many ways in which the City of Boston and its residents passionately support Pride Week. From participating in the annual AIDS Walk to coming out in the rain to watch and cheer the parade, Bostonians continue to show their commitment to these important issues. Among the many celebrations during Pride Week, the AIDS Walk Boston attracted thousands of dedicated participants from all across the Greater Boston area who braved the rain to walk along the Charles River. The Walk raised an estimated $1 million for New England’s largest and oldest AIDS service organization, the AIDS Action Committee of Massachusetts. With events like the AIDS Walk and Pride Lights, AIDS Action has been able to lay the groundwork for us to achieve some great things, including passing legislation that will allow for pharmacy access to clean needles. The impact of this work is felt here in Boston and all across the country. The City of Boston works hard throughout the year to provide support and services for those in our community struggling with HIV/AIDS. This year, the City has received $14 million in federal funding from the Ryan White grant program. The funding represents a 6.4% increase over last year and includes funding designated for medical treatment for communities of color, which are disproportionately impacted by HIV/AIDS. In the 20 years that Boston has been awarded this grant, we have received over $100 million to fund a myriad of critical services for the more than 6,600 people living with HIV/AIDS in the Boston metropolitan area, with particular focus on those who are underinsured or low-income. This is one of the most ubiquitous epidemics of our time, and every effort to reverse the trend and slow the rate of infection is critical. Many communities have already come together to care for those affected by HIV/AIDS and to prevent new infections in our own backyard. We must continue to be supportive of these organizations and events that raise awareness, and Boston Pride provides an opportunity to highlight these issues. It is important to remember that Boston Pride Week is more than just an annual celebration. It is a vibrant statement that enhances the visibility of the GLBT community and symbolizes Boston’s progress towards a diverse and welcoming environment for all. In honor of the courageous pioneers who bravely protested and initiated the first Pride celebration in 1971, today’s community continues a forty year tradition by standing up for what they believe in during Pride Week. The Commonwealth of Massachusetts has been a leader in defending the equal rights of its GLBT citizens by recognizing same sex marriage and actively supporting the rights and issues of the community. Together we can all continue to make a difference and serve as an example for future generations. |
|