Garden City, N.Y., June 13, 2022 – Long Island Pride was celebrated with a march down Main Street in the charming village of Farmingdale. Staff from several programs proudly wore rainbow colors to show our support. We had representation from all 5 of FCA’s divisions, as well as 2 Board Members, a former client, and tons of family and friends. Our group was warmly greeted by many elected officials and we were invited to march with their contingent. Viewers along the way gladly reached out for the pride flags and tote bags we distributed. With FCA emblazoned against a rainbow background, there was no doubt that FCA was in the house.
Progress is usually born of pain and the history of Stonewall is critical to understanding why we celebrate pride today. The now historic Stonewall revolt against police harassment, even brutality, occurred in June, 1969. The Stonewall Inn, a bar in NYC’s Greenwich Village, was frequented mainly by members of the gay and transgender communities who were regularly subjected to police abuse. After decades of persecution, enough was enough, and for two days, June 28-29th, what ensued has been referred to as a riot. That was the impetus for “out and proud”, and a movement was created and took off. The first pride parade in NYC was the following June. On Long Island however, it was not clear sailing. After twenty years of attending the NYC pride parade, Long Islanders wanted their own. Community activists approached several villages and communities for a parade permit and were rejected one after another. The group leaders drew a line in the sand when Huntington Village rejected them. A lawsuit in federal court was initiated and won. The first Long Island Pride Parade was June 9th, 1991.
FCA stands proudly with the LGBTQIA+ community. Don’t try to rain on our parade. Well on Sunday it did, but that didn’t stop us.
About FCA
FCA is a not-for-profit agency helping more than 30,000 Long Islanders each year. For the last 137 years, the organization has worked to protect and strengthen vulnerable children, seniors, families and communities on Long Island.
FCA believes in the potential of Long Island – a place where no child, senior, family or community is left to struggle alone with barriers to health care, education, employment or economic prosperity. Long Island continues to be one of the greatest place in the world to live and raise a family for many; FCA exists to ensure that be the case for all.
For more information about FCA, visit FCALI.org.