Celebrating Pride 2019, Stonewall 50 In Maplewood-South Orange – Maplewood, NJ Patch

MAPLEWOOD, NJ – In honor of LGBTQ Pride Month in June and this year’s 50th Anniversary of the Stonewall Rebellion, The Townships of Maplewood and South Orange have joined together for the Second Annual SOMA CELEBRATES PRIDE, a coordinated initiative to highlight and promote LGBTQ visibility and issue awareness, to foster safe spaces for affirmation and celebration, and to build community unity through diverse events and fun activities throughout the month.

Working in conjunction with non-profit advocacy organizations, local community groups, advocates, and businesses, elected leaders, and student and other youth groups, including but not limited to SOMA Action’s LGBTQ and Student Leadership Committees, Maplewood’s Youth Advisory Committee, CHS Spectrum Club, RAD Kids, SOMA Justice, the South Orange Maplewood Community Coalition on Race, North Jersey Pride, Garden State Equality, the Hetrick-Martin Institute, WORDS Bookstore, the Maplewood Village Alliance, the Springfield Avenue Partnership, both branches of the Maplewood Memorial Library, Vanguard Theater Company, and Progressive Theatre Company, the two towns are hosting many events throughout the month.

“The freedom to live openly, truthfully, and safely in our welcoming and inclusive sister towns in all of our diversity and intersectionality, to celebrate our triumphs, to honor those before us who made those possible, and to protest and call to action against the grave injustices and inequalities that remain, all of that is Pride,”Maplewood Township’s first out LGBTQ elected Committee Member Dean Dafis said. “In light of the 50th Anniversary of The Stonewall Riots and yet ironically during a time when the LGBTQ community is under attack and hate crimes on the rise, we need to be even more visible, active, vigilant this year and protective of our beloved community.”

Dafis worked very closely with many organizers of the SOMA Celebrates Pride Committee including youth groups and fellow local LGBTQ advocates and electeds, most notably pioneer activist and long time Maplewood resident, Stephen Mershon and Safe Schools Climate Culture and Anti-Bullying expert and champion, Shannon Cuttle.

“On this historic anniversary of the Stonewall Rebellion, it is essential that grass roots activists continue the long, slow, steady push for LGBTQ equality” said Mershon.

Cuttle remarked that pride marches and events are an important part of celebrating LGBTQ+ history and human rights.

“Visibility matters, showing LGBTQI+ youth that their lives matter by creating inclusive, welcoming, and affirming spaces in our schools and communities, and honoring their experiences increases acceptance, letting them know that they are not alone,” she said.

Maplewood’s Office of Cultural Affairs Director, Andrew Fishman and his team tirelessly coordinated event bookings, sponsorships, and many other details including the creation of the SOMAPRIDE website and calendar: www.somapride.com , Maplewood Cultural Affairs page www.maplewoodartsandculture.org. Most of the events are either being sponsored or co sponsored by Maplewood Township.

A complete list of all confirmed events at this time, is:

NJ Pride 2019 DRAG Show – June 7, 8:00 PM – 11:00 PM (annual)

Vanguard Theatre Company
Maplewood’s Burgdorff Center
ticketed event, contact organizer: www.vanguardtheatrecompany.org

Preschool Book Club – Who Are You? – June 8, 10 AM – 12 PM – NEW
SOMA Justice & South Orange Maplewood Community Coalition on Race
Discussion of Gender Identity and Expression
FREE event, open to all parents/caregivers and children – birth to 6 years old.
Le Parc Place, 195 Maplewood Ave, Maplewood

Pride Fest 2019 – June 9, 12:00 PM – 6:00 PM (annual)
North Jersey Pride
Maplewood Memorial Park
FREE event, open to all

Know Your Rights Training – June 12 – 7:30 pm – 9:30 PM – NEW
SOMA Justice
Maplewood’s Burgdorff Center
FREE event, open to all

A Conversation with Darnell Moore – June 13, 7:30 PM – 9:30 PM – NEW
North Jersey Pride & Words Bookstore
Words Bookstore
FREE event, open to all

Youth Pride Storytelling – June 15, 7:00 PM – 9:00 PM – NEW
Casting is on June 2 from 1pm – 4 pm at Hilton Branch of Maplewood Memorial Library
Nathalie Farfan
Maplewood’s Burgdorff Center
FREE event, open to all

Pride Under the Stars! – June 15, 8:00 PM – 11:59 PM – NEW
North Jersey Pride
Outdoor Dance Party on Sloan Street, South Orange
ticketed event, contact organizer: www.northjerseypride.org

Preparation for Aging – June 17, 1:00 PM – 3:00 PM – NEW
Garden State Equality in partnership with SOMA Two Towns for All Ages
Presentation at The Woodland, Maplewood
FREE event, open to all, lunch provided, reservations required: www.gsequality.org/aging_mw

Lavender Graduation – June 18, 7:30 PM – NEW
Maplewood Township Committee hosts LGBTQI+ identified and allied CHS graduating seniors to honor with special certificate and rainbow colored tassels or color guards

From Selma to Stonewall – June 20, 7:00 PM – 10 PM – NEW
North Jersey Pride
Documentary showing and talkback at The Woodland, Maplewood
ticketed event, contact organizer: www.northjerseypride.org

SAGE Table – June 21, 6:00 PM – 9:00 PM – NEW
Garden State Equality in partnership with SOMA Two Towns for All Ages
Intergenerational table (dinner) and showing of GenSilent at The Woodland, Maplewood
FREE, open to all, dinner provided, reservations required: https://www.gardenstateequalit…

Cabaret – One Moment in Time w/Gregory Omar Osborne, June 22 and 23rd – NEW
Progressive Theater Company
Maplewood’s Burgdorff Center
Gregory takes us down memory lane with standards and personal stories of being an outsider that many LGBTQ persons can relate to. Through song, Gregory will inspire and lead us to just ‘live our lives, damn it.’
Ticketed event; proceeds benefit Progressive Theatre Company; contact: www.progressivetheater.com

Arlene Stein – June 24, 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm – NEW
Words Bookstore
“Unbound: Transgender Men and the Remaking of Identity.”
Book talk and signing with author
Words Bookstore, Maplewood
FREE event, open to all

Pride in the Plaza – June 27, 6:00 pm – 9:00 pm
Maplewood Village Alliance
Ricalton Square in Maplewood
Pick up a bottle of wine and local take out and enjoy being outside in the summer with friends, family, and neighbors in celebration of our LGBTQ community. FREE and open to all. Donations will be accepted for RAIN Foundation of Essex County which provides emergency homeless shelter and social services to homeless LGBTQ youth in Newark.

Rainbow Pop Up Dinner – June 28, 7:00 PM – 11:00 PM – NEW
Progressive Theatre Company & Springfield Avenue Partnership
Pride-themed outdoor communal table, full dinner, dancing & entertainment inspired by international Diner en Blanc
Maplecrest Park parking lot (Maplewood)
ticketed event, contact organizer, proceeds to benefit local charity providing independent living to persons with disabilities – adult only event, alcohol served
https://www.progressivetheater…

Carl Ellis Photography & Photo Booth in partnership with Mona Lisa Framing – throughout the month! annual

Carl Ellis Photography and Photo Booth Studios are offering a Family Photo special for LGBTQ families throughout June! Make an appointment and come prepared to strike a pose for a 15 min session – wear your rainbow colors! You’ll receive a 5×7 print for $30. Longer sessions available at 25% discount. Special LGBTQ Family Day on June 22nd. Have your prints framed at Mona Lia Framing (right next door). They are offering a 50% off sale on select frames for Carl Ellis customers. Bookings here.

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