Hello friends,
I hope we’re all having a great time as summer approaches, and that we’ll be sure to be safe with summer heat. The former lifeguard in me wants to remind you that there are two nearly-free pools in Freeport (Randall Park and MLK Park) that - last I checked, this may be outdated - you just need a Recreation Center Activity Card to use.
Take it from someone who’s treated heat stroke victims: You don’t want that, it’s awful.
Anyhow, yesterday (as of when I’m starting this, anyway) I had the opportunity to speak to Joseph Smith & Jose Cuevas of Freeport Pride! We discussed a lot of things, including what it was like growing up Queer in Freeport, and the fact that this Saturday, May 30th there’s going to be a big Pride event on the Nautical Mile.
This is the fourth year of Pride events being held in Freeport (I’ve been to two of the past three), but this is the first year under a newly-established organization that’s centered on the ideas of intentionality and community togetherness. We had the opportunity to sit down and talk with one another, and here’s the gist of how it went:
In Conversation With Freeport Pride
I started by asking Joseph & Jose what inspired them to start a new organization with a new remit. Aside from what it was like growing up Queer in Freeport, Joseph mentioned that it was “something that’s missing” from the community.
Jose had a more specific story; he was unable to make it to a NYC Pride event, but passed by the Freeport train station and found that so many people were getting off the train having clearly come back from one - and then they sort of just undressed so they could blend in. Paraphrasing, he wondered why people should have to leave their community to enjoy a night as their authentic selves, let alone feel like they had to dress more stealthily when they got home.
Both Jose & Joseph stressed that diversity was another key factor in their decision to get involved in the growing Pride movement years ago. Freeport has always been a diverse community, and there are Queer people born in every community. Me? I’ve always been of the belief that not acknowledging that fact is a mistake.
We talked about some of the things Freeport Pride does that goes beyond just, ‘Hey let’s host a big party’ - and it’s a lot! For starters, they’re involved in a lot of social programs such as anti-bullying initiatives and suicide prevention efforts. They have a Pride For Youth program. They work with Long Island Pride Lions, which is a subsection of Lions International, on projects like providing for food banks, and they’re working on a scholarship fund.
They’ve also taken up a role in advocating for the Queer community at large. Joseph explained it as an “opportunity to bridge the communication gap.” This includes working with other organizations, such as Rockville Center Pride, to write letters to politicians advocating in Queer peoples’ interests. There are other orgs on Long Island that Freeport Pride plans to turn out to when it’s their time to have events, creating a mutual support network that goes beyond any one gathering or group.
All of this comes back to the idea of intentionality. Jose stressed that the goal of the group is to “do good,” and by that he meant all of the aforementioned areas of work. The idea is to bring the community together in every area possible, at every level possible. Some people can offer a lot of time and resources and support via presence and provision; others can only do a little bit because of whatever they have going on in their lives. The point isn’t to just demand others do more, but to provide support and structure for those who do what they can.
My Personal Take On The Pride Movement
I’ll add a personal note: Stonewall? It was a riot. Pride? Started off as a protest.
It’s my personal belief that Freeport Pride is taking the next logical step - the establishment of an enduring organization which blends enjoyable events with sincere purpose. Pride isn’t just some party we go to once a year and then forget about, or some time when we hang flags up and then take them down later. Those are nice perks of the fact that in much (but not nearly enough) of the world, it has gotten easier to be Queer than it was in - say - 1969.
We’re here, we’re Queer, and a lot of people have gotten quite used to that.
But that doesn’t mean that Pride can exist without purpose, and I find myself thinking about what we do individually, as well. I do what I can, when I can, to help people regardless of the community they’re with. I’m also not in the best physical shape (says the guy who needed spine surgery almost a year ago), so while I can’t spend a lot of time at events or protests or physically-demanding work, I do what I can through raising awareness, using social media to share causes in need of support, calling my representatives (as you should really be calling yours), and helping with what resources I have to spare. When I have a platform, I use it to elevate those doing work I cannot - thus, this article!
I’m glad to have had a chance to talk with Joseph and Jose because it really seems like they’ve got that kind of mindset vis-a-vis doing more than just the symbolic, and while I know their organization is larger than just the two of them and it takes many hands to make the work solvable, I’m confident they’re two sets of hands that will do fine with making Freeport and its surrounding community better.
Don’t forget to swing by the Nautical Mile this Saturday, May 30th for a great time, and contribute what you can.
