‘An inclusive community’: Ross hosts inaugural Pride celebration

Journalists aren’t supposed to refer anything as “first annual,” but if all goes as planned, that’s the case for the June 9 Pride celebration in Ross.

“We already have the date for next year,” Amy Bialek said, and it again will be on the second Sunday of June.

She serves as vice chair for Ross’ Equal Opportunity Board, which organized the inaugural event. And if the afternoon’s healthy attendance serves as an indicator, all signs point to a return for 2025.

“We think it’s fantastic, the turnout that we’re getting here from the community,” Toby Venar, who chairs the board, said. “We’re really happy to be able to sponsor activities like this and to be able to know that we’re an inclusive community.”

The celebration featured representation from nearly two dozen organizations offering activities and information about various resources available in the North Hills. Guests were welcome to make Pride flags and friendship bracelets, paint kindness rocks and help create a community Pride banner.

A pair of genial pooches from Animal Friends, Boudica the beagle and Jack-Jack the French bulldog, visited for the event, as did folks from Northland and Shaler North Hills libraries to read stories to the youngsters in attendance.

Impetus for the event came as a result of some unseemly behavior, according to Bialek:

“About a year ago, we had some people in our community who were not being very safe and welcoming to other community members, and from that grew a lot of public hate speech. As a teacher” — of kindergarten at Highcliff Elementary School — “I do not like when people are saying mean things to each other. And I was motivated to let everybody know that they are welcome just for who they are in our community.”

So she volunteered to lead a Pride committee for the Ross Township Democratic Committee.

“We talked about some things that we could do so that people in our community know that they are safe here, that they are welcome here, that they belong here,” Bialek said, and she took the concept to the Equal Opportunity Board. “We wanted to make it a more public statement. We talked about how we could have an event, and that’s how we came up with our idea for this Pride event.”

Another board member, Jocelyn McCarty, worked on contacting organizations about taking part in the celebration.

“My take from it is that I wanted people to know we have an LGBT that needs to be supported in the North Hills,” she said. “It’s not a city thing. It’s not an everywhere-else thing. It’s here. And we need to support them and let them know that we’re here for them.”

Among the organizations represented was North Hills Progressive Neighbors, a political action committee formed in 2023 as “a group for Ross and West View residents who support progressive causes and candidates,” according to member Deanna Philpott.

“It really just started because a group of us knew that we all cared about the same stuff and wanted a formal group to belong to, to really start making the community better,” she said. “We went live last spring, and we just keep trying to find things to do to make the world better.”

Fellow member April Lechwar joined Philpott in greeting visitors to the PAC’s table.

“I’ve lived in Ross for 18 years, and I really felt like I was the only progressive person here. So I feel that NHPN is a beacon for like-minded people,” Lechwar said. “You’re not alone, and come and see us.”

Other members of Ross’ Equal Opportunity Board, all of whom are appointed by township commissioners, are Shannon Parris and Sarah White.

According to the township, the purpose of the board “is to assure that all persons regardless of race, color, religion, national origin, ancestry or sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, disability, age or use of a guide or support animal because of blindness, deafness or physical disability enjoy the full benefits of citizenship and are afforded equal opportunities for employment, housing and use of public accommodation facilities.”

For more information, visit ross.pa.us/377/Equal-Opportunity-Board.