Pride flag flies over Yakima City Hall
YAKIMA -- A pride flag now hangs from Yakima City Hall, and the LGBTQ+ community in Yakima says this is an historic moment.
The Yakima City Council recently proclaimed June to be LGBTQ pride month in Yakima and agreed to fly the pride flag from Yakima City Hall for the first time to commemorate the Stonewall riots 51 years ago - generally recognized as the catalyst of the LGBTQ rights movement.
The flag hangs right next to the American flag, the Washington state flag, and the POW/MIA flag.
Yakima Pride's vice president says the flag symbolizes a step toward a more inclusive city. He says when the flag went up, he had no words to describe his emotions, and some of his friends were even moved to tears.
"You may end up going to California and experiencing a really large pride festival but to actually see the pride flag on your own city hall is just a very symbolic and emotional moment I think for LGBTQ people," says Joshua Hastings, with Yakima Pride.
He says Yakima's annual pride parade event will be happening on Saturday virtually, and will include several speakers, local musicians and performers. He says they're also planning a pride prom for high school students, tentatively set for the end of October.
