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www.GoodMorningGwinnett.com #Podcast #Pride For the first time ever, it\u2019s LGBTQ Pride Month in Gwinnett.

A proclamation presented Tuesday night by the county\u2019s Board of Commissioners declared it so.District 2 Commissioner Ben Ku \u2014 who became the board\u2019s first openly gay member when he was sworn in in January \u2014 presented the proclamation recognizing Gwinnett\u2019s lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer residents.

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Such proclamations are presented at the beginning of just about every commission meeting, to honor or otherwise recognize various groups from throughout the community. They\u2019re largely symbolic.But that doesn\u2019t mean they\u2019re meaningless, Ku said.
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\u201cI think just having recognition is a huge step,\u201d he said. \u201cThis part of our community has been so long in the shadows \u2014 or in the closet \u2014 and I think it's helpful just to have that recognition, that validation, the acceptance that this is OK and we're not going to marginalize any community in Gwinnett.\u201dMORE COVERAGE: LGBTQ group planning first Norcross Pride night PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Gwinnett Stripers held first-ever Pride Night

The proclamation declared Gwinnett\u2019s LGBTQ community to be \u201ca vital part of all fields and professions [that] contributes to a stronger community.\u201d It said that it was \u201cimperative that every member of our community ... feels valued, safe, empowered and supported."Gwinnett\u2019s recognition coincides with the national celebration of LGBTQ pride month, which is held in June to correspond with the anniversary of the Stonewall Uprising in New York.In June 1969, police raided a Manhattan gay bar called the Stonewall Inn, sparking protests and riots that are considered watershed moments in the gay rights movement. This month marks the 50th anniversary of the riots.Atlanta (which actually holds its primary pride celebration in October) has long been known for having a sizable LGBTQ community, but detailed statistics are hard to come by.LGBTQ residents have been estimated to make up around 4.5% of Georgia\u2019s overall population. Many of those people live in Atlanta, but it stands to reason that many also live in Gwinnett, the state\u2019s second most populous county.RECENT COVERAGE: Georgia\u2019s most gay friendly city isn\u2019t Atlanta. Or Savannah. This weekend, the Norcross Gay Club will host what\u2019s believed to be the first-ever pride celebration in Gwinnett. Rolando Guzman is an organizer for the the Norcross Pride event that\u2019s scheduled for Saturday afternoon at Thrasher Park. He said the Board of Commissioners\u2019 proclamation sent a \u201cpowerful message.\u201d \u201cEvery change begins with awareness so, even if the gesture is largely symbolic, it is a huge step forward for the LGBTQ community living in Gwinnett County,\u201d Guzman said.State Rep. Sam Park, a Democrat from Lawrenceville, became the first openly gay man to serve in Georgia\u2019s General Assembly when he was elected in 2016. He also works as a legal analyst for Positive Impact Health Centers, an HIV clinic with locations in Decatur and Duluth. The practice was one of the local organizations highlighted during Tuesday night\u2019s proclamation.\u201cI am proud that the Gwinnett BOC is recognizing Pride Month for the first time in its history,\u201d Park said. \u201cIt demonstrates the progress we are making as a community to be inclusive and welcoming of everyone who calls Gwinnett home.\u201d
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