Clewiston’s first ever PRIDE month event

Posted 6/15/21

CLEWISTON- June is Pride month, a month dedicated to celebrating the LGBTQ+ communities all around the world. Pride is all about being proud of who you are no matter who you love.

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Clewiston’s first ever PRIDE month event

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CLEWISTON- June is Pride month, a month dedicated to celebrating the LGBTQ+ communities all around the world. Pride is all about being proud of who you are no matter who you love. A newly formed group, Lake O’ LGBTQ+ & Allies, is holding their first ever pride event. The PRIDE for Lake O’ Community Clean-up is planned for Friday, June 25, 2021 at 6:00 p.m. 

Although it has been celebrated for more than 50 years, President Bill Clinton officially declared June as Gay and Lesbian Pride Month in 2000. President Barack Obama expanded the observance in 2011 to Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) Pride Month.

While Pride month hasn’t been recognized nor celebrated as much in Hendry County, as it has in many other places, organizer Johnny Navarro aims to change that for his hometown of Clewiston.

“I grew up in Clewiston, Florida, and I can tell you from experience that growing up in a small town can really make ones reality seem tiny,” explained Navarro. “My sexuality was speculated about from the time I can remember, by both adults and kids my own age, before I even began having sexual experiences myself. I was extremely homophobic and hated myself for something I thought I maybe could be.”

Pride month is about teaching tolerance, education in pride history and continuing to move forward in equality. It's about people coming together in love and friendship, to show how far gay rights have come, even if in some places there's still some work to be done. This month calls for people to remember how damaging homophobia was and still can be.

“Thankfully, I eventually grew and ventured out into the world. By doing so, I was exposed to people from different races, ethnicities, sexualities, etc. and I was shown that real love, compassion, and friendship exists. I was shown that being open to loving people, regardless of their genitals, was accepted. I was shown that there was NOTHING wrong with me,” he said.

“Today, I stand proud and accept myself for who I am. I want you all to be able to do the same thing!” Navarro says he felt the need to create the group, “Lake O’ LGBTQ+ & Allies”,  because he himself has suffered from not being comfortable in his own skin “for far too long.”

“I felt that people from the little communities around the lake deserved to know that they aren’t alone and that they aren’t ‘abnormal’,” he explained.

“What better way than kicking off our FIRST ever Pride event than by showing some love for our community! On Friday, June 25 friends, family, and all allies are invited to participate in a community cleanup at Clewiston Herbert Hoover dike. Trash bags and gloves will be provided but be sure to bring your own water and hand Sanitizer. We can’t wait to see all of you there!” Navarro said.

To find out more about the new group, or for details and updates about the clean up event, check them out on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Lake-O-Lgbtq-Allies-101182168865765/

Click here for the event announcement on Facebook: https://fb.me/e/zjyj6ccl

pride, LGBT, Clewiston, clean up, lake

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