CLEVELAND HEIGHTS, Ohio — EDITOR’S NOTE: The video above previously aired on 3News as a special celebrating Pride Month.
In honor of the start of Pride Month, Cleveland Heights is holding its first-ever Progress Pride Flag raising on Wednesday morning at 10 a.m.
The ceremony will take place at Cleveland Heights City Hall.
"Pride Month begins tomorrow, but Pride is much more than a month," Cleveland Heights Mayor Kahlil Seren said. "Pride is the insistence—in the face of intense resistance—that the LGBTQ+ community deserves real respect and substantive access to the rights that we all expect to enjoy. In that spirit, tomorrow, we will raise the Progress Pride flag in front of City Hall and across Cleveland Heights, where they will remain all month."
The flag-raising ceremony will feature two guest speakers at the event. Cleveland Heights and University Heights Board of Education President Malia Lewis and writer, activist, director and educator Kenyon Farrow, who serves as the Managing Director of Advocacy and Organizing for the health equity organization PrEP4All, will both speak at the event.
Mayor Seren is expected to make a policy announcement at the ceremony regarding the Cleveland Heights becoming friendlier and more inclusive to LGBTQ+ community members.
"The City of Cleveland Heights is planting its flag firmly on the side of acceptance and respect and against intolerance and bigotry," said Mayor Seren.
Aside from the flag-raising ceremony, Cleveland Heights is honoring Pride Month in other ways:
A newly painted rainbow-colored crosswalk at the intersection of Kildare Road and Cedar Road in front of Heights High School.
Five rainbow-colored benches that the City has installed in its five major parks.
More details on Pride Month activities in Cleveland Heights can be found HERE.
EDITOR'S NOTE: The video above previously aired on 3News on June 24, 2021.